by Kathy Buzza
In 17 years, Good Shepherd, Decorah, Iowa, has sold more than 50,000 krumkakes at the city’s annual Nordic Fest celebration.
Not only do we sell them and bake them, we demonstrate the whole creation process during the festival held the last weekend in July. And the money collected goes to good causes. It is the Women of the ELCA group at Good Shepherd’s biggest source of income. Last year, the group brought in $2,405.
Krumkake, or curved cake, is a thin, rolled Norwegian cookie made from a batter of flour, butter, eggs, whipping cream, sugar and sometimes spices. They’re baked on a decorative, two-sided iron.
In 2016, 63 members of all ages donated 350 hours to the project. The fun begins with “bake-a-thons” at the church two weeks before the fest.
“Pairs of willing workers team up to bake and roll for several hours,” said Doris Barnaal, one of the annual project’s coordinators.
Forming community and friendships
Ann Naslund and Jeri Laursen baking krumkake
The baking sessions give members a chance to reacquaint themselves with each other or even form new friendships.
During the festival, volunteers make the batter and bake krumkake at the church’s demonstration table. “We are one of 14 food stands and one of only three that demonstrate,” Barnaal said. “Folks seem to enjoy our demonstration, samples and take-home recipes.”
The church’s recipe comes from Doris Klocke, a charter member of the congregation.
“Visitors like to reminisce about how their mothers or grandmothers made krumkake on a cookstove using an earlier non-electric version of today’s irons,” Barnaal said.
Gluten-free krumkake
In 2016, the church began selling gluten-free krumkake thanks to Good Shepherd members who can’t eat gluten. They were disappointed when they couldn’t sample the Norwegian goodies. The gluten-free recipe proved to be a hit and is “just as tasty as the original recipe,” Barnaal said.
Women of the ELCA treasurer Marty Steele says the group pools krumkake profits with other fundraising efforts during the year. The money is then distributed each year to local, national and global charities. Over the past 13 years, Good Shepherd’s krumkake booth has donated $20,554 to charitable causes.
What does your church do to raise money and build community?
Kathy Buzza is a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Decorah, Iowa, where she lives with her husband, Jim. She is the Interlibrary Loan Coordinator at Luther College Library in Decorah and enjoys walking, reading, baking, traveling, watching Masterpiece Theatre, and time with family and friends.
Photo: Making krumkakes by Salty Chip | CC BY-NC
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And, it was delicious! I got to sample my first-ever Good Shepherd krumkaka (kroom-cah-cah) while attending my first-ever Nordic Fest. The women of First Lutheran in Decorah (now Women of the ELCA) hosted their 51st Norwegian dinner during this 51st Nordic Fest. Everyone knocks themselves out to throw a grand party. So happy to be part of it!
Loved this article! My Norwegian mother-in-law makes krumkaka every Christmas,and they’re my favorites! What a beautiful (and delicious) example of community working together for others. Congratulatons on their success. Our church’s biggest fundraiser is our annual Fall Fling — a big fair with tag sale, out side vendors, food and games. There are a lot of exhausted volunteers when it’s done, but it is a great community event.
Never heard of krumkaka, but it sounds interesting, and does a lot of good! Plus, it’s a bit of yeast for another batch of women looking for a new, old idea!
A delicious cookie made by loving hands, and a church that welcomes all. Communion comes in many ways…He is present, too, in the coffee and the krumkake…(And, as my Dad taught me, in the tamales and the breakfast eggs, too.) Thanks be to God for the great clouds of witnesses in our lives who have taught us about love, life, and living our faith. Many of those at Good Shepherd have done that, for me.
Yum! What a delicious article. I wish there was a recipe for vegan krumkake! I have become allergic to dairy and eggs, so can no longer have this sweet, crispy treat.