Kransekage

Description
Makes 1

Ingredients

 * 3 pounds almond paste
 * 1½ pounds granulated sugar
 * 8 egg whites -- unbeaten
 * 4 egg whites
 * 1½ cups powdered sugar

Directions
This cake consists of at least 20 rings called kranse, of graduating sized, placed on top of each other to make a cone. It is decorated with four large candles and as many smaller ones as you wish. Favors, white birds, and candy flowers in gay colors of the bride's choice are stuck on the cake with melted sugar. The traditional miniature bride and groom decorate the top.

Mix ingredients well in order given into a stiff paste.

Heat the mixture, but do not let it boil, in the top of a double boiler over hot water.

Make the layers of the cake as follows: Roll paste into rings about ½ inch thick, taking enough of the mix at a time to make the size ring you wish. Pinch off the end of the dough before you close the circle to make the ring just a fraction smaller than the previous one. One of the easiest ways to get exact circles is to lay a length of waxed paper over a cookie sheet. Use a compass to draw the circumference of the bottom ring - the largest one - and as many more of the progressively smaller rings as you can fit on the cookie sheet. Continue in this fashion until you have marked out as many rings as you plan to have.

Butter and dust the cookie sheets with flour. Lay the rings on the sheets after they have been shaped on the wax-paper patterns. With your fingers, squeeze the tops of the rings enough to make them somewhat pointed in the center to build the foundation for the smaller ring which will go on top of each.

Bake in a slow oven, preheated to 250 degrees, until edges are browned. Place on a rack to cool. Frost between layers as follows:

Beat ingredients be hand until stiff. Squeeze out through a pastry bag to decorate each ring before putting the cake together.