Kransekake Recipe – Norwegian Tower Cake (Easy Steps)
Kransekake is a tall, beautiful cake made of almond rings stacked on top of each other. It looks hard to make, but it is not. With the right steps and a little patience, you can make this Norwegian wreath cake at home even without special molds.
This article covers everything: the history, the ingredients, the full kransekake recipe easy enough for beginners, tips, variations, and answers to the most common questions.
Try this easy Jolly Rancher shot recipe with colorful candy flavors, jello shots, frozen versions, and party batch instructions.
What Is Kransekake?
Kransekake (say it: “krahn-seh-kah-keh”) is a traditional Norwegian almond cake made of rings. The word means “wreath cake” in Norwegian. You stack 18 rings from the largest at the bottom to the smallest at the top. The result is a tall tower tied together with white royal icing.
This cake is also called:
- Norwegian tower cake
- Almond ring cake
- Scandinavian ring cake
- Danish kransekage (in Denmark)
- Marzipan ring cake
The taste is chewy, sweet, and nutty — a lot like marzipan. The outside gets a little crisp when baked, but the inside stays soft.
Ingredients for Kransekake Recipe
The best part about this classic Kransekake Recipe is that you only need a few basic things. There is no flour, no butter, and no baking powder. It is naturally gluten free.
For the Dough
| Ingredient | Metric | US Cups |
|---|---|---|
| Fine almond flour | 500g | 5 cups |
| Powdered sugar (icing sugar) | 500g | 4 cups |
| Egg whites (large eggs) | 3–4 | 3–4 |
| Almond extract (optional) | 1 tsp | 1 tsp |
Tip: Use fine almond flour, not coarse almond meal. Fine flour gives smooth rings that hold their shape. Coarse meal can make the rings crack.
For the Royal Icing
| Ingredient | Metric | US |
|---|---|---|
| Powdered sugar | 150g | 1.25 cups |
| Egg white | 1 large | 1 large |
| Lemon juice | 1 tsp | 1 tsp |
You Will Also Need
- Kransekake molds (or a ruler and parchment paper — see tip below)
- Piping bag or zip-lock bag
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Baking sheet
How to Make Kransekake Step-by-Step
Total Time: About 2 hours (plus 30 min rest) Servings: 20–30 people (18-ring tower)
Step 1 — Make the Kransekake Recipe Dough
Mix the almond flour and powdered sugar together in a large bowl. Add the egg whites one at a time. Mix after each one.
Keep mixing until a smooth, firm dough forms. It should feel like Play-Doh — soft but not sticky. If the dough is too sticky, add a spoon of powdered sugar. If it is too dry and cracks, add a few drops of egg white.
Add almond extract now if you are using it. Mix it in well.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes. This rest makes the dough easier to roll.
Step 2 — Shape the Rings
After resting, take the dough out of the fridge.
If you have kransekake molds: Grease the molds lightly with butter or cooking spray. Roll pieces of dough into ropes and press them into the mold channels. The dough should fill each channel without going over the edges.
If you do not have kransekake molds: You can make rings by hand. Roll dough ropes and shape them into circles. Use a ruler to make 18 rings, each one about 1 cm (0.4 inch) bigger than the last. The smallest ring should be about 5 cm (2 inches) across. The largest should be about 23 cm (9 inches) across.
Place the rings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 3 — Bake the Rings
Heat your oven to 200°C (390°F).
Bake the rings for 12–15 minutes. They are ready when the tops look lightly golden. Do not bake them too long. The edges should look a little toasted, but the inside must stay chewy.
Watch them closely after 10 minutes. Every oven is different.
Step 4 — Cool the Rings Completely
Take the rings out of the oven. Let them cool for 5 minutes in the molds. Then carefully lift them out and place them on a wire rack.
Important: Do not try to stack the rings while they are still warm. They will bend and break. Let them cool completely — at least 30 to 45 minutes.
Step 5 — Make the Kransekake Icing
To make the royal icing for kransekake, beat the egg white with the powdered sugar until thick and white. Add lemon juice and beat for 1 more minute.
The kransekake frosting should be stiff — not runny. If you hold the spoon upside down, the icing should not fall off right away.
Icing consistency check:
- Too runny = the rings will slide when stacked
- Too thick = it will be hard to pipe and may break
Put the icing into a piping bag or a zip-lock bag with a small corner cut off.
Step 6 — Stack the Tower
Place the largest ring flat on your serving plate or cake board. Pipe a zigzag line of icing on top of it. Place the next ring on top, press gently, and pipe another zigzag.
