Russian Honey Cake

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Russian Honey Cake, also known as Medovik Cake, is a classic Russian dessert made with layers of soft and tender honey-flavored cake and a creamy filling made with sour cream or heavy cream. The cake layers are usually made with a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, honey, and butter, and are baked until golden brown.

Once the cake layers are cooled, they are cut into circles and layered with the sweet and tangy cream filling. The cake is then chilled in the refrigerator to allow the filling to set and the flavors to meld together. Traditionally, the cake is served with a drizzle of honey and chopped nuts on top.

Russian Honey Cake is a popular dessert in Russia and other Eastern European countries, and is often served at special occasions and celebrations. It has a unique flavor that combines the richness of honey with the tanginess of the cream filling, making it a delicious and indulgent treat.

Ingredients

4 Tbsp honey (1/4 cup)3/4 cup white sugar2 Tbsp unsalted butter (30g)3 large eggs room temperature, beaten with a fork1 tsp baking soda3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

Sour Cream Frosting Ingredients

800ml sour cream2 cups icing sugar300ml thickened cream

Instructions

How to Make The Cake Layers:Add 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup honey and 2 Tbsp unsalted butter to a medium saucepan and melt them together over medium/low heat, whisking occasionally until sugar is melted (5-7 mins).Don’t put them over high heat or they may scorch to the bottom.As soon as the sugar is dissolved, remove it from heat and while it’s still hot, add in your beaten eggs in a slow steady stream while whisking vigorously until all of your eggs are incorporated (whisk constantly so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs).Whisk in the baking soda until no lumps remain, then fold in your 3 cups flour (1/2 cup at a time) with a spatula until the dough reaches a clay consistency and doesn’t stick to your hands.Mine took exactly 3 cups of flour (measured precisely, scraping off the top of the cup).Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and move on to the next step right away (these roll out best when the dough is still warm)Sprinkle a little flour on baking paper and place 1 piece of dough sprinkle more flour on top to avoid it sticking to the rolling pin, repeat with the remaining pieces.Place an 8″ plate or base from a springform mold over your rolled dough and trace around it with a pizza cutter to get a perfect circle.Keep the scraps for later. Bake 2 at a time at 175C for 4-5 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before stacking. Repeat with the remaining layers.Finally, bake the scraps separated, once the scraps are baked golden, cooled and firm, pulse them in a food processor until you have fine crumbs.How to make the frosting:Beat 300ml thickened cream until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, whisk together 800ml sour cream with 2 cups sifted icing sugar. Fold the whipped cream into the sour cream and you have your frosting. Refrigerate until ready to use. If too runny whip it more.Assembling your Cake: Spread about 1/3 cup frosting on each cake layer (don’t skimp on it since the cake needs to absorb some of the cream to become ultra soft.Press the cake layers down gently as you go to keep the layers from having air gaps.Frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Dust the top and sides with your breadcrumbs, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.This cake needs time to absorb some of the cream and soften, so be patient. It’s worth the wait!