Go Back
Heavenly Russian Honey Cake Medovik Recipe

Heavenly Russian Honey Cake Medovik

A traditional Russian and Ukrainian honey cake made with thin, soft honey-caramel layers and a lightly tangy sour-cream filling. Chill the assembled cake overnight so the cream softens every layer.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 9 minutes
Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients
  

Honey Cake Layers
  • 1/2 cup (113 g) Unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (200 g) Granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (85 g) Honey
  • 1 teaspoon (5 g) Baking soda
  • 3 large Large eggs, lightly beaten
  • about 4 cups (500 g) All-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
Sour-Cream Filling
  • 1 1/2 cups (360 g) Full-fat sour cream
  • 1 cup (240 ml) Cold heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup (120 g) Powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Optional Garnishes
  • as needed Finely crushed baked cake scraps
  • a small pinch Salt
  • as needed Chopped walnuts

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Combine the butter, granulated sugar, and honey in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth.
  2. Stir in the baking soda and watch as the mixture foams and becomes lighter. Remove it from the heat and let it cool for several minutes.
  3. Gradually whisk in the lightly beaten eggs, then add the flour in portions. Mix just until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms, taking care not to add substantially more flour than needed.
  4. Divide the warm dough into 8 to 10 equal portions. Roll each portion very thinly into an 8- or 9-inch circle between parchment sheets or on a lightly floured surface, trimming if desired and reserving the scraps.
  5. Bake the layers one at a time at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 4 to 7 minutes each, until puffed and lightly golden. Bake the trimmed scraps as well, and watch closely because thin layers brown quickly.
  6. Whip the cold heavy cream with the powdered sugar until thick. Fold in the sour cream and vanilla, or briefly mix everything together until smooth and spreadable.
  7. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread it with a thin, even layer of cream. Continue stacking and filling until all layers are used, then cover the top and sides with the remaining cream.
  8. Crush the baked scraps into fine crumbs and press them over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight, before slicing.

Notes

Roll and bake each portion while the dough is still warm because warm dough is much easier to spread thinly. If it firms up, briefly warm it before rolling. Use full-fat sour cream and cold whipping cream, and do not skip the overnight rest because it softens the layers.