Keep stacking from largest to smallest. Pipe kransekake icing between every two rings as you go.
Let the finished tower sit for at least 1 hour so the icing sets and holds everything together.
Step 7 — Decorate
Now for the fun part. You can decorate your kransekake any way you like:
- Small Norwegian flags stuck between the rings
- Sparklers or party crackers (a classic New Year’s kransekake tradition)
- Edible gold or silver sprinkles
- Ribbon tied in a bow around the base
- Fresh flowers placed around the bottom ring
Quick Time Summary
| Step | Time |
|---|---|
| Make dough | 15 min |
| Dough rest in fridge | 30 min |
| Shape rings | 20 min |
| Bake | 12–15 min |
| Cool completely | 45 min |
| Ice and stack | 20 min |
| Icing set time | 60 min |
| Total | ~3 hours |
Kransekake Recipe Baking Tips
Dough Tips
- Always use fine almond flour, not almond meal. The finer texture gives smoother, stronger rings.
- Rest the dough in the fridge. This step makes the dough much easier to roll and shape.
- If the dough keeps sticking to your hands, wet your hands with a little cold water.
Baking Tips
- Grease your kransekake molds well. If the rings stick, they will break when you remove them.
- Bake one tray at a time for even heat.
- Underbaked rings are fine. Overbaked rings become hard and dry.
Icing Tips
- Make stiff icing — not runny. Runny icing makes the rings slide.
- Pipe the icing in a zigzag pattern, not in a straight line. A zigzag looks better and holds the rings together more firmly.
- If you do not have a piping bag, a zip-lock bag with the corner snipped works great.
Assembly Tips
- Stack on a flat, stable surface.
- If a ring cracks, use extra icing like glue to hold it together. Nobody will see the repair once the tower is done.
- Let the finished tower rest for a full hour before moving it.
Kransekake Troubleshooting
Rings are cracking while I shape them: The dough is too dry. Add a few drops of egg white and knead again.
Dough is too sticky to roll: Add powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough is firm enough.
Rings came out too flat: You may have pressed the dough ropes too thin. Each rope should be about 1.5 cm (0.6 inch) thick.
Rings broke when I took them out of the molds: The molds were not greased enough, or the rings were still too warm. Let them cool longer next time.
Tower keeps leaning to one side: The icing may be too runny. Make a stiffer batch and let it dry longer between stacking sessions.
Rings taste dry: They were overbaked. Next time, pull them out of the oven a minute or two earlier.
Kransekake Without Molds
You do not need kransekake pans to make this cake. Many people make it without any special equipment.
Here is how to make the rings without molds:
- Roll dough ropes about 1.5 cm (0.6 inch) thick.
- Use a ruler to measure 18 different sizes. Start at 5 cm (2 inches) for the smallest and go up to 23 cm (9 inches) for the largest, adding about 1 cm per ring.
- Press the ends of each rope together firmly to close the circle.
- Place on parchment paper and bake as normal.
The rings may not be perfectly round, but they will taste just as good. Once stacked and iced, small shape differences are almost invisible.
If you want kransekake molds, you can find kransekake pans and kransekake ring molds online. A full kransekake pan set usually comes with 6 molds that hold 3 rings each, covering all 18 sizes.
Kransekake Variations
Chocolate Kransekake
Add 2 tablespoons of good cocoa powder to the dough. Mix well. Bake as normal. You can also dip the finished rings in dark chocolate before stacking. A chocolate kransekake is rich and slightly less sweet than the original.
Mini Kransekake
Make small individual towers with just 4–5 rings each. These are great as wedding favors or party gifts. Wrap each mini tower in a clear bag tied with a ribbon.
Kransekake Cookies
Roll the dough into small balls or short ropes. Bake at the same temperature for 10–12 minutes. These kransekake cookies taste just like the rings but are much faster to make.
Flavored Icing
Add a small amount of rose water, cardamom, or orange zest to the icing for a different flavor. These additions pair well with the almond flavor of the rings.
Kransekake with Marzipan
Some recipes swap part of the almond flour for store-bought marzipan. This gives a softer, sweeter dough. It works well but can make the rings harder to shape because marzipan dough is stickier.
Is Kransekake Gluten Free?
Yes. The traditional kransekake recipe uses only almond flour, powdered sugar, and egg whites. There is no wheat flour at all. This makes it a naturally gluten free cake.
Always check your powdered sugar and almond flour labels to make sure no gluten-containing ingredients were added during processing.
