DessertAI

Medovik Honey Cake

Name: Medovik Honey Cake
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Ukrainian
Ingredients: 450 g Plain flour; 100 g Honey; 200 g Caster sugar; 80 g Unsalted butter; 3 large Eggs; 2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda; 800 g Sour cream, to serve; 150 g Icing sugar; 1 tsp Vanilla extract; 80 g Shelled walnuts

Eight thin honey layers sandwiched with tangy sour cream frosting and left to soften overnight into a tender, fragrant cake.

Prep: 60 min
Cook: 50 min
Difficulty: Intermediate

About this dish

Medovik, the honey cake of Ukraine and Russia, is said to have been created in the early 19th century for an empress who disliked honey, and a cook won her over by baking it into thin layers with a soft cream. Its character comes from the honey-and-soda dough, which is warmed over a water bath until it foams and tastes of caramel. The cake is deliberately left to rest overnight, because the dry layers drink the cream and turn tender rather than crisp.

Vegetarian
Not vegan because of Honey, Unsalted butter, Eggs, Sour cream, to serve
Contains gluten because of Plain flour
Contains dairy because of Unsalted butter, Sour cream, to serve

Ingredients

12servings

450gPlain flour
100gHoney
200gCaster sugar
80gUnsalted butter
3largeEggs
2tspBicarbonate of soda
800gSour cream, to serve
150gIcing sugar
1tspVanilla extract
80gShelled walnuts

Instructions

Whisk the eggs with the sugar, honey and butter in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, then stir in the baking soda; it will foam and darken. Stir for 5 minutes, then take off the heat.
15 min
Tip: The foaming soda lightens the dough and mellows the honey. Do not let the mixture boil or the eggs will scramble.
Add the flour in two portions to make a soft, workable dough. Divide into 8 pieces, roll each very thin into a 24 cm round, prick, and bake one at a time at 180°C for 4 to 5 minutes. Trim the warm layers to neat rounds and crush the trimmings into crumbs.
40 min
Tip: Roll on baking paper and bake on it. The layers must be warm to trim, because cold they will shatter.
Beat the sour cream with the icing sugar and vanilla until smooth and thick.
15 min
Tip: Use full-fat sour cream, at least 20 percent, and drain it if watery; a thin cream runs out between the layers.
Stack the layers on a plate, spreading a generous layer of cream between each, then cover the top and sides with cream. Finish with the crumbs and chopped walnuts.
20 min
Tip: Press each layer gently so the cream reaches the edges. The crumbs hide any uneven sides.
Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight, before slicing.
480 min
Tip: The layers need this time to absorb the cream; sliced too early the cake is hard and the cream is loose.