This past Christmas, I drew my dad’s name in our annual family gift exchange. I really wanted to do something thoughtful, so, I came up with the idea of making him a cake. Now, this wouldn’t be just any cake, I wanted to make him the cake that his mom used to make for him on his birthday every year….a Swedish Cream Cake. She was in her 90’s when she passed away about 7 years ago. And before that, she lived in a home, with no access to a regular kitchen. So, it had been a whole bunch of years since he had had Swedish Cream Cake.

I looked all over the internet for a recipe, and just couldn’t find anything. On to “Plan B” ~ call a bakery, and have them make it, and even deliver it. Well, none of the bakeries I found, either local, or nationwide had even heard of such a cake. I kinda gave up.

I am sure you have heard me talk about my sister, Abigail, before. Besides being awesome, she is also a really good “keeper of sentimental stuff”. I was lamenting about my Swedish Cream Cake, and conjuring up some back up plans, when she told me she thought she had Grandma J.’s actual recipe for the cake. I about leapt through the phone. She took a photo of the recipe and sent it to me. This was it! It even had her notes at the bottom, in her sweet handwriting that I remember so well.

So, off I went to our market to pick up the ingredients. So easy, well, except for sweet summer strawberries in December, but I think I found some decent ones. A couple observations to this recipe (please remember that I am NOT a baker, but did have my baker friend over to assist):

• When you beat for 15 minutes, really beat, with a beater at a fast speed
• Again, when you beat until light, really beat until light
• I suggest using parchment paper to line the cake tins so that the cake comes out of the tin easier
• After much research, I have decided that a “moderate” oven is about 325 degreees
• Check your cake after about 12-15 minutes, depending on your oven (mine may run hot), but it definitely doesn’t need 40 minutes
• I made 4 layers, instead of splitting 2

Once everything was out of the oven and cooled, I froze the layers overnight. I also put the cream filing in the fridge overnight; be sure to cover the top of the filing with plastic wrap.

The whip cream topping was actual heavy whipping cream with sugar and a tad of vanilla. It was DELICIOUS, and very much worth making. Don’t use Cool Whip like I almost did. My baker friend about died when I told her I was going to use it; that is how my Grandma did it. It tastes much worse than I remember.

Once it was all complete and decorated the way my sisters and I remembered, I put it in a plastic cake box from Michael’s, and gave it to my dad. He was so surprised and I think his brother was actually a little envious.

Family traditions are the best. I will definitely be making this again.