Smorgastarta (Sandwich Cake)

Looks like a cake, doesn't it?

It's got layers, like a cake.

It's frosted, like a cake.

It's decorated, like a cake.

BUT....it's not a cake. It's a sandwich!

A smorgastarta is, according to Wikipedia, a Scandinavian dish.

Those Scandinavians are a pretty clever bunch.  I saw one on Pinterest and had to make it. I mean...it's a CAKE SANDWICH.

Sweet.

The only thing that is difficult about it is deciding what ingredients to put in the layers.

Smorgastarta

Ingredients

1 recipe Bread Dough

Filling Ingredients I used:

Top layer

2 cans devilled ham

2 medium pickles, finely chopped

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

mustard

mayo

Bottom layer

approx 1 1/2 cups cooked, ground turkey

10 slices of bacon, chopped

4 large slices jalapeno jack cheese

pesto

mayo

"Frosting"

2 8 oz packs cream cheese, softened

1 Tbsp Oh! So Garlic

(You could just use garlic flavored cream cheese)

1/3 cup sour cream

Decorations

carrots

cucumber peel

cherry tomatoes

cheddar cheese

Directions

Prepare your bread dough according to instructions. Divide into 3 equal parts and press into lightly greased 8 inch baking pan. (See photo below)

Let proof and then bake according to directions in recipe. When they are done, remove from pans to wire racks to cool. (See photo below)

When they are cool, carefully cut off outside crusts and top crusts. This will make the bread easier to cut through when you serve it. I even removed the bottom crust of the middle layer and top layer of bread to make it easier to slice through. This is not a necessary step but I do recommend it - if you have to cut through several layers of crust you may end up smooshing your sandwich when you go to serve it.

Place the bottom layer on your serving tray.

Spread with mayo and pesto.

Spoon on your turkey and bacon. Lay cheese on top, being careful not to have any cheese overhanging the edge. Just break any cheese off that sticks out so your "frosting" will be smooth.

Top with middle layer of bread.

Spread with mustard and mayo.

Spoon on your devilled ham, pickles, and onion. (To make things easier - pre-mix these ingredients together in a little bowl)

Top with top layer of bread.

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, Oh!So Garlic, and sour cream until smooth and creamy. Spread on sides of sandwich and then on top of the top layer of bread.

Decorate with whatever vegetables you would like. (I used a tiny, round cookie cutter to cut circles out of carrots, cucumbers, and cheese)   

The possibilities with this dish are endless. I think next time I will do a layer of tuna salad and a layer of egg salad, I love that combination.  

I would have added a lot more veggies - ie: tomatoes, cucumbers, etc... - but I was making this for a co-worker's birthday and I wasn't sure what she did or didn't like.

If you Google "smorgastarta" there are some really fancy schmancy ones decorated with shrimp and egg slices and all sorts of things. Some of the flavor combinations are a little questionable to me but, hey, to each their own.

At first I thought the bread might be too thick but, as it turns out, with all that cream cheese on the outside it comes in handy to have that thick bread in the middle to eat it with.

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