Medovik – Honey Layer Cake: Торт “Медовик”

With multiple, thin honey layers and a tangy sour cream frosting, this cake is so tender it just melts in your mouth. It’s a classic Russian recipe that has been loved for generations.Medovik-12

Medovik is, hands down, my favorite cake and is totally worth every ounce of effort that it takes to make it. My mom has been making this cake since before I was born. I loved watching her in the kitchen; I was always in awe of how she expertly made beautiful creations right before my very eyes. She made it looks so easy and effortless. As I watched her, it all seemed so magical and I couldn’t wait until I made this cake myself.

I was probably about eleven or twelve when I felt confident enough to approach her and plead with her to let me have a try. Mom told me it was a really hard cake to make, really finicky and I wouldn’t be able to do it. Well, she didn’t forbid me from making it. The next time Mom wasn’t home, I rolled up my sleeves and made this cake, from start to finish. When Mom came home, the Medovik was finished and standing proudly as if personifying my victory. (By the way, this is exactly the same thing that happened with Borsch and Napoleon Cake.) Ha ha! I was always a very determined girl:). Love you, Mom!
Instructions:

Making the Cake Layers:

Place the butter and sugar in a large nonstick pot.

If you don’t have a nonstick pot, or your pot burns easily, you may wish to use a double boiler. (Just place a metal or glass bowl on top of a pot with about an inch or water in it and keep it simmering, but make sure the bottom on the bowl never touches the simmering water. Add more water if it evaporates.

Cook it just until the butter melts but is still barely warm, NOT HOT. Take it off the heat.  Add the eggs, baking soda and honey and mix to combine.IMG_0471 (550x367)

IMG_0473 (550x367)

This is important, if you add the eggs to hot butter, it will scramble.

Cook the mixture on medium low heat for about 7 minutes, longer if you’re using a double boiler. The batter will puff up and turn a deep caramel color. IMG_0475 (550x367)

IMG_0479 (550x367) (2)Add the flour and mix quickly with a wooden spoon.IMG_0481 (550x367)

I always add less flour than I need and add more when I’m rolling out the cake layers. If you add too much flour, it will be really hard to roll out.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the cake layers.

Take approximately 1/4 cup of batter and knead it on your work surface. If it’s sticking to your hands and the counter, add more flour. Roll it out thinly into somewhat of a circle. Use the bottom of a cake pan or the bottom of a tart pan to cut around it with a paring knife to make a perfect circle. IMG_0486 (550x367)

You can save all the scraps just the way you cut them and place them on a baking sheet and then bake. Later, you can crush them into crumbs and sprinkle the sides and top of the cake.

I usually just take the scraps and knead them into the batter as I roll out each new cake layer. It works great. IMG_0489 (550x367)I use 2 (9 inch) round tart pans to bake the cake layers. If you don’t have a tart pan, use a rimmed baking sheet, sprinkled with flour or lined with parchment paper.

Sprinkle the bottom of the tart pan with flour and bake the cake layers for about 4 minutes each. IMG_0487 (550x367)

IMG_0490 (550x367)Take them off the tart pan right away. As the cake layers cool, they will become pretty hard. Work quickly; you can roll out the cake layers and set them aside, waiting to be baked.

You want to roll them all out while the batter is still warm. As the batter cools, it becomes harder and harder to roll out.

You will end up with about 10-12 layers.

Medovik-1-16Making the Frosting:

Cream the softened cream cheese and condensed milk in a standing mixer with a paddle attachment or using a hand mixer until it’s well combined. IMG_0518 (550x367)Add the sour cream and vanilla. IMG_0520 (550x367)In another chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar. Gently fold it into the rest of the frosting.IMG_0523 (550x367)

IMG_0524 (550x367)

Assembling the Cake:

Dust off any excess flour from the cake layers.
Line your serving plate edges with aluminum foil. Place a dollop of frosting into the center of the plate, just to keep the cake from sliding around.
Top each cake layer with about 1/4 cup of frosting and spread it around evenly. Medovik-2

Medovik-4Repeat with all the cake layers. As you place the layers on top of each other, some of the frosting will ooze out of the sides. Medovik-5Spread it out evenly over the sides. Medovik-6

Gently remove the aluminum foil.

Decorate with crushed cake layer crumbs.

I also make little bees to decorate the cake. Here’s the tutorial on how to make the bees.

Medovik-7

Medovik-12During the winter, here’s a really beautiful way to decorate the cake.

