(), (Norwegian) or (Icelandic) is a traditional Danish and Norwegian

confection Confectionery is the art of making confections, or sweet foods. Confections are items that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates, although exact definitions are difficult. In general, however, confections are divided into two broad and somew ...

, often eaten on special occasions in

Scandinavia Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...

. In English, the name means 'wreath cake'. In Norway it is alternatively referred to as (English: 'tower cake') and often prepared for

Constitution Day Constitution Day is a holiday to honour the constitution of a country. Constitution Day is often celebrated on the anniversary of the signing, promulgation or adoption of the constitution, or in some cases, to commemorate the change to constitut ...

celebrations, Christmas, weddings, and baptisms. In Denmark it is typically eaten as part of New Year celebrations, while a variation of the cake, , is traditionally served at weddings and baptisms. The origin of the ''kransekage'' can be traced to the 18th century, where it was first created by a baker in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

Preparation

A ''kransekage'' takes the form of a series of concentric rings of cake, layered on top of each other in order to form a steep-sloped cone shape—often 18 or more layers—stuck together with white icing. ''Kransekake'' cake rings are made with

almond The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', Synonym (taxonomy)#Botany, syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree from the genus ''Prunus''. Along with the peach, it is classified in the subgenus ''Amygdalus'', distinguished from the other subgenera ...

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecul ...

, and

egg white Egg white is the clear liquid (also called the albumen or the glair/glaire) contained within an egg. In chickens, it is formed from the layers of secretions of the anterior section of the hen's oviduct during the passage of the egg. It forms a ...

s. The ideal ''kransekake'' is hard to the touch, yet soft and chewy.

Serving

This confection is served by separating individual rings and breaking them into smaller pieces. In recent years the ''kransekake'' when mass-produced is sold year round in the shape of

dessert bar Dessert bars or simply bars or squares are a type of American and Canadian "bar cookie" that has the texture of a firm cake or softer than usual cookie. They are prepared in a pan and then baked in the oven. They are cut into squares or rectang ...

s. Mass-produced ''kransekake'' is available in stores around Christmas and before New Year's Eve. One cultural tradition is for the wedding couple to lift the top layer of the cake at their wedding. The number of cake rings that stick to the top one when they lift it is said to be the number of children the couple will have. The world's tallest ''kransekake'' was baked in 2006 by the supermarket

Coop Coop or Co-op most often refer to: * Chicken coop or other animal enclosure * Cooperative or co-operative ("co-op"), an association co-operating for mutual social, economic or cultural benefit ** Consumer cooperative ** Food cooperative ** Housin ...

Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...

in celebration of their 100th anniversary. The cake was tall and made from over 700 kilograms of dough.

Variations

The original variant used at weddings is called ''overflødighedshorn'' (English: 'horn of plenty') and is shaped like a

cornucopia In classical antiquity, the cornucopia (; ), also called the horn of plenty, was a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, flowers, or nuts. In Greek, it was called the " horn of ...

and filled with chocolates, cookies, and other small treats. Sometimes a bottle of

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

akvavit ''Akvavit'' or ''aquavit'' () is a distilled spirit that is principally produced in Scandinavia, where it has been produced since the 15th century. ''Akvavit'' is distilled from grain or potatoes and is flavoured with a variety of spices and he ...

is placed in the center, and the cake is decorated with ornaments such as crackers and flags. Bite-sized versions of the cake, called ''kransekakestenger'' (English: 'wreath cake rods') are often prepared for Christmas. The cake is prepared in the same way as with the original version, but instead of being formed into rings they are set into small, straight portions between long. They are then similarly decorated with white icing, though they may also be dipped in chocolate.

Gallery

File:Kransehjerte.jpg, Danish ''kransekage'' in the form of a heart File:NorwegianKransekake.JPG, Closeup of a ''kransekake'' decorated with Norwegian flags File:Kransakaka.jpg, A small ''kransekake'', decorated with nuts and fruit as well as the traditional white glaze File:Overflodighedshorn.jpg, A modern, smaller version of ''overflødighedshorn'' decorated with marzipan and chocolate scrolls (Danish: ''Snirkel''). On the lower right there are small, oblong pieces of ''kransekage''. File:Kransekake rings.JPG, A ''kransekake'' ring decorated with gingerbread

References

External links