Salutations. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?

I’m not sure how I should approach blogging if I’m being honest. Keep it upbeat? Lively? Throw in lighthearted musings and complaints for good measure? Or perhaps adopt a more mature tone, to reflect my supposed departure from adolescence. Weave in some philosophy and life-changing revelations while I’m at it.

I suppose I’ll write for myself. Keep it real, as is. This website has served as a great time capsule so far, and everybody skips right to the recipe anyways. Let this be a diary entry of some sort.

But first… pictures!

Starting off with a closeup for suspense…

It is currently the evening of December 29th, 2023. The dough rests in the fridge, and I, at the dining table. Too dramatic? Je m’excuse, still a little rusty. My mind is racing though. More than usual. Now that I think about it, I do not actually recall the last time that my mind was silent. It has always been flooded with a disarray of ‘What-if’s, if not ‘Maybe’s or ‘What Actually Is?’s powered by fears, doubts, and a sceptical curiosity towards… well, all things life and beyond, I guess. Characterised by wild oscillations between fascination, realism and cynicism.

The chaotic brain is a wonderful and horrible thing. On good days, it inspires, innovates, and excites. On bad days, it tires and paralyses. Today is one of those bad days, hence this 3 Ingredient Keto Kransekage (Scandinavian Marzipan Cake) recipe! Baking is one of the few things that gets me out of a rut, and I’m sure, Dear Reader, the same applies to you. 

Some work in progress pics…

I reckon it must be the precision and certainty of baking that soothes. The idea that following the rules, that providing a certain level of input, yields, with (almost) full certainty, an expected and desired output, just like this 3 Ingredient Keto Kransekage (Scandinavian Cake) Recipe. Of course, one may dispute that all recipes, to an extent, allow for error, but I’d like to think that there is a sound reason behind why cooking is described as an art, and baking a science. 

I say this because certainty is a luxury I find myself craving as of late*. There are 2 more days until the New Year, yet the future seems just as uncertain as it did one, two, three, years ago, if not, more. It is hard to live in the present when there is so much ahead that awaits, and requires preparation for. Graduation and job seeking in particular. Becoming a proper adult. 

*It’s funny, as I do enjoy surprises. In fact, there’s nothing more thrilling than a poorly researched hike, or stumbling upon a new trail off the pistes (though I know my parents would feel otherwise). I want to live a vibrant, colourful life peppered with saga-esque experiences and emotions to reminisce upon. 

Should I be setting up more coffee chats? Studying in advance for next year’s courses? Or maybe squeezing a workout in… finals season and winter festivities have not been too kind to my body. So much to do, so much to manage, and so little time. It is this obsession with being “enough” (in all aspects, really) to be offered the gift of choice in all future decisions, that drives me nuts. 

For lack of a better expression, all roads lead to Rome, but I want to take the shortest route. Well, a route as short as my circumstances and zest for life allows. I know, it’s a not so pleasant mindset (which I am trying to change, and making slight progress in), and a horribly privileged thing to say.

I’d like to clarify that I am immensely grateful to have such first world problems to whinge about – or I should say, first world opportunities. It is with immense anticipation that I await what the future holds. I cannot wait to look back and laugh at these silly little worries, long rid of such anxieties, living a life that turns out just fine. But going through them right now… let’s just say I’m a little bit overwhelmed. Okay, that would be putting it mildly. Very overwhelmed. Whatever. I’m going way off topic, goodness. Let us get back into this 3 Ingredient Keto Kransekage (Scandinavian Marzipan Cake) recipe, which I just know you’ll love! 

Onwards!

Quick recap: Healthy and Festive Scandinavian Marzipan Cake made with 3 ingredients. Sets you back by only 2 hours!

Here’s An unedited image to keep things real!

Need I say more?

Actually, I do have more to say! Aren’t you curious about the history behind Kransekage?

Kransekage stands for Wreath Cake...

… and is a marzipan cake commonly prepared for celebratory events in Denmark, Norway and Sweden! Said to have originate from Denmark in the 1800s, kransekage is often served at Weddings, Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations – its association with the latter celebration being what led me to SkandiBaking’s recipe, and this 3 Ingredient Keto Kransekage recipe!

Our recipe makes a tower of 10 rings and a small sphere, though regular kransekage consists of 18+ rings stacked upon each other! Kransekage also comes in the shape of bars, which makes it a lot easier to enjoy – feel free to double the recipe to make more rings, or shape the dough into logs if you wish to do so!

Note that the traditional kransekage is decorated with white icing in a zigzag pattern. I had unfortunately used up all my white-coloured sweetener for the dough so had to make do with brown sugar and honey icing – still tasted fantastic, though I’m not sure how my Danes would feel about this swap!

psssst… here’s a great protein pancake recipe for my anabolic bakers!