Heat 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan just until the sugar dissolves. Pour it into a shallow dish. Place about 1/3 – 1/2 cup of sugar in another shallow dish. Dip the rosemary and the red currants in the sugar syrup and dip it in the sugar. IMG_0569 (550x367) (2)

IMG_0571 (550x367)

IMG_0575 (550x367)Place on a parchment paper to dry and then place it on the cake. Now you have a beautiful winter masterpiece.

IMG_0613 (550x367) (2)

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Medovik – Honey Layer Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 12 reviews

With multiple, thin honey layers and a tangy sour cream frosting, this cake is so tender it just melts in your mouth. It’s a classic Russian recipe that has been loved for generations.

  • Author: Olga's Flavor Factory
  • Prep Time: 120 minutes
  • Cook Time: 60 minutes
  • Total Time: 540 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cake (9 inch round) 1x
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

Scale

Cake:

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3 1/24 cups all purpose flour

Frosting:

  • 1/2 package of cream cheese (4 oz total)
  • 1/2 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 16 oz sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Sugared rosemary and currants: (Optional)

  • Fresh rosemary
  • Red currants or cranberries
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

Making the cake layers:

  1. Place the butter and sugar in a large nonstick pot. If you don’t have a nonstick pot, or your pot burns easily, you may wish to use a double boiler. (Just place a metal or glass bowl on top of a pot with about an inch or water in it and keep it simmering, but make sure the bottom on the bowl never touches the simmering water. Add more water if it evaporates.
  2. Cook it just until the butter melts but is still barely warm, NOT HOT.
  3. Take it off the heat. Add the eggs, baking soda and honey and mix to combine.
  4. Cook the mixture on medium low heat for about 7 minutes, longer if you’re using a double boiler. The batter will almost double in size and will turn a deep caramel color. Take it off the heat.
  5. Add the flour and mix quickly with a wooden spoon. I always add less flour than I need and add more when I’m rolling out the cake layers. If you add too much flour, it will be really hard to roll out.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the cake layers.
  8. Take approximately 1/4 cup of batter and knead it on your work surface. If it’s sticking to your hands and the counter, add more flour. Roll it out thinly into somewhat of a circle.
  9. Use the bottom of a cake pan or the bottom of a tart pan to cut a perfect circle. You can save all the scraps just the way you cut them and place them on a baking sheet and then bake. Later, you can crush them into crumbs and sprinkle the sides and top of the cake. I usually just take the scraps and knead them into the batter as I roll out each new cake layer.
  10. I use 2 (9 incround tart pans to bake the cake layers. If you don’t have a tart pan, use a rimmed baking sheet., sprinkled with flour or lined with parchment paper.
  11. 1Sprinkle the bottom of the tart pan with flour and bake the cake layers for about 4 minutes each.
  12. Take them off the tart pan right away. As the cake layers cool, they will become pretty hard.
  13. Working quickly, repeat with the rest of the cake batter. You can roll out the cake layers and set them aside, waiting to be baked. You want to roll them all out while the batter is still warm. As the batter cools, it becomes harder and harder to roll out. You should have approximately 10-12 cake layers.

Making the frosting:

  1. Cream the softened cream cheese and condensed milk in a standing mixer with a paddle attachment or using a hand mixer until it’s well combined.
  2. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix to combine.
  3. In another chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar.
  4. Gently fold it into the rest of the frosting.

Assembling the Cake:

  1. Dust off any excess flour from the cake layers.
  2. Line your serving plate edges with aluminum foil.
  3. Place a dollop of frosting into the center of the plate, just to keep the cake from sliding around.
  4. Top each cake layer with about 1/4 cup of frosting and spread it around evenly.
  5. Repeat with all the cake layers. As you place the layers on top of each other, some of the frosting will ooze out of the sides. Spread it out evenly over the sides.
  6. Grate some white chocolate on top of the cake and chopped nuts or crushed cake layer scraps over the sides of the cake.
  7. Gently remove the aluminum foil.
  8. Heat 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan just until the sugar dissolves. Pour it into a shallow dish.
  9. Place about 1/3 – 1/2 cup of sugar in another shallow dish.
  10. Dip the rosemary and the red currants in the sugar syrup and dip it in the sugar.
  11. Place on a parchment paper to dry and then place it on the cake. Now you have a beautiful winter masterpiece.

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Medovik-9

125 Comments

    • Claire

      I tried to make this, the cake dough worked really well but my frosting was so runny. It took me a few hours to put it together as I had to put it in the fridge in between each layer and it still ran out the side. Any idea what I did wrong?!