Vegan Kransekake
A fully vegan kransekake is possible but tricky. Egg whites hold the dough together and set the icing. To replace them, use aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas). Use 3 tablespoons of aquafaba for every egg white. The dough may be a little softer, so chill it longer before shaping.
For vegan icing, mix powdered sugar with a few drops of aquafaba and a tiny bit of lemon juice.
How to Serve Kransekake
Kransekake is served by pulling or lifting one ring off at a time. Guests break off small pieces from the ring. There is no cutting with a knife.
It pairs well with:
- Champagne or sparkling wine
- Aquavit (a traditional Scandinavian spirit)
- Coffee
- Hot cocoa for kids
For a wedding, the bride and groom traditionally lift the top ring together. The number of rings that come off cleanly is said to predict how many children the couple will have a fun old tradition.
How to Store Kransekake
At room temperature: An assembled kransekake lasts 3–5 days in a cool, dry place. Cover it loosely with a towel or a cake dome. Do not use an airtight container on a fully assembled tower it traps moisture and makes the icing soft.
Unassembled rings: Baked rings (before icing and stacking) can be stored in an airtight tin for up to one week.
Freezing: Baked, unassembled rings freeze very well. Wrap each one in parchment paper and place in a freezer bag. They last up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2 hours before stacking.
Kransekake shelf life: Once assembled and iced, the cake is best within the first 2–3 days. After that, the rings can start to dry out.
Kransekake Calories
One ring of kransekake (about 30g) has roughly 120–140 calories. Most of the calories come from almonds and sugar. A single serving (two pieces from one ring) is about 60–70 calories.
Because the rings are made mostly of almonds, each serving also has a good amount of healthy fat and some protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does kransekake taste like?
It tastes sweet, chewy, and very nutty much like marzipan or almond paste. The outside gets a slight crust from baking, but the inside stays soft and chewy.
How many people does a kransekake serve?
An 18-ring tower serves 20 to 30 people, depending on how big the pieces are.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes. Bake the rings up to 4 days early. Store them in an airtight tin. Assemble and ice the tower on the day you need it.
What is the difference between kransekake and kransekage?
Kransekake is the Norwegian name. Kransekage is the Danish name. The recipes are almost the same. Danish kransekage may use slightly more sugar or a softer marzipan base.
Where can I buy kransekake molds?
You can find kransekake molds, kransekake forms, and full kransekake pan sets on Amazon, Scandinavian specialty shops online, or baking supply stores. Search for “kransekake ring molds” to find them easily.
Can I use almond meal instead of almond flour?
Almond flour gives the smoothest result. Almond meal (which is coarser) works, but the rings may crack more and the texture is less fine. If you only have almond meal, pulse it in a food processor for 30 seconds to make it finer.
Is this the same as a Norwegian wedding cake?
Yes, kransekake is very often used as a Norwegian wedding cake. It is a traditional choice for weddings in both Norway and among people of Norwegian heritage around the world.
Related Recipes to Try
If you love kransekake, you may enjoy these other Scandinavian desserts and Norwegian recipes:
- Norwegian almond cake — a soft, moist cake with a similar almond flavor
- Marzipan cake — rich and sweet, made with almond paste
- Norwegian Christmas cookies — buttery, spiced cookies popular during the holidays
- Almond paste cake — a simple sheet cake that uses the same base ingredients
- Scandinavian shortbread — crisp, buttery cookies with a light almond finish
History and Tradition of Kransekake
Kransekake has been a part of Norwegian and Danish food culture for hundreds of years.
In Norway, it shows up at big events:
- Norwegian Constitution Day (May 17) — the most important national holiday
- Weddings — often used as the Norwegian wedding cake
- New Year’s Eve — a classic kransekake tradition for ringing in the new year
- Christmas — a festive choice for the holiday table
- Birthdays and celebrations of all kinds
The kransekake meaning goes beyond just food. The tower shape stands for joy and celebration. People pull off one ring at a time to eat, which makes it fun and interactive.
In Denmark, the same cake is called kransekage. The recipe is nearly the same. Both countries have been making it for generations, and it remains one of the most loved Scandinavian desserts today.
Final Thoughts
Kransekake is one of those recipes that looks hard but is actually very simple once you know the steps. You need only three ingredients for the dough, a little patience while shaping the rings, and about an hour to stack and decorate the tower.
Whether you are making it for a Norwegian Constitution Day party, a New Year’s celebration, a wedding, or just because — this homemade kransekake will impress everyone at the table. Try it once, and it will become a regular part of your celebration traditions.
