Kransekake

Kransekake is the towering ring cake that anchors every major Norwegian and Danish celebration, from Christmas to weddings to Constitution Day. Stacked concentric rings of chewy almond paste decorated with white icing zigzags, it’s as much a centerpiece as it is a dessert.

The dough is essentially a stiff marzipan: ground almonds mixed with powdered sugar, potato flour, and egg whites. No wheat flour at all, which makes this naturally gluten-free. The potato flour adds structure and a slight chew that keeps the rings from crumbling when stacked.

Traditional recipes call for bitter almonds, which have a more intense, concentrated almond flavor than sweet almonds. Bitter almonds contain compounds that are toxic when raw but completely safe once baked. If you can’t find them, regular almonds work fine, though the flavor will be milder.

The icing is a simple royal icing of powdered sugar and egg white, piped in decorative zigzag lines down the sides of each ring after assembly.

Chef Tips

• Grind the almonds as finely as possible. Coarse almond meal makes the rings crumbly and they break when you try to stack them.
• The dough should be firm enough to roll into ropes without sticking. If too soft, add a bit more powdered sugar.
• Let the baked rings cool completely before stacking and icing. Warm rings shift and the icing melts.

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of almond extract to the dough if using sweet almonds to boost the almond intensity.
• Drape small Norwegian flags between the rings for a festive 17th of May presentation.
• Fill the hollow center of the tower with wrapped candies or chocolates as a surprise.