The Best Cake in the World!

Judging by what we see in the media at the moment, it seems that the whole world is in a collective struggle to compensate for Christmas binging. The press strikes while the fat is hot (and we still remember our New Year’s resolutions), egging us on. With fierce fervour we sweat away at the gym (at least twice before becoming passive members); we hold our noses and bravely swallow diet shakes (with "delicious" strawberry and chocolate flavour); and with obvious discomfort we wrap ourselves up in hats and scarves to go for Sunday "walks" in the freezing cold.

For my part, I know I never manage to endure this for long, so I sit on my ever bulging bottom, and enjoy a snack now rather than later. After exerting myself in the laundry room and making a super-healthy salmon dinner today, I’d like to spend the afternoon in the sofa with coffee and cake. I would invite you in for a cuppa, but it is a bit difficult since you probably don’t live in the neighbourhood. However, should you too be in need of something nice with your coffee, here’s a recipe for what we in Norway call the Best Cake in the World.

Cake

• 150 grams butter
• 150 grams sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• 50 ml (0.2 cup) milk
• 150 grams flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Meringue

• 5 egg whites
• 175 grams sugar
• 100 grams almonds

Cream Filling

• 250 ml (1 cup) whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 500 ml (2 cups) custard
• 1 tablespoon rum

Start with the cream filling. It needs to stand in the fridge for a while to become firmer.

Whip cream and vanilla extract and mix with the custard.

A few drops of rum will give the filling a nice flavour. If you fancy a little drop yourself, then by all means have a sip, but honestly it tastes better with coffee a little later. ;-)

Separate egg whites and yolks. Be careful, even the tiniest bit of yolk in the whites will destroy the meringue.

Whip butter and sugar light and airy, and then whip in the milk and egg yolks before adding the flour and baking powder.

Spread the dough on baking paper in a large square cake tin.

Beat the egg whites, while adding sugar little by little. The meringue mix should be stiff and glossy.

Spread the meringue mix on top of the cake dough.

Roughly chop the almonds and sprinkle on top of the meringue.

Then it is into the oven at 175 degrees (Celcius) for 20 minutes. Have a look at it after 15 minutes, just to make sure the meringue does ’t brown too much.

When the cake has cooled, cut it in two and put one part bottom down on a platter.

Spread cream filling over the cake.

Add the other half on top, and voila, you have a Kvæfjord Cake ready to serve.

It really tastes wonderful, so enjoy yourself! :-)