Traditional cakes Norway

Oldtime waffle cakes

It was the custom that cake trays should be crammed high at Christmas, holiday parties and other social gatherings. The tradition that many and full cake trays represent holidays and celebration has persisted all the way up to our own time.

The cakes from irons, such as waffles and "krumkaker" are among the oldest Norwegian cake varieties. Even the waffles with their typical Germanic name is an old type of cake in Norway.

The waffle iron we use today may be of a more recent origin. The traditional ones were square shaped and had room for one or two large waffles. Irons have been found that are so old that they have rune-inscriptions.

Every day waffles were made with rye flour. But for festivities the ingredients would be cream (rømme) and white flour. There were also waffles of a firmer type, intended to stay fresh for a longer period. No baking powder was used in those waffles, not even eggs.

Common rye waffles were made from rye flour, sour milk and a little salt.

Fancier occasions demanded fresh milk and sour cream, mixed with wheat flour or rye flour until the mixture had the desired consistency, sweetened with granular sugar. The waffles should be soft and thick.

Cream waffles were made from beaten sour or sweet cream, and a pinch of salt, and of course flour. They had to be baked in a buttered iron and spread out so that they became crisp.

Above: Old "Krumkake" iron from Norway

You can find a number of recipes in the original Norwegian here:

Traditional cakes in Norway

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Above: Tidemand's painting shows a "stabbur" (storehouse) in old-time Norway with yule revelers. Notice the "julenek" (christmas sheaf) on the roof.