(and if you’re dairy-free, and don’t have a stove, here’s one made just for you!)

Before I keep rambling on, let’s talk ingredients. The base recipe for our 3 Ingredient Keto Kransekage (Scandinavian Marzipan Cake) only calls for… you guessed it… 3 ingredients, but there are many alternatives that work great too – check ’em out!

Ingredients and Recommended Substitutes

Remember how we talked about baking being a science? You might be able to get away with eyeballing when baking cakes and cookies, but just like making yeasted bread, it is ideal to measure ingredients by scale weight when baking protein bread. For example – the egg whites from 6 eggs where I’m from normally yields 218g of egg whites, whereas my friends in America have used 7 eggs to hit 210g. Moral of this paragraph: invest in that kitchen scale! (Less dishwashing and greater accuracy y’all!)

#1 Almond Flour (320g)

• Almond Meal is a little coarser than almond flour, and will yield a darker marzipan. I suggest replacing at most half the almond flour with Almond Meal to reduce instances of cracking or crumbling.
• Grounded Blanched Almonds may work if you have a very powerful food processor, but I would advise against this. Substitute for at most a quarter of almond flour if you must.

#2 Egg Whites (from approx. 3 whole eggs)

• 6 – 8 tbsp or 100g (±10g) if using egg whites from a carton
• I have not tried aquafaba (chickpea water) but there are various vegan blogs showcasing wonderful marzipan cakes so I would suggest adding 1 tbsp at a time until the dough binds.

#3 Monk Fruit Sweetener (135g)

• Regular Sugar (Brown, Rock, Powdered…), Xylitol, Erythritol in equal amounts
• Feel free to replace half with Swerve
• Stevia won’t work well because of its strong flavour
• If you don’t have much of a sweet tooth, feel free to reduce by 20-30g!

#4 Optional: Almond Extract (1tsp)

• Vanilla Extract works great if you’re out of Almond Extract! I imagine Orange Extract, Pecan Extract and Coconut Extract will be awesome alternatives as well.
• Spices are great too as they add depth without density. Mix in some Cinnamon, a dash of Nutmeg, and Powdered Ginger if you’re feeling extra festive… this bit we can measure by eye 🙂

A Note of Caution: Avoid heavy and dense mix-ins like nuts and dried fruit that might cause the delicate cake to crumble

Pin this before you forget!

*Full macros and nutrient info beneath directions!*

Okay, now for the actual recipe!

Yield: 24

3 Ingredient Keto Kransekage (Scandinavian Marzipan Wreath Cake)

Print

Delectable and decorative, this healthier alternative of the Scandinavian Marzipan Cake will no doubt be a hit among guests. Think lovechild between Madeleines (French butter cakes), cookies, and cakes... it tastes as good as it sounds!

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 320 grams almond flour
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 280 grams sweetener, powdered (I blended Monk Fruit sweetener until fine)
• 3 egg whites
• Optional Icing: Mix powdered sweetener with water and drizzle!

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine almond flour and powdered sweetener. 
2. Mix in almond extract and egg whites until a slightly sticky dough forms. Go in slowly with the egg whites, one tablespoon at a time, until the consistency feels like that of cookie dough!  
3. Cover your bowl with cling film and let it sit overnight in the fridge, or at least 4 hours. Letting our dough rest in a chilly location will help the rings keep their shape as opposed to “melting” or spreading out when we bake it!
4. Once chilled, roll the dough into logs of 1 - 1.5cm in diameter (0.4 - 0.6in). The dough should make 1 sphere and 10 rings with the following circumferences: 36cm, 33cm, 30cm, 27cm, 24cm, 21cm, 18cm, 15cm, 12cm, 9cm. Some notes: 
5. Preheat your convection oven to 180C (360F).
6. Leave the rings to dry for 20 mins. Before baking, brush the edges with water or almond milk to prevent wrinkling and cracking on the rings. 
7. Bake the rings for 10 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown. It really depends because the rings are differently sized, so do check in on them at the 10 minute mark even if your oven is extra hot! 
8. Let the rings sit for 30 mins or until completely cool. Decorate with icing and then stack in order of size! Viola! 

Notes

• Make sure the rings are of the same height so we can stack them! 
• Pinching the tops to create a pointed shape also helps with stacking. 
• I find it a lot easier to roll them on wax paper (less sticky) rather than the countertop. If the dough is really moist, let the dough sit uncovered in the fridge for 10 minutes.
• Scroll up for notes on ingredient substitutes

Nutrition Information

Yield

24
Amount Per ServingCalories 94Total Fat 6.6gSaturated Fat 0.5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6.1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 13mgCarbohydrates 2.4gFiber 1.3gSugar 1.1gProtein 4.2g

Until next time!

Heather