A savory cake is definitely an unfamiliar concept in Minnesota in 2024. Sandwich cake, however, is not really a cake at all- it is like a giant version of a traditional sandwich, perfect for all sorts of creative vegetable decorations and ideal for feeding a large crowd on special occasions. Its main ingredients are layers of bread and sandwich fillings of your choice. This recipe is less an actual recipe and more an assembly/instruction manual, since it is so perfect for personalizing to your individual tastes. You could make an all-seafood sandwich cake, or just as easily one that contains nothing but ham salad or hard-boiled eggs.
Magnus Nilsson, a Swedish chef who is a treasure trove of information on Nordic food history, says that the sandwich cake came to popularity in Sweden in the latter half of the 20th century, so this is a relatively recent addition to the Nordic food scene.
Serve this sandwich cake at your next family gathering, party, baby shower or brunch, alongside a dessert cake, a fresh salad and the rest of your spread. Side note- this one was even very popular with my young children, so it’s safe to say it’s a crowd pleaser.
Tools & Equipment for Finnish Sandwich Cake
- Large cutting board
- Decorative cake plate or platter
- Sharp knife
- Large mixing bowl
- Handheld electric beaters- optional
- Spatula or offset spatula
Ingredients for Finnish Sandwich Cake
For the “frosting” (not really frosting. It’s a creamy savory spread)
- 1 1/2 cups (12 oz) cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream– or full fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- Generous pinch of kosher salt
- 1.5 Tbsp your favorite mustard– you can omit this if you want, especially if you don’t want your frosting to have a yellow appearance. I really like adding it in there!
For the “cake”:
- Two small/medium loaves or one very large loaf of sandwich bread. Good bread will make a difference here- buy some good white bread from the store or make something like this pain de mie at home. You’re also welcome to choose a hearty whole wheat bread or your choice of light rye breads. You will want at least 16-20 bread slices.
- Your choice of fillings– up to three different fillings, if following my instructions for size and shape! You can also choose fewer fillings, and alternate the layers. How many layers you’ll want to make could also vary depending on how thickly your bread is sliced.
Suggestions: egg salad, ham salad, chicken salad, sliced turkey or ham, smoked salmon, tuna salad, liver pate
If using sliced deli meats: at least 1/4 lb of each per layer is a good starting point. I personally really like using sliced deli meats in my sandwich cake, to contrast against some of the creamy fillings. (I also add some cucumber slices in to one of the deli meat layers for a little crunch). The only word of caution I have on using cold cuts is you might have a slightly harder time slicing the cake very neatly than you will if you use only cold salads.
For your cold salad fillings: You can buy these or make them! As you’ll notice, a sandwich cake can be as easy or as complicated as you wish to make it. For one layer of a cold salad filling, I would have at least a cup of the salad of your choice on hand- more depending on how thick you’d like your layers to be.
For garnish (suggestions-choose based on what you think will pair well with your fillings of choice):
- Lemon slices
- Fresh dill or other fresh herbs
- Cucumbers
- Radishes
- Cherry tomatoes
- Capers
- If you’re very artistic, you can try your hand at salmon roses or cucumber roses.
The Process: How to Make Your Finnish Sandwich Cake
Prep:
Add your cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, salt and mustard to a large bowl. Use a handheld mixer to beat until thoroughly mixed. Set aside (or place in the fridge, covered, if not using immediately).
Trim the crusts off of your loaf of bread- this helps with even edges and even bread layers.
Assembly:
For your first layer, place four slices of bread on your plate, two by two, so that they form a rectangle. (You can arrange these differently if you are trying to achieve a different shape with your cake).
Spread a very thin layer of your cream cheese mixture “frosting” over the layer of bread. Alternatively, you can spread a thin layer of butter on the layers, and only frost the outside of the cake, if you prefer.
Carefully layer your first filling over the bread, being careful to avoid moving the bread slices. Even out the filling with an offset spatula if needed.
Cover your filling with another layer of trimmed bread slices and repeat with the next filling.
Repeat once again with another layer of bread and a third filling.
You can continue for as many layers as you see fit, especially if you are using very thin slices of bread- Note that you may need to double the “frosting” recipe if you are making a very large cake. When you have placed your top layer of bread slices on your cake, use the rest of the “frosting” to cover the entire cake. I tend to prefer a thin layer of the spread, so the bread will probably show through in a couple spots- that’s okay, that’s what your garnishes are for.
Garnish:
Slice your garnish vegetables to your desired sizes and shapes and place them on the top and sides of the sandwich cake in a way that appeals to you!
Tips & Alternatives
– I highly recommend throwing a layer of cucumbers or pickles in one of your sandwich layers for a little crunch.
– For a vegetarian version, try using egg salad, cheddar cheese, and olive tapenade in your layers!
-If you really want this cake to be round, use a round cake tin as a guide to trim your bread slices to the correct size and shape, then arrange them on a cake plate.
How Should I Store Finnish Sandwich Cake?
Store this cake in the refrigerator, covered in cling film.
Finnish Sandwich Cake (Voileipäkakku)
Ingredients
- For the "frosting" not really frosting. It's a creamy savory spread
- 1 1/2 cups 12 oz cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream- or full fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- Generous pinch of kosher salt
- 1.5 Tbsp of your favorite mustard
- For the "cake":
- Two small/medium loaves or one very large loaf of good quality sandwich bread of your choice. You will want at least 16-20 bread slices.
- Your choice of fillings- up to three different fillings
- suggestions: egg salad ham salad, chicken salad, sliced turkey or ham, smoked salmon, tuna salad, liver pate
- For deli meats start with 1/4 lb per layer
- For cold salads start with at least one cup per layer- adjust to your desired thickness.
- For garnish:
- Lemon slices
- Fresh dill or other fresh herbs
- Cucumbers
- Radishes
- Cherry tomatoes
- Capers
- If you're very artistic you can try your hand at salmon roses or cucumber roses.
Instructions
- Add your cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, salt and mustard to a large bowl. Use a handheld mixer to beat until thoroughly mixed. Set aside (or place in the fridge, covered, if not using immediately).
- Trim the crusts off of your loaf of bread- this helps with even edges and even bread layers.
- For your first layer, place four slices of bread on your plate, two by two, so that they form a rectangle. (You can arrange these differently if you are trying to achieve a different shape with your cake).
- Spread a very thin layer of your cream cheese mixture "frosting" over the layer of bread. Alternatively, you can spread a thin layer of butter on the layers, and only frost the outside of the cake, if you prefer.
- Carefully layer your first filling over the bread, being careful to avoid moving the bread slices. Even out the filling with an offset spatula if needed.
- Cover your filling with another layer of trimmed bread slices and repeat with the next filling.
- Repeat once again with another layer of bread and a third filling.
- You can continue for as many layers as you see fit, especially if you are using very thin slices of bread- Note that you may need to double the "frosting" recipe if you are making a very large cake. When you have placed your top layer of bread slices on your cake, use the rest of the "frosting" to cover the entire cake.I tend to prefer a thin layer of the spread, so the bread will probably show through in a couple spots- that's okay, that's what your garnishes are for.
- Slice your garnish vegetables to your desired sizes and shapes, and place them on the top and sides of the sandwich cake in a way that appeals to you!
Notes
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Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it went in the comments! If you share on Instagram, please tag me at @sisuhomemaker. And I always love to hear from you- send questions, comments, concerns, etc to carol@sisuhomemaker.com!
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