Kransekake
The towering almond ring cake of celebration — chewy marzipan rings stacked and laced with royal icing.
Cultural Context & History
No Norwegian wedding, christening or 17th of May is complete without the kransekake — a spiralling tower of eighteen concentric almond rings. Along the southern coast it is often filled with a small bottle of wine or wrapped sweets, a gift hidden inside the architecture of the cake.
Ingredients
- 500 g ground almonds
- 500 g icing sugar
- 3 egg whites
- For the icing: 1 egg white, 250 g icing sugar, lemon juice
Recommended Tools
- Kransekake ring setGraduated moulds for the signature stepped tower.
- Piping bag with fine tipDelivers the delicate white icing zig-zags.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1
Knead almonds, icing sugar and egg whites into a firm, smooth marzipan. Rest overnight.
- 2
Roll into ropes and press into graduated kransekake ring moulds.
- 3
Bake at 200°C for 10–12 minutes until lightly golden but still chewy.
- 4
Cool completely, then stack the rings from largest to smallest, piping zig-zags of royal icing to bind each layer.
Chef's Tip
The rings should be barely coloured — over-baking turns the chew to crunch. Pull them the moment the edges take on colour.
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