Kransekage is the Danish almond cake traditionally served at New Year's celebrations.
Kransekage, also spelled kransekake in Norwegian, is made from almond paste, sugar, and egg whites. It is baked as a series of graduated rings and assembled into a tall cone or tower. White icing is often piped in zigzag lines across the rings, and the finished cake may be decorated for a celebration.
In Denmark, the cake is strongly associated with New Year's Eve, weddings, and other major occasions. Guests break off pieces from the rings rather than cutting a conventional layered cake. Its firm, chewy texture distinguishes it from many soft sponge cakes, while the almond flavor gives it a rich festive character.
The name comes from Scandinavian words related to “wreath cake,” reflecting the ring construction. Kransekage is not the same as æbleskiver, which are small spherical pancake-like pastries, or risalamande, a rice pudding dessert commonly linked with Christmas. Regional recipes and decorations vary, but the stacked almond-ring form remains the defining feature.