Medovik (Honey Cake)

About This Recipe

Medovik — honey cake — is one of Russia's most iconic desserts, a labour of love that rewards patience. Said to have been created for Empress Elizabeth, wife of Alexander I, who supposedly disliked honey but adored this cake, medovik is made from thin, honey-spiced sponge layers that soften overnight into something extraordinary when sandwiched with sour cream frosting.

Ingredients

Serves 10

• 3 tbsphoney
• 150 gsugar
• 100 gbutter
• 3eggs
• 1 tspbaking soda
• 350 gplain flour
• 800 mlsour cream(full fat)
• 150 gicing sugar
• 1 tspvanilla extract

Instructions

1. 1

   Make dough

   Melt butter, sugar, and honey in a bain-marie. Add baking soda (it will foam). Remove from heat, whisk in eggs, then fold in flour. Chill 30 min.

2. 2

   Bake layers

   Divide dough into 8 portions. Roll each very thin on parchment. Bake at 180 °C for 4–5 min until golden. Trim to 20 cm rounds while warm. Crumble trimmings.

3. 3

   Make cream

   Whip sour cream with icing sugar and vanilla until thickened.

4. 4

   Assemble

   Stack layers with generous sour cream between each. Coat top and sides. Press crumbled trimmings over the outside.

5. 5

   Rest

   Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Variations

• •

  Add caramel (dulce de leche) between some layers

• •

  Use whipped cream instead of sour cream

• •

  Flavour with cardamom

Storage

Refrigerate up to 5 days. The cake improves significantly after 24-48 hours as layers absorb the cream.

Frequently Asked Questions