Russian Honey Cake or Tort Medovik is a layered cake made with 8 crispy honey cake layers sandwiched between tangy sour cream frosting.
This beautiful dessert is perfect for celebrations such as birthdays, Christmas, or big family gatherings.
Same as my other delicious layered cake "Eclair Cake", or Classic Italian Tiramisu, it needs a bit of work and patience but the end results are definitely worth the effort.
This beautiful Russian Honey Cake will surely impress your dinner guests!
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What is Russian Honey Cake?
Medovik or Russian Hone Cake is a popular dessert in the former Soviet Union countries such as Russia, Ukraine, and Moldova.
It is a layered cake made with golden and crispy cakes and tangy sour cream filling.
This beautiful layered cake is usually served on special occasions as it requires a bit of time and effort.
There are many different recipes and variations of this popular Russian cake but the characteristic ingredients are honey, sour cream, sugar, and eggs.
A Brief History of Medovik
Medovik, also known as Russian Honey Cake, is a classic dessert that originated in Russia in the late 19th century.
French cuisine highly influenced Russian bakers to create their own layered cakes by introducing the technique of layering cakes with cream.
The cake gained popularity during the early 20th century and quickly became a favorite dessert in the Russian aristocracy, eventually becoming a staple dessert in cafes and restaurants throughout the country.
Medovik remained popular during the Soviet era and was often served on special occasions.
Today, Medovik is enjoyed worldwide, and its popularity continues to grow.
Why This Recipe Works?
- This Medovik recipe doesn't require cooking the dough over a hot water bath for half an hour!
- The leftovers freeze beautifully. Slice and wrap individually any leftover cakes and freeze them for up to 5 months.
- This soft and satisfying cake is not overly sweet, and it is surprisingly light and unbelievably delicious.
- You can make the cake layers in advance and keep them wrapped in cling film for up to five days until you are ready to build your Medovik!
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Honey - I use mild honey that is available in most of the supermarkets in the U.K. You can use wild honey or local honey if you prefer.
- Sugar - I use caster sugar for making the dough. You can also use granulated sugar for this recipe.
- Eggs - Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before using them for the pastry.
- Butter - A good quality unsalted butter is necessary for this honey cake.
- Flour - Plain flour or all-purpose flour is perfect for making cakes.
- Sour cream - It is one of the characteristic ingredients of Honey Cake. It gives a slight tanginess to the frosting.
- Double Cream - Also known as heavy cream. You can substitute it with whipping cream.
- Vanilla - I use organic vanilla bean paste or extract for deep&delicious vanilla flavor. Avoid using artificial vanilla for this recipe.
How to Make Russian Honey Cake - Tort Medovik
This iconic cake takes a bit of time and preparation. And it is not the easiest recipe here on this blog.
Therefore, make sure you are diligent with the measurement and follow the steps exactly.
To achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:
Prepare the Honey Cake Dough
Preheat the oven to 200° C (390° F).
Place the honey, sugar, and butter in a large saucepan on low heat.
Let them melt together, stirring occasionally for about five minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the lightly beaten eggs to the mixture gradually while continuously whisking to avoid ending up with scrambled eggs.
Stir in the vanilla paste and baking soda, and then add the sifted flour.
Fold the flour into the honey mixture using a spatula to form a soft and slightly sticky dough.
Bake the Cake Layers
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and start rolling them out on a lightly floured surface.
Roll one of the dough balls into a 23 cm (9") circle.
Using a bottom of a cake pan, trim it with a paring knife to make the circle perfect.
Reserve the extra scraps for later use in decorating the cake.
Transfer the dough circles to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake two circles at a time at 200° C (350° F) preheated oven for 4-5 minutes or until golden.
Place the cooked pastries on a wire rack to let them cool down before assembling the cake.
Repeat the same with the remaining dough balls.
You can roll out the next two dough balls while the first ones are baking in the oven.
Spread the scraps on a baking sheet and bake them until crispy and golden brown.
Let them cool down and proceed to make the frosting.
Prepare the Medovik Frosting
Place the double cream (heavy cream) in a large bowl and beat it until it forms stiff peaks.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the icing sugar and sour cream.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the sour cream mixture until nicely combined.
Assemble the Honey Cake
Place a layer of cake on a serving plate and spread 2 large spoonfuls of frosting evenly.