      • olgak7

        Sometimes some brands of sour cream are really runny, Claire. If you notice that the frosting is really runny when you’re mixing it up, use more cream cheese.
        In the original recipe, the frosting is only made with sour cream and powdered sugar, so you can imagine that it is even more runnier than the recipe that I use. It does need to be a thinner consistency to make for a really tender cake in the end, so even if it’s runnier when you’re frosting the cake, it may be inconvenient, but the results should still be great.

  • angelina

    Olga you don’t know how excited i am right now. I love you so much! I tried making medovik two times….and guess what? Failed both times! It is my husbands favorite cake and i cant even make it…..Now I can! With your wonderful guidance! Thank you so much! Now i know what cake I will make for Christmas!

  • Elena

    Olga this cake looks beautiful!!!!! At the top you mentioned something about cake Napoleon. Is their anyway you can post the recipe for Napoleon cake. Thanks

  • Nodira

    Thank you for the recipe. I cooked the honey cake it was delicious, everyone liked it. My friends thought I bought the cake from the shop. Because the Cake layers were profesionaly done. I have similar recipe of a honey cake it is yumyyy too.

  • Julia

    Olya, thanks for the lovely recipe! Can you please tell me what temperature to set the oven for baking the cake layers?

  • Olga M

    Thank you so much for posting this. Your pictures and directions are so easy to follow. I make this cake but can never explain it to anyone. The only thing that I do different is to cut the layer into a circle as soon as it comes out of the oven. The edges are softer, more even and rarely burned. I also use whipped cream and cooked sweetened condensed milk for the frosting, but will try out your recipe next time.

  • Olga

    Hi Olga,

    I tried to make your cake, it is very nice. It is similar to my mum’s cake recipe but she makes a cream differently with butter. When I purchased sour cream I wasn’t sure about the peasant age of fat so I bought 20% fat but I think the cream wasn’t thick enough even though very tasty. What sour cream do you usually use?

    Many thanks,
    Olga

    • olgak7

      The frosting is not supposed to be thick. If you’re thinking of butter cream, it is definitely much thicker than a frosting made from sour cream, however, I personally do not like butter cream.
      The sour cream I use is the regualr full fat version that is sold in grocery stores, not the low fat, part skim, any of those sour creams. I’m not sure what %fat content is in the sour cream. I’ve never noticed it written anywhere on the package.

  • marina

    Oh how I love this cake! I have been looking for “the” honey cake recipe that would be like the classic from my childhood. You have done it Olga:)) I made it twice already, and I absolutely love it!
    Thank you and may God bless you.

  • Irina

    Olga, I am planning in making this cake:-) my question is, can I substitute the heavy cream for whipping heavy cream? What’s the difference? Thanks!

    • olgak7

      Hi Irina!
      Heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are basically the same thing. Yes, they will both work. However, heavy cream has a slightly higher fat content, so it will keep it’s shape better and longer. Heavy whipping cream will whip up too, but it will deflate faster. For this recipe, both will work just as well. If you’re whipping up cream for desserts where the whipped cream is on it’s own, it’s best to use heavy cream.

  • HB

    Hi Olga,
    I should say I admire your talent. You are clearly very artistic. I like the care that you use in your creations. I have a couple of questions regarding the honey cake. I used to make it long time ago. There were diferent variations on it. I remember making man’s ideal, which was a no-fat batter cooked on a double boiler.
    Now I am trying to make it and every time I fail. I should say that I am not a novice when it comes to baking. What I do not like in the recipes I use is that they do not seem to be porous, and, most importantly they do not turn brown even though I use honey and cook them. What I remember about these honey cakes is that they were soft and chewey. Not the ones that I bake now.
    Any advice?
    Best,
    Hasmik

    PS I am going to try your recipe this Friday, but if you have any tips, I would really appreciate.

    • olgak7

      Hi Hasmik,
      Did you already try this recipe? I’m not exactly sure what you were having trouble with. If you follow the recipe, it should turn out. I try to be very detailed in the instructions.

  • HB

    Olga, I did try this recipe on Friday and cut it yesterday. Wow! it worked perfectly. I used dolce de leche and equal parts of whipping cream and sour cream. (It took me 8 recipes to find the right one, but it was worth it). Thank you so much!
    Olga, I was wondering if you had the recipe of’mujskoi ideal’.

    • olgak7

      I’m so happy to hear that, HB. Thanks for taking the time to write and tell me.
      Can you describe the cake to me? Sometimes there are different cake names.

