This elaborate celebration cake from Denmark is built out of concentric marzipan rings.

Called the “horn of plenty” (overflodighedshorn) because of its shape, this classic Danish specialty is also known as a kransekage or ring cake. It takes two days to bake and assemble, as each ring must be individually moulded and baked. The base is pure almond paste, softened with sugar and egg white.

These days the big Danish marzipan manufacturer, Odense, also provides bakers with a special template with which to measure each of the 32 rings. They are then piped with sugar icing in a traditional pattern, glued together with chocolate on a special frame and gradually assembled. The final result is decorated with chocolate figurines, a bride and groom if used for a wedding cake… and filled with tiny almond paste cookies and sweets.