Smultring (Norwegian Fried Ring Cakes)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Medium

Old-fashioned Norwegian ring doughnuts with a crisp, golden crust and a tender, cardamom-scented crumb. They are a cake-style dough rolled, cut into rings and fried. Makes 20 rings in about 1 hr 50 min.

Prep 25 min

Cook 25 min

Cooling 1 hr

Total 1 hr 50 min

Servings 10

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

4 ⅓ cups (540 g)all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp (4 g)ground cardamom
2 ½ tsp (10 g)baking powder
½ tsp (2.5 g)baking soda
¼ tsp (2 g)salt
5 (250 g)eggs
1 ¼ cups (250 g)granulated sugar, for the dough
½ cup (120 ml)heavy cream
½ cup (120 g)sour cream
7 ⅔ cups (1800 ml)lard or neutral oil
¼ cup (50 g)granulated sugar, for the to finish

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Instructions

Sift the flour with the cardamom, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Beat the eggs and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes until pale and thick. Whisk in the cream and sour cream.
Stir in the dry ingredients until you have a soft dough. Cover and chill at least 1 hour; the dough firms as it rests.
Heat the fat in a deep heavy pot to 355 F (180 C).
Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm). Cut with a doughnut cutter, flouring it between cuts, and use as little flour as you can.
Fry 3 or 4 rings at a time, 1 to 2 minutes per side, until deep golden brown and cooked through. Drain on a rack set over paper towels.
While still warm, roll in sugar, or leave plain to cool.

Tips

Keep the dough cold so the rings hold their shape in the fat.
Too much flour on the board makes the doughnuts tough.
Check one by breaking it open to make sure the center is cooked.
Hot oil can cause serious burns: use a deep pot, never fill it more than one-third, and lower the dough in carefully.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make smultring (norwegian fried ring cakes)?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour to chill. The recipe makes 20 rings (10 servings).

How should I store smultring (norwegian fried ring cakes)?

Best the day they are made; keep in a loosely covered container up to 2 days. Freeze cooled rings up to 1 month.

Can I make smultring (norwegian fried ring cakes) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

A Norwegian ring-shaped cake doughnut, traditionally fried in lard and flavored with cardamom. Serve it with black coffee.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 10 servings this recipe makes.

485 Calories / serving

17.5g Fat

72.4g Carbs

9.2g Protein

31.0g Sugar

Whole recipe (10 servings): ~4850 cal · 175g fat · 724g carbs · 92g protein · 310g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.