Gently press while placing another layer of pastry on top.
Repeat the same with the remaining pastries.
Frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
Place the baked dough scraps in a food processor and blitz them into fine crumbs.
You can add some roasted nuts and blitz them together for extra texture and flavor.
Decorate the top and sides of the cake with crushed crumbs.
Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight to allow all the layers to soak in that delicious sour cream frosting.
Garnish with chopped pistachio nuts and some red berries just before serving.
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
Top Tips From the Chef
- To save some time while baking the cake layers, roll out the next two dough balls while the first ones are baking in the oven.
- Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before adding them to the cake mixture.
- Add the beaten eggs to the warm honey mixture slowly and whisk them vigorously to avoid ending up with scrambled eggs!
- Prepare your cake layers up to five days in advance to save some time and keep them wrapped in a cling film until you need them.
Storage Instructions
The leftovers of Medovik would keep for up to five days when refrigerated in an airtight container.
It is best to let the cake sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving to allow the cream to soften.
If you want to store them longer, wrap the slices individually and keep them in the freezer for up to 5 months.
Recipe FAQs
Medovik can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It is best to wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out.
It is made with crispy and golden cake layers sandwiched between a tangy sour cream frosting and covered with nuts or/and crumbs made from leftover cake scraps.
Yes, you can use other sweeteners such as agave syrup or maple syrup as a substitute for honey.
However, the taste and texture of the cake may be slightly different.
Related Recipes
For more scrumptious & celebrational dessert recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this iconic Medovik - Russian Honey Cake as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
This post is featured by Twinkl in their "20+ Delicious MacMillan Coffee Morning Recipes" blog post.
Medovik - Russian Honey Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Honey Cake
- 90 g honey
- 135 g caster sugar
- 70 g unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 400 g plain flour (+ extra for dusting)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
For the Frosting
- 500 ml sour cream
- 100 g icing sugar
- 500 ml double cream, whipping cream, or heavy cream
- berries and ground pistachio (for decorating)
Instructions
Making the Cake Layers
- Preheat the oven to 200° C (390° F).
- Place the honey, sugar, and butter in a large saucepan on low heat and let them melt together, stirring occasionally for about five minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the lightly beaten eggs to the mixture gradually while continuously whisking to avoid ending up with scrambled eggs.
- Stir in the vanilla paste and baking soda, and then add the sifted flour.
- Fold the flour into the honey mixture using a spatula to form a soft and slightly sticky dough.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and start rolling them out on a lightly floured surface.
- Roll one of the dough balls into a 23 cm (9") circle. Using a bottom of a cake pan, trim it with a paring knife to make the circle perfect. Reserve the extra scraps for later to use decorating the cake.
- Transfer the dough circles to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake two at a time at 200° C (350° F) preheated oven for 4-5 minutes or until golden.
- Place the cooked pastries on a wire rack to let them cool down before assembling the cake.
- Repeat the same with the remaining dough balls.
- Spread the scraps on a baking sheet and bake them until crispy and golden brown. Let them cool down and proceed to make the frosting.
Preparing the Frosting
- Place the double cream (heavy cream) in a large bowl and beat it until it forms stiff peaks.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the icing sugar and sour cream.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the sour cream mixture until nicely combined.
Assembling the Honey Cake
- Place a layer of pastry on a serving plate and spread 2 large spoonfuls of frosting evenly. Gently press while placing another layer of pastry on top.
- Repeat the same with the remaining pastries and frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
- Place the baked dough scraps in a food processor and blitz them into fine crumbs.
- Decorate the top and sides of the cake with crushed crumbs, cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight before serving.
- Garnish with chopped pistachio nuts and some red berries just before serving.
Notes
- To save some time while baking the cake layers, roll out the next two dough balls while the first ones are baking in the oven.
- Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before adding them to the cake mixture.
- Add the beaten eggs to the warm honey mixture slowly and whisk them vigorously to avoid ending up with scrambled eggs!
- Prepare your cake layers up to five days in advance to save some time and keep them wrapped in a cling film until you need them.
- When blitzing the dough scraps to make some crumbs, add some roasted nuts to add your cake extra texture and flavor.
Nutrition
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Sonia
I absolutely love this recipe and will definitely be making it soon!!!