  • HB

    The cake I am referring to has eggs, sugar, honey and flour (no butter). It is made on a double boiler. It is not a thick dough, so you either press it on foil or spread with knife. It is very porous and chewey. You peel the foil when it is baked. The frosting is dolche de leche and butter (but frankly I like the version with sour cream and whipped cream better). You put walnuts between the layers and on the top. Does this ring a bell? I imagine all former Soviet bloc was making this.
    Another favorite from that era was bird’s milk (ptich’e moloko) – not the one with souffle, but the layered cake with ganache on top.

  • julie

    olga, спекла медовик по твоему рецепту! получилось замечательно, необыкноенно нежный торт! мои гости были в восторге! спасибо!

  • Melissa

    Oh my goodness Olga! SO beautiful! Just glorious, really. I cannot wait to make this next Christmas. Since the cake doesn’t rise much, I’m going to try converting it with gluten free flour for my family with allergies. Thank you for your wonderful blog!

  • Chevas

    I made this cake last night in honor of the Sochi Winter Olympics opening ceremonies. Everyone loved it and we going back for seconds before the finished their first piece. It was surprisingly delicious. It wasn’t too hard to make but it looks like it takes a lot of work 🙂 Thank you for this recipe I will definitely be using it again.

  • Susanna

    Hi Olga,

    I am so excited to make this cake for my family this weekend. I am trying to plan ahead….can I bake the layers on one day and then make the frosting and assemble another day, or do I have to do it all in one day (not sure if the layers will get too hard if not assembled the same day). Or another options is, could I make the cake completely two days before serving? Would it get too mushy?

    Thanks!

    Susanna

    • olgak7

      Hi Susanna,
      You can bake the layers ahead of time, even up to a week ahead of time. Just store them somewhere tightly wrapped so they don’t absorb the smells of the room, etc. You can also make the whole cake a day or two in advance as well. It will not get too soggy.

      • Susanna

        I made it!!!! It’s SOOOOO GOOD! Thank you so much for posting this great recipe! My Russian and American families were quite impressed. By the way, in the last two weeks I also made your recipes for pelmeni, chicken kotleti and the salmon appetizer cake. All were AWESOME! Can’t wait to try more Olga’s treats!

        Thank you! All the best to you!

        Susanna

        • olgak7

          I’m so happy to hear that you had good results with the cake, Susanna. I’m so honored that you’ve been using some of my other recipes too:). I’m always thrilled to hear that.

  • Iryna B.

    Love it! I made Medovik with 16 layers for my wedding…. Only I made a traditional cream – whipped butter with sugar + кляр. I will definitely try yours. Thank you!

  • Dee

    Hi Olga,
    I just made this cake… and I’m not sure why you roll it out while it’s still warm. If you pre-measure the dough into whatever sizes you want and then chill them in the fridge it is Sooooo much easier to work with! I remember I used to see my mom doing this (I would sneak into the fridge and eat the cake batter). I think the honey in the cake is why you can do this (as opposed to spartak which would become a hard rock). Just a suggestion 🙂 Thanks for all your recipes!!

    • olgak7

      For me, it’s much easier and a lot faster to roll it out while it’s hot, Dee.I have tried to roll it out when it’s cold, and for me, there is a significant difference.

  • anna

    yummiest medovik i have ever made, the layers come out so fluffy my husband loves this cake definitely his favorite cake, thankyou so much for this wonderful recipe i love all your cakes and definitely want to try them all:)

  • j.

    Hi there! First, I just wanted to say that I make a lot of your recipes (as do many people I know!), but I rarely comment. I appreciate how detail oriented you are, and I love the little tips you sprinkle throughout your recipes, and how you explain things (like how Yukon potatoes hold their shape better, etc). I know you have quite a following, but I’m always surprised it’s not bigger… your recipes always come out great when I make them, whereas many other slavic-recipe based sites have hard to follow instructions, or jthe recipes ust don’t taste like mama’s cooking. So, thank you for the recipes!

    Regarding this recipe- is there a reason you cannot use parchment lined 9″ baking pans? Your instructions state to use a tart pan, or to just lay the layers onto a rimmed baking pan. Just wondering the reason, since I’ve never made this cake. Thanks!

    • olgak7

      Thanks for taking the time to write, I really appreciate it. I’m thrilled that you find the tips helpful and are enjoying the recipes.
      I wouldn’t recommend using regular baking pans because these cake layers are very delicate and would be difficult to take out of the pan without breaking them.

  • j.

