Smörgåstårta from Axelsdotter bakery
If you ask Axelsdotter bakery owner Ingrid Schatz about smörgåstårta, she’ll admit that the savory Scandinavian cake adorned with shrimp and pops of garden produce hasn’t always been a sought-after dish among people outside of Sweden. But after introducing the oddly captivating creation bedecked with greens to the menu of her Chesterfield microbakery two years ago, it quickly became one of her most talked-about offerings.
“People love it,” says Schatz. “They kind of went out of fashion for a little while, and we’ve kind of seen [it rebound], how we would view a Jell-O mold here.”
And much like the resurgence of Jell-O on restaurant menus and the return of country superstar Shania Twain, smörgåstårta is making a comeback. Translating directly to sandwich cake, smörgåstårta, originated in the 1950s. It’s enjoyed cold and often eaten at celebrations.
“In Sweden, a quick lunch would be an open-faced sandwich, which would have a similar flavor profile as to what goes in the sandwich cake, and this is kind of a more decorated version of that,” Schatz says.
Schatz considers the Swedish delicacy a summertime treat, ideal for when prime produce season is in full swing. Available around Mother’s Day as an accoutrement to tea, Schatz will reintroduce the $55 cake in June.
Ingrid Schatz, owner of Axelsdotter bakery
The torte is composed of layers of rye bread; homemade smoked salmon egg salad; a Swedish shrimp salad called skagenröra, featuring plenty of chopped shallots and dill; and often mayo, but Schatz subs Greek yogurt to add a healthy-ish touch. The cake is then “iced” in a cream cheese, mayo and Greek yogurt mixture.
“In Sweden, it’s a mayonnaise bomb,” Schatz says with a laugh.
In recent years, smörgåstårta has seen many iterations, from Schatz’s spin to a vegan version made with ribbons of beet. The daughter of an American diplomat, Schatz bounced around different countries while growing up but landed in Sweden — her mother is of Swedish descent — to attend college for marketing, eventually heading to France for pastry school. The name of her bakery pays homage to her family and her heritage. Her great-grandfather owned a bakery in Sweden called Axelson, and while it’s still in operation, it is no longer in the family.
“His daughter was my grandmother, and her daughter is my mom, so because of the female connections, I’m Axel’s daughter,” she explains.
Schatz says that it’s been rewarding to share her culture through baked goods, from her top-selling cardamom buns to the unique smörgåstårta.
“It takes a little bit of explanation, but when something tastes good, that’s universal. When it’s something they like, it doesn’t matter where it comes from or if it has a funny umlaut over a letter or something,” she says. “It’s just so fun to slice into what is kind of a cake but [also] a sandwich, and it’s savory and it’s delicious.”
