Kransekage is Denmark's traditional New Year's Eve wreath-shaped cake.
The name means “wreath cake,” and the dessert is built from concentric rings of almond-based confection arranged as a tower or a series of stacked shapes. White icing is commonly used to decorate the rings, producing the distinctive zigzag pattern associated with the cake.
Kransekage is especially connected with celebrations and is often served at midnight on New Year's Eve. It may also appear at weddings, anniversaries, and other formal occasions. Some versions are made as individual pieces rather than one large tower.
It is easy to confuse kransekage with other Danish pastries because Denmark is internationally known for its viennoiserie-style pastries. Kransekage is different: its defining ingredients and structure center on almonds, sugar, and egg whites rather than laminated dough. Norwegian kransekake is a closely related version with a similar ringed form.