The Art of Eating Cake
Norwegian cakes always look beautiful, as if they have just come out of a decadent country magazine. Eating cake is certainly an event in Norway. Cakes are way too pretty to be eaten in the hand with fingers. They are served on plates, always with a little spoon.
Table settings are very much a part of the tradition of serving cake in Norway. Table cloths are important as well as painted china with napkins accompanying each plate. A drink is always served whether it is hot home-made chocolate, tea and coffee or a fruit drink such as home-made blackcurrant juice. The cake is always the centre piece but other small sweets, open sandwiches, troll cream and waffles are a usual accompaniment. Not just the cake but the whole table, cloth and all, looks good enough to eat!
Norwegians have a great talent for cake making. The cake in the pictures was made for Farfar’s 80th a couple of years back, to Tante’s credit. This is just one of Tante’s many talents – cake decorating. Usually such flowers and leaves are made from a hard glaze but these ones were made out of soft marzipan. I can’t being to tell you how tricky it can be to make ornaments out of marzipan. (All I’ve managed to make successfully is bulky ducks and skinny snakes.) Tante certainly has a gift.
I wished someone had told me how to eat cake when I first came to Norway. It was at my wedding when I first encountered a real ‘home-made’ Norwegian cake. Layers of cream and sponge with fresh fruit and marzipan, decorated, of course, by Tante. After the cake cutting, as I thought tradition encouraged, I picked up some cake in my hand and fed it to Moose with my fingers (making sure I got cream all over his face). Moose was very surprised and the Norwegian crowd just stood there shocked. An awkward moment past and then Tante quickly saved the day by slicing and plating her gorgeous cake for everyone. This was the first time I really felt culture shock. The act of squishing cake all over your new spouses face is unheard of in Norway. Doh!
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Oh bless your heart ~ You surely have the true love and kindness of your family to have survived that embarrassing moment…and what a gift you have that you can share and laugh about it now!
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Beautiful, beautiful cake…but no fair! Now I’m craving a piece.
Tante? is that Moose’s sister?
Do they still serve the cake standing upright and if it falls over the superstition is that “du skal ikke gifte deg”?
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From Moose:
That’s right, Tante is my sister. And yes, if it falls over while serving it you will not get married that year. Nowadays I tip it over on purpose – to L-Jay’s relief…
How funny to hear this story of your wedding! I did the same to my husband at our wedding reception.
But the cake looks so beautiful! What an excellent baker Tante must be. We always called my aunts “Tante”. And both of my grandmothers served cake and coffee with cloth tablecloths and the best of silver, etc. Great memories. In fact, my mom gave me many of her Norwegian tablecloths and they are beautiful.
Wow so elegant and everything is well matched and arranged, what a great idea to have everything matching and even the cake.
My (Canadian) daughter’s bestemor from Lindesnes makes the tastiest desserts, including the most divine cake with some kind of caramel filling. Maybe that’s why we can’t get her husband to enjoy our fruit pies!
Reading this made me think of home! I miss those delicious cakes and all of my “tanter” in the homeland! Thank you for reminding me of how wonderful get togethers are at home…I think I might have to have some friends over this weekend and serve some “Norwegian style” desserts!
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from L-Jay:
Vær så god
Don’t forget the cake ritual where you have to refuse seconds at least once but preferably twice before accepting it. To say “yes, please” the first time you’re asked is considered rude and greedy.
This uniquely Norwegian custom is based on harder times when people didn’t have much. When cake was served after church, there was enough for everybody, but not enough for everybody to get multiple helpings. Saying “no” was expected of everyone who had food at home, so those who didn’t could all get seconds without feeling too embarrassed.
Unfortunately, this custom is dying out, and the result is that the older generation never get seconds because they’re still being polite, while they younger generation don’t know that their elders refuse out of politeness.
I waited politely for my fork when I had my first cake in Norway. I thought the teaspoon was for my coffee. Oops! (A spoon? Who eats cake with a spoon?!?
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It took me a why to understand why my mother-in-law always forced food on my. I broke down the third time she offered, and often ended up with a tummy ache. She must’ve thought I was being polite–or that I was half starved and really needed another piece of cake.
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from L-Jay:
Yes, we have the same problem with Farmor – she feeds our kids right before dinner, rice puddig or waffles, so they are too full to eat a healthy meal. I think that generation grew up with food being hard to come by, especially during and after the war. Farmor told me once that this is how she looks after people, she cares for them by giving them food. I think your mother-in-law likes you more than you know
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Such a bliss reading your writings from your blog. Really appreciate the writing, the pictures, even the flowing style of writing, which makes for a most engaging and pleasant read. Thank you very much. I wish you much love and happiness with your family, on the top of the world.
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from L-Jay:
Vær så god!
The table spread looks very similar to what we had on 17th May. I asked my host’s mother (I’m a working guest in Norway) if she could show me how to make the cake. It turns out she bought the marzipan carnations! I made a nice-tasting version of the cake but it didn’t look anywhere near as beautiful. She even had a special decorated cake box, looked like a hat box, that cake for events outside of home is transported in. I’ve never seen anything like it.