This Swedish sandwich cake, or Smörgåstårta, is one of my favorite dishes to make for parties and family gatherings. It's a savory layer cake that's creamy, fresh and looks impressive on the table!
If you’ve never tried a Swedish sandwich cake (Smörgåstårta) before, you’re in for a treat. It’s one of those dishes that look fancy but is actually super fun and easy to make. Think layers of soft sandwich bread filled with creamy shrimp or tuna, all covered in a light “frosting” made from crème fraiche (or sour cream) and whipped cream. It looks like a cake but tastes like the best sandwich you'll ever taste.
This is my take on the classic Scandinavian Smörgåstårta, with a classic shrimp and tuna filling, plenty of herbs. It’s perfect for brunches, birthdays, Midsummer, or any get-together where you want to wow people with something a little different.
The soft white bread layers soak up all the flavors making this savoury cake light and fluffy.
Decorate it with shrimp, dill, lime and colorful garnishes like radishes or golden berries for that extra wow factor.
Funny enough, when I shared a video making this, my Mexican followers said it reminded them of sandwichón, which is their own version of a layered sandwich cake. So whether you grew up with Smörgåstårta, sandwichón, or you’re just curious, this recipe is a delicious way to bring a bit of Nordic flavor to your table!
Ingredients
Base: 1 large loaf of white sandwich bread (remove crusts)
Filling 1:
150 g (1 cup) peeled shrimp, chopped
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
100 g (¾ cup) pickles, diced
25 g (3 tbsp) chopped dill
250 g (1 cup) crème fraiche/sour cream
125 g (½ cup) mascarpone or cream cheese
1/2 red onion
Salt and pepper
1/2 lime (juice)
Filling 2:
240 g (1¼ cups) canned tuna (drained)
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
100 g (¾ cup) pickles, diced
25 g (3 tbsp) chopped dill
250 g (1 cup) crème fraiche/sour cream
125 g (½ cup) mascarpone or cream cheese
1/2 red onion
Salt and pepper
1/2 lime (juice)
*If you don't like seafood you can add chicken or any other substitute*
Garnish
85 g (5 tbsp) crème fraiche
200 g (1 cup) whipped cream
15 g (1 tbsp) mayonnaise
Optional (decor):
Cured salmon or shrimp
Pea shoots
Dill
Some caviar/fish roe
Radishes or beetroot, thinly sliced
Golden berries
2 limes, sliced
Make the fillings:
Shrimp: Mix chopped shrimp, eggs, pickles and dill in a bowl.
Stir in crème fraiche/sour cream and mascarpone/cream cheese
Season with salt and pepper and pour in juice of 1/2 a lime
Tuna: Mix the tuna, eggs, pickles and dill in a bowl.
Stir in crème fraiche/sour cream and mascarpone/cream cheese
Season with salt and pepper and pour in juice of 1/2 a lime
Assemble the cake:
Lay out bread slices to make a rectangle base. Spread half the filling on top.
Repeat with another layer of bread and filling, then finish with a final bread layer.
Cover and chill for a few hours.
Prepare the topping:
Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Mix with crème fraiche/sour cream and mayonnaise.
Spread over the top and sides of the cake.
Decorate:
Cover the sides with the pea shoots or dill. Top with dill, radishes, golden berries, lime slices, caviar, cured salmon and/or shrimp.
Add lime slices along the edge and top with shrimp and more dill.
Tip: This sandwich cake tastes even better the day after so it´s prefered to keep it in the fridge overnight for best result.
Enjoy your sandwich cake!
@lilan.beck making a sandwich cake for my moms birthday 💕 #sandwich #bakingtiktok #easyrecipe ♬ Beanie Waltz - Seb Wery
