Danish Layer Cake (Dansk Lagekage)

Traditional Danish Layer Cake on a marble cake stand with a slice being lifted out.

Danish Layer Cake (Dansk Lagekage)

This recipe has been updated to feature homemade pastry cream instead of instant vanilla pudding. Please see the recipe notes to substitute instant vanilla pudding (or cake mix or cool whip instead of buttercream frosting).

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Danish

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour

Servings servings

Calories 770kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

For the pastry cream:

2 cups milk
1 cup granulated sugar
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the yellow cake:

1/2 cup whole milk at room temperature
4 large eggs at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1 cup unsalted butter cut into tablespoons and softened (2 sticks)

For the buttercream frosting:

1 cup butter softened (2 sticks)
4 to 5 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
Pinch Salt optional

To assemble the cake:

1 small jar seedless raspberry jam see notes
Fresh raspberries for garnish optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To make the pastry cream:

In a medium non-aluminum saucepan over medium heat, warm milk until tiny bubbles appear on the surface, about 6 to 8 minutes (about 180 degrees Fahrenheit/82 degrees Celsius).
Meanwhile, In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Whisk in cornstarch and salt.
While whisking constantly, pour in half of the hot milk. Whisk in remaining hot milk and return to saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a firm consistency, about 5 to 8 minutes. Whisk in vanilla. Scrape in to a bowl.
Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on to the surface of the pastry cream. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 to 3 hours.

To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 (8-inch) round cake pans, then line parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and vanilla. Set aside.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fit with the whisk attachment, beat together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
With the mixer on medium-low speed, beat the butter in to the flour mixture one piece at a time. Continue beating until the mixture resembles moist crumbs, 1 to 3 minutes total.
Add the milk mixture to the mixer and beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 3 minutes longer. Stir by hand with a rubber spatula to make sure the batter is fully combined.
Divide the batter evenly between both pans, gently tapping the pans on the counter to settle the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out dry with a few crumbs attached, 20 to 25 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking time.
Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a small sharp knife around the inside of each pan to loosen, then flip the cakes on to a wire rack. Peel off the parchment paper, then flip the cakes right side up to cool completely, about 2 hours.

To make the frosting:

In a standing mixer fit with the paddle attachment, cream butter until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Reduce mixer speed to low. Add 4 cups powdered sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt (if using). Continue mixing 2 to 3 minutes longer. If the frosting seems too soft, add the remaining powdered sugar 2 tablespoons at a time.
Cover and refrigerate the frosting until assembling the cake, up to 1 week in advance.

To assemble the cake:

Cut each cooled cake in half lengthwise so there are four layers of cake total.
Arrange one cake layer on a serving platter. Top with half the pastry cream and a second cake layer. Top with raspberry jam followed by a third cake layer. Spread the remaining pastry cream and top with a final cake layer.
Frost the cake with buttercream and garnish with fresh raspberries if desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Notes

Sometimes seedless jam is hard to find. I found this brand at my local Target ($3.49 each). Raspberry jam with seeds in it may be substituted for the seedless jam.
1 yellow boxed cake mix, prepared according to package directions, may be substituted for the homemade yellow cake.
1 (16 ounce) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed, may be substituted for the buttercream frosting (that's how my mom always makes it). The traditional frosting for Danish Layer Cake is actually whipped cream.
One (3.4 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding made with 2 cups cold milk (ignore package directions and use 2 cups cold milk) can be substituted for the pastry cream. While the cakes are baking and cooling, in a small bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk. Chill at least 10 minutes.

Nutrition