    … I went ahead and made the cake– it was delicious! I’m looking forward to making it again (my waistline probably not so much). Thank you for answering my question; I came to the same conclusion while baking the layers. God bless you with your pregnancy.

  • Christina

    Thank you so much for this recipe! Judging by the pics, it looks like the one my gran used to make. Will definitely try to make it myself! xx

  • ileena

    had my tertiary education in Russia and this torte was my favorite back then! thanks olga for the recipe, will hit the kitchen soon!
    xxx

  • Roxana

    Hi, lovely cake, glad for sharing. Can you please guide me as I want ti make sure condensed milk used it’ s dulce de leche. I have a can of condensed milk , can I use it or I need to boil it in order to obtain something creamy and mix it with heay cream and sour cream? Thank you

  • Mary

    Hi Olga,
    I had a question. In the ingredients you mention to add sugar to make the dough but in the instructions you don’t. I made the dough twice. First I added the sugar during the end of the 7 mins I heat up the dough and the dough turned out ok but not great. Then I tried adding the sugar with I melted the butter and the dough came out very crummy.

    • olgak7

      Adding the sugar is the first step in the recipe, Mary.
      “1. Place the butter and sugar in a large nonstick pot.
      2. Cook it just until the butter melts but is still barely warm, NOT HOT.”
      The cake dough should not be crummy, it should look like the picture – smooth and evenly mixed.

    • olgak7

      Adding the sugar is the first step in the recipe, Mary.
      “1. Place the butter and sugar in a large nonstick pot.
      2. Cook it just until the butter melts but is still barely warm, NOT HOT.”
      The cake dough should not be crummy, it should look like the picture – smooth and evenly mixed.

  • Valentina

    Hi Olga!
    So I made this cake last night and ate it today and I have to say this is the BEST receipe for medovik cake. I made A LOT of other receipes for this cake and this is the BEST! My whole family agreed 😁 it was so soft and delicious, pretty much melts in your mouth!!!! Thank you very
    Much!! I love your blog. YOU THE BEST
    GOD BLESS YOU AND HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

  • Rachel

    Hi Olga,
    I made this cake and it was delicious but the cake layers didn’t get hard. Should I be adding more flour? Even with longer cooking time they just started to burn but not get any harder. Thanks !

    • olgak7

      The cake layers will not be hard while you are baking them and while they are still warm, Rachel. They will get harder as they cool. If they were still really soft after they were completely firm, then maybe you didn’t roll them out thinly enough or maybe they did need more flour, although I’ve never experienced them not becoming harder as they cooled. I’m glad to hear that they cake was still tasty even with all the trouble that it gave you.

  • Elsa

    Thank you for the great recipes, I love your honey cake I made it over 10 times , I have one problem some times when I bake the cake layers they come out of the oven flat and soft not like biscuits, but some time they come out perfect little puffed and hard more like a biscuit and that’s when I have the best cake , I don’t know why that is happening maybe you can help me out 😃

    • olgak7

      I’m so glad that you enjoy the cake. The thinner you roll out the cake layers, the more likely that they will bake up to be harder, Elsa. That is normal. I actually prefer to bake them as thin as possible, and the cake layers are pretty hard. They become very soft when you add the frosting, so it really doesn’t matter what the texture of the cake layers are after you bake them. They will have the same texture and flavor after the cake is frosted and has a few hours for the frosting to penetrate into the cake layers and get soft.

      • Elsa

        Thanks for the reply my dear , I have one more question , when I put the mixture back on fire do I keep mixing it with a wask, or I just leave it to cook for 7 minutes on low heat ( I don’t use a water bath )

        • olgak7

          If you don’t use a double boiler, it’s especially important to mix the batter frequently, so that it doesn’t burn and cooks evenly.

  • Natalia

    Hi Olga,

    I just made this cake and it looks absolutely beautiful – thank you.

    I followed your recipe step by step, but I only got five 9 inch cake layers. So my question to you is, when you say cups, do you mean measuring cups or regular cups? I understood it to be measuring cups but although I rolled my layers rather thin, I didn’t get as many layers as you did.

    Thank you once again and happy holidays to you and your loved ones!

  • Ol

    Hello,
    Iam making this cake now, and to caramelize its making me more then 30 minutes is that normal? When your Recipe says 7 minutes? Help?

