Copycat Lucinda’s Deli “Baja turkey sub” Swedish Sandwich Cake

Pro tip:

Blend softened cream cheese with other mix-ins such as herbs, vegetables, or pickled items to create a colorful “frosting” for your cake!

If you’re on this page, it is officially week two of my Swedish Sandwich Cake series. This all started a few months ago when I posted a traditional Swedish sandwich cake on social media (rye bread, salmon, cream cheese, cucumbers, and herbs) and realized just how different these “cakes” are. So many followers messaged me to share that they’d never seen anything like this and what their sandwich cake would be made of (roast beef and cheddar, prosciutto and arugula with mayo, etc). This got me thinking - what if I recreated some infamous sandwiches in the Bay area and made them into sandwich cakes?

So, I did just that! San Francisco is 100% a sandwich mecca - we have so many amazing delis to choose from. It was hard to narrow it down to a few of my favorites, but I decided to feature sandwiches from Palm City Wines, Lucinda’s Deli, and Molinari’s Delicatessen.

Then, I chose two sandwiches I thought would “cake” well and let my followers put it to a vote. And here you have it, my rendition of the Baja turkey sub from Lucinda’s Deli!

Lucinda’s Deli is located right next to Alamo Square Park, making it the perfect stop before a park day. I will never forget grabbing a sandwich and posting up at the park, staring at the beautiful view. I had just moved to SF from Denver and it was very special! I know the main attraction is supposed to be the cityscape or the painted ladies, but I was (and still am) in love with the trees :)

The Baja turkey sub is packed with flavor, a little kick, and a zesty freshness that is next level. Lots of shaved turkey, pickled jalapenos, pepperjack cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and Baja sauce.

While there’s no cream cheese in this sub, I decided to incorporate it into the recipe for my frosting. This is very traditional to Sweden and makes sure the cake stays together and holds up well! It also helps the sandwich really across as a cake, which is super fun and always delights guests.

Ingredients 

• 8 slices thinly sliced Japanese milk bread (most sliced bread will work, but you must try Andersen’s Bakery in Japantown!)

• 1/2 lb deli turkey meat, trimmed to the same size as the milk bread  

• 8 pieces of romaine lettuce with the tough stalk removed (you can also do finely chopped romaine)

• 1 cup of micro sprouts or arugula for garnish, optional

• 1 thinly sliced hot house tomato 

• 1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion (I used a mandolin)

• 1 fresh jalapeno very thinly sliced (also used a mandolin)

• ¼ cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved for decoration (optional) 

• 6-8 slices of pepper jack cheese, I used Tillamook  

• 1 package softened cream cheese

• 1/4th cup pickled jalapenos + 1 tbs juice from jar

• 1/4th cup of cilantro, with some stems reserved for decoration

• 1 avocado

• 1 lime, juiced

Instructions - Ingredient preparation 

• Prepare the cream cheese “frosting” by combining the softened cream cheese, the 1/4th cup of cilantro, and the 1/4th cup of pickled jalapenos in a food processor until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

• Prepare the vegetables (lettuce, tomato, and red onion) and set aside.

• Thinly slice the fresh jalapeno and add enough white vinegar to cover fully, stir. Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar for a quick pickle.

• Mash the avocado with the lime juice and season lightly with salt and pepper

• Cut the crusts off of the Japanese milk bread using a bread knife so that all of the pieces are roughly the same size and set aside.

Instructions - Sandwich cake assembly 

• Set out all of your ingredients ready to use and position 2 pieces of bread on the bottom of a plate or serving dish 

• Start by spreading a few tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture onto the bread

• Add a layer of lettuce

• Add a layer of turkey

• Add a layer of tomato

• Add a layer of avocado mash

• Add a layer of cheese

• Repeat these steps 2x more, ending with slices of bread on top of the final layer 

• Frost the cake entirely with the cream cheese frosting. This will not work if the cream cheese is not soft/spreadable! You can very quickly zap in the microwave and/or add a teaspoon of milk at a time to get it to your desired consistency

• Decorate the sides of the cake with thin sliced red onions, leaves of cilantro, and pickled jalapenos

• Top the cake with the micro arugula or sprouts, and add finishing touches of jalapeno or cherry tomato

• This cake is best enjoyed right after making it (but don’t forget to snap a picture first!)

Stay tuned for part three of my Swedish Sandwich Cake series coming the week of 4/22 …and check out my Instagram video on this recipe for a visual guide. 

Hope you make this and have FUN while doing it!
Amelia 🍓