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Photography by Ali Allen

Recipe | Midsommartårta

Iona Bower June 10, 2023

A Midsommartårta (Midsummer Strawberry Cake) is always enjoyed at midsummer festivities in Sweden – this light version is moreishly bite-sized, so don't expect any left at the end of the party...

Makes 8-12 cakes

You will need

6 egg whites
A pinch of sea salt
150g golden caster sugar
2 tsp rose water (or 1 tbsp ground dried rose petals)
150g ground almonds
A little olive or coconut oil, to grease the pan
300ml double cream
1kg strawberries, hulled
4 tbsp strawberry, raspberry or rhubarb jam
To serve: Edible flowers and wild berries

To make

1 Preheat oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of sea salt until glossy and meringuelike then gradually add the sugar, whipping until it holds a medium peak. Whisk in the rose water.

2 Shake in the ground almonds slowly, whisking to keep the air in the whites.

3 Brush the inside of a muffin tin or a mini bundt tin with a little oil. Divide the batter between the holes in the tin, filling each just to the top – you should have 8-12 cakes.

4 Slide into the centre of the oven and bake for 12 mins, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool for 5-10 mins before removing from the tin.

5 While the cakes cool, trim the green tops from the strawberries, halve or quarter any larger berries. Mix with the jam and set aside. Whip the cream until just thickened.

6 Once the cakes have cooled, run a knife around the edges to help release them from the tin. If the cakes are a little pale on top, you can flash them in the oven. Upturn to lightly toast them on the top or until lightly golden.

Serve with the strawberries and cream and garnish with edible flowers (and/or wild berries, if you can find some). Cook’s note: The cakes are best served on the day of making but they’ll keep in an airtight tin (once fully cooled) for 1–2 days. You can also freeze, defrost in the fridge and flash in a warm oven to take the chill off, before serving.

This recipe, by Rachel de Thample, is part of our ‘Midsummer Feast’ ‘gathering menu. It features Scandi dishes including Cold Cucumber Soup with Summer Flowers, Roast Beetroot Salad with Crispy Capers, Home Pickled Herring with Fennel, Pommes Anna with Dill Sour Cream and Ryeknäckebröd with Caraway. There’s also an idea for a Meadowsweet and Strawberry Schnapps to wash it all down. Midsummer Feast, it may be, but we think you can enjoy it any day this summer. If you’re making a day of it you may also like to try your hand at the Floral Crowns or some of the other Midsummer traditions on the pages. All in the June issue.

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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well
Feb 27, 2025
Feb 27, 2025

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See the sample of our latest issue here

Buy a copy of our latest anthology: A Year of Celebrations

Buy a copy of Flourish 2, our wellbeing bookazine

Listen to our podcast - Small Ways to Live Well

Feb 27, 2025
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The Simple Things is published by Iceberg Press

The Simple Things

Taking time to live well

We celebrate slowing down, enjoying what you have, making the most of where you live, enjoying the company of of friends and family, and feeding them well. We like to grow some of our own vegetables, visit local markets, rummage for vintage finds, and decorate our home with the plunder. We love being outdoors and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with a job well done.

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