Norwegian Wedding Cakes—Plus, 8 Treats From Around the World

Norwegian Kransekake

Kransekake stands tall and makes such a stunning statement. “This classic from Norway is made up of stacked rings of almond dough finished with royal icing,” says Mayfair. The flavor of the cookie rings features delicate notes of almond, with a bit of a crunch. According to Mayfair, these traditional stacked sweets are often decorated with piped royal icing, tiny flags, or sugar flowers, and you can even opt to hide a surprise inside the hollow rings. 

Italian Millefoglie

This definitely isn’t a wedding cake that stands tall, but it still takes center stage at many traditional Italian or destination weddings. “A very large, low-profile round cake is made up of thousands of layers of buttery puff pastry and is stacked between a light, creamy pastry cream and fresh fruit,” says Mayfair.

The name, millefoglie, comes from all of the layers in this sweet, literally meaning 1,000 layers. The top of the cake is traditionally decorated with fresh fruit or beautiful blooms, with a charming dusting of powdered sugar. According to Boizis, this giant sweet may also be presented in a square form at Italian weddings. 

French Croquembouche

This towering high sweet is as eye-catching as can be. “In France, we have the traditional croquembouche which is no less than a giant pyramid of choux puffs, filled with a delicious crème pâtissière and coated in crunchy caramel,” says Boizis.

The flavor of the cream filling can be customized, with options such as vanilla, chocolate, or coffee. According to Boizis, this sweet is traditionally brought to the couple’s table at a French wedding, rather than standing on display as a wedding cake would. 

Mexican Tres Leches Cake

Tres leches is a delicate, light cake jam-packed with flavor that’s enjoyed at a variety of celebrations. Its name translates to “three milks” because of the inclusion of condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in the recipe.

Traditionally, the cake is baked in a square or rectangular shape, and once it has cooled, the top is pierced with a fork and the milk mixture is poured over the top. Then, the cake is covered in fresh whipped cream and fruit to finish off this refreshing dessert. It can certainly be served up at weddings in a square form, or a bakery can stack rounds to embody a traditional stacked wedding cake. 

Jamaican Rum Cake

Who wouldn’t want a cake soaked in rum? It is a celebration after all! This traditional cake features fruits such as macerated cherries, along with prunes, currants, and sultanas. Once baked, the cake is soaked in dark rum to add great flavor and moisture, and then it’s topped with almond paste and royal icing. 

British Fruit Cake

This definitely isn’t your average fruit cake. According to Boizis, this cake isn’t as popular anymore, but traditionally, it would be made by soaking rich fruit cake in alcohol, covering it in marzipan, and then finishing it with rolled out fondant.

“The couple would save the top tier to eat for their first year anniversary, or their first child’s christening,” she says. It’s a hearty cake that can be stacked tall for a bold statement on the dessert table. “These sturdy cakes are perfect for stacking for a big show-stopping cake, and they often have intricately piped royal icing decorations, sugar flowers, and more,” adds Mayfair. 

Korean Rice Cakes

Rice cakes are prepared for a number of special occasions in Korean culture, including serving as a traditional wedding dessert. These decorated sweets are made in a variety of ways, but many consist of rice and sugar, along with assorted beans, formed into a small cake or cupcake shape. The cakes are then steamed and can be decorated with handmade florals or served as-is. 

Greek Ravani

Ravani is a traditional Greek dessert that utilizes semolina flour as the base. The light sponge cake is flavored with citrus, such as lemon zest, and then it’s brushed with a flavorful orange syrup to add incredible moisture. This fresh, lightly flavored cake can be made in a square or rectangular shape, or it can be baked in rounds, stacked, and dressed up as the perfect wedding sweet. 

Indonesian Kek Lapis

With how many layers this unique cake is made up of, you can definitely see why it would only be on display for special occasions. But weddings definitely fit the bill! The look of this cake, also known as a thousand-layer cake, is absolutely striking, but the traditional flavor is just as special. These cakes take quite a bit of time to make as the baker layers thin sponge cakes, each made with a traditional spice mix and a whole lot of love.