Kransekage is the traditional Danish New Year’s Eve cake made with rings stacked into a tower.
The name is Danish for “wreath cake,” and the dessert consists of concentric rings made primarily from almond paste, sugar, and egg white. The rings are baked separately, then stacked from largest to smallest to form a tall cone or tower. White icing is often piped in a distinctive zigzag pattern across the sides.
Kransekage is strongly associated with New Year’s Eve in Denmark, although it also appears at weddings, confirmations, and other celebrations. Guests usually break off pieces from the rings rather than cutting a conventional layered cake.
The related Norwegian dessert is called kransekake, a closely connected name and style. Kransekage should not be confused with æbleskiver, which are small spherical pancake-like pastries commonly served during the Christmas season. Regional recipes and decoration styles vary.