  • Alan

    I made the Medovik cake last week for a family get together on Saturday. It was delicious. So much so that I was asked to bake another one for this weekend. In fact I am attending another separate event also this week so will be making a third one too! Thank you Olga for introducing me to a delicious cake! X

  • Amy

    You said 1/2 a can of condensed milk.. What size can? I am making this this weekend & I want to use your recipe because all your other recipes have been amazing! Hope you reply soon!

    • olgak7

      There’s only one size that I’ve ever seen sold. I believe it’s about 14 oz in one can. However, the size doesn’t really matter. It’s a matter of taste, so add as much sweetened condensed milk as you like, so that the frosting is as sweet as you like. You can add a little less than one can or more than half a can.

  • Doreen

    The recipe looks beautiful! Is it possible to make this cake (and frost it as well) on a Tuesday and then serve to guests in a Friday, or is this too many days for it to sit frosted? Trying to plan ahead….very excited about making this….

    • olgak7

      I personally prefer to frost the cake 1-2 days in advance max. You can bake the cake layers and make the frosting 2-3 days in advance and frost it 1-2 days in advance so that they cake tastes fresher when you serve it.

  • Alina

    Hello,I made this cake today, and my dough was so dry that I couldn’t put it in one ball.i took your advice and use only 3cups of flour.so for me to finish rolling I had to add 1cup off water.what was wrong?. what flour brand do you use

    • olgak7

      Hi Alina,
      Was your dough still warm when you were finished mixing in the flour? It’s important to mix the dough very quickly so that it is still hot when you are adding the flour and warm when you are rolling it out, otherwise it gets really tough and hard to mix.

  • Ksusha. A

    Great recipe for the cake layers! Except every time I cook it until it turns brown it becomes impossible to roll out big thin circles.. breaks apart like crazy 🙁 I started cooking it only 5 mins it’s not very brown as shown on your pictures but it rolls so easy and the taste is just as great.

    • olgak7

      Yes, time is not the best way to tell if something is done or not, that’s why I try to include the step by step photos and other visual cues to look for. They dough should be soft and easy to roll out. I’m glad you figured out how to make it work.

  • Marina

    Hi Olga,up.
    I made this cake last night. Turned out amazing and nothing is left.

    Need your advice about the frosting. I used sour cream + heavy cream + powdered sugar. Do you use it? What would be the measurements for this cake?

    • olgak7

      I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake, Marina.
      You can certainly use this frosting for the Medovik cake. Unfortunately, I can’t help you with measurements and quantities of ingredients. I use the frosting that I posted in the recipe. You will need to experiment.

  • Anna

    Hi Olga, I’ve made this cake several times using a different recipe and I decided to try yours out, and the layers turned out perfect! But when I was rolling out the dough it kept “cracking” like it wouldn’t stretch out properly when I was rolling it out. Do you know what would cause that?

    • olgak7

      Usually this means that the dough is too cold or there is too much flour, Anna. In my experience, if you roll out all the cake layers while the dough is still warm, it’s much easier to work with and rolls out very smoothly with no cracking. I hope that helps.

  • Phil

    I am making the cake today but am unsure what you mean by a ‘stick of butter’. Would appreciate clarification please e.g. is a stick a block of butter [half pound?]

  • Irina

    I finally made this cake for the new year day, it came perfect! My guests were impressed,
    I was able ro roll out all the layers even the dough was not warm anymore, what helped me to make the dough perfectly was the part of watching the batter double before I stirred in the flour, and I did put only 3 cups of flour, then a half more cup and felt it was perfect. Otherwise 4 cups right away would create stiff and dry dough

  • Mariya

    wow this cake is so delicious!! I made different medovik cakes before and my husband away said his moms was better, made this for easter and he was so inlove with this cake said it remind him of childhood and it taste better then his moms!!! thank you for such easy instruction recipe!!






  • Masha

    This was amazing. I just made it for Easter. However I used the trick of rolling out the layers on a parchment paper and placing the parchment paper right in the oven so that way I was able to roll it out quite thinly without the need to pick it up. Also this resize barely made 8 layers. I made two batches and the second was 8 layers as well. Well it was amaaazing!!!!!!! Made me look like a pro baker when I was simply following instructions.






  • Amy

    I made this as a birthday cake and now everyone I know is requesting it for theirs. lol I love your clear step by step instructions. Thank you so much!






  • antony newman

    Fascinating looking recipe & accompanying pictures.

    +) I am guessing this is 350 degs F
    +) Total time is listed as 9 hours – But prep + cook time = 3 hours. Does that mean I need to chill the cake after making it?

    Thanks again for posting this – I’m going to see if I can perfect this by Valentines day 🙂

  • