Kransekake ~ Norwegian Crown Cake or Viking Wedding Cake

Baking Kransekake has been a tradition in my family forever...typically for Christmas Eve. But honestly, this should be made for many other family get togethers. In Norway this traditional wedding cake is served at other celebrations such as birthdays, 17th of May (Syttende Mai), which is Norway’s Constitution Day and other special events.

 

It's just so good with a big cup of coffee after dinner...or in the morning at breakfast time. The good news: It's flour-free! The bad news: It's half confectioners sugar. (powdered sugar) The other good news: It's fat-free & packed with almonds! (I try to find more good news than bad news in my desserts) This "cake" is not your typical cake...as you can see, it resembles a tower - which apparently inspired another name, Tower Cake (tårnkake in Norwegian). If you follow tradition, then the way to decorate the Kransekake would be to stick little flags and colorful candies into it.

 My family keeps it clean and forgoes the tradition of sticking things into the cake...we just want to get at it and eat it! How do you serve such a cake? I'm glad you asked. The way to serve Kransekake is every man, woman and child for themselves. You start by removing the bottom ring of the cake and break it apart...then work your way up the cake right up to the tippy top.

 

The cake is easy to make using the special baking forms. click the image on the left to order baking molds If you don't have the baking rings/molds, place baking paper on cookie sheets and form 18 rings in graduated sizes to build the tower. I have the rings that my grandmother always used...yes, they are old and I'm kinda wanting to get some new ones, but they work so well that I'll wait until I completely destroy them. Okay, lets get to baking these sweet & nutty rings.

 

Start off by taking18 oz. of raw almonds and pour those into a food processor. I like buying the 3 pound bag at Costco and just separating it into thirds…it’s perfect when I’m making Fyrstekake and Kransekake (Crown Cake or Norwegian Wedding Cake).

 

 You’re going to want to grind them up until they are basically crawling up the sides of the processor and you can see that the oils have released.

 

 Here’s what your processed almonds should look like.

 

 Then into the mixing bowl they go.

 

 The next step would be to add the confectioners sugar and give it a mix on low speed. Please, don’t try to rush it or you’ll have powdered sugar everywhere…take it from me, it’s not fun to clean up.

 

 

 Add in 4 egg whites and continue to mix on low speed until everything is well incorporated. Scrape down the sides and along the bottom of the mixing bowl just to make sure that there aren't any almonds that haven't been incorporated into the mixture.

 

 

Turn the attention to the forms. Taking a paper towel, apply a little butter or shortening to the surface of each ring form.

 

 

 

Then take the Cream Of Wheat and pour it into a medium sized bowl. Scoop it with the form and allow the Cream Of Wheat to completely coat it. Then turn it upside down and give a little tap to release any stray bits.

Repeat with all of the forms and set them aside onto a cookie sheet.

 

 

 Now to our dough. You can wrap it up in plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for a couple hours to make it a little more pliable for rolling out. However, I tend to go straight from the mixer to the prep mat and start rolling out my ropes of dough. Start with about 5 Tbsp. of dough, or just a golf ball sized ball of dough, and roll it with the palms of your hands to form a rope the thickness of your index finger or thumb. Lay the rope of dough into the form...DO NOT press down...cut off any excess rope and pinch off the ends to make a complete circle.

 

 

 Place the rings on a baking sheet and into the preheated 350°F oven. Each ring has a different baking time, so you have to keep your eyes on them. However, you can set a timer for 15 minutes and then check every couple of minutes to see which rings need to be removed from the oven. (the smaller rings take between 10-12 minutes) You want them to be a light golden color. Watch carefully, they will burn quickly if unattended.

 

 

 Once removed from the oven, let the rings rest a few minutes before taking cakes out of the forms. (I tend to allow 10-15 minutes...those forms are HOT)  Do your best to refrain from taste testing them as they come out...its hard, but you should have plenty of dough leftover to make some just for you. (or to replace those that decide to break on you)

Turn the forms over and tap the bottom of the form with the handle of a table knife to release the cake. If they do not release easily, very carefully use a table knife and make your way along the edges of the cakes. Place on cooling racks until completely cooled.

 

While waiting for the forms to cool, throw together a little icing with complete ease. Take powdered sugar, almond extract and a little milk to make the icing as thin or thick as you like. Mix with a small wire whisk or teaspoon until the lumps of sugar have been broken down and dissolved.

 

 

 Then it's time for assembly. Start by making a ring of icing right under the largest cake ring. This will help hold everything in place. Then continue to place a layer of icing along the top of each ring, building from largest ring to smallest. Drizzle any remaining icing along the rings of the cake.

 

 

Time to jump in and start enjoying your creation. Tradition calls for the bottom ring (largest) to be broken and removed from the tower...and devoured first. Then work your way up to the smallest ring at the top.

Kransekake ~ Norwegian Crown Cake OR "Viking" Wedding Cake
Prep Time: 60 minutes
Cook Time: 15+ minutes
Level: Intermediate
Servings: 18 rings

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Dough Ingredients:
18 ounces (500 gram) ground almonds
18 ounces (500 gram) powdered sugar
4 egg whites

Instructions:
Grind almonds in a large food processor until they are fine and climb the walls of the processor's bowl.

In a large mixing bowl, pour in confectioners sugar and the ground almonds. Mix on low speed setting until well combined.

Add eggs and continue to mix on low speed setting. Stop mixer and scrape the sides & bottom of the mixing bowl. Mix again to make sure that everything gets well incorporated.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Chilled dough is a little easier to work with. *Dough may be refrigerated overnight.  

Prepare the forms by lightly coating them with butter or shortening.

With a bowl underneath, pour Cream of Wheat (or farina) into the form to coat it. Turn over form, give a light tap and allow the excess to fall into the bowl below. Repeat for each form.

To shape the dough, use the palms of your hands and work the dough, rolling it into a rope the thickness of your finger.

Place the dough into a form. Do NOT press/pack it into the form. Remove the excess dough and pinch the ends of the rope together. Repeat for each form. 

Place the rings on a baking sheet and into the preheated oven.

Each ring has a different baking time, so you have to keep your eyes on them. However, you can set a timer for 15 minutes and then check every couple of minutes to see which rings need to be removed from the oven. (the smaller rings take between 10-12 minutes)

The coloring should be a light golden brown. Watch carefully, they will burn quickly if unattended.

Once removed, let the rings rest a few minutes before taking cakes out of the forms.

Turn the forms over and tap the bottom of the form with the handle of a table knife to release the cake. Place on cooling racks until completely cooled.   

Frosting:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar (powdered sugar)
1 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. Almond Extract
2 Tsp. Milk

Mix ingredients together to make a thick icing. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time until you get the desired consistency.

Using a teaspoon (or a tip snipped plastic baggie) make a thin circle on a serving plate and place the largest cake ring on top of it. This will help to steady the base of the cake.

Continue to apply icing to the top of each cake ring and stack them from largest to smallest. Traditionally icing is applied in a zig-zag fashion along the top of each ring. However, if you choose to make a solid ring of icing along the top of each ring then the remaining icing can be drizzled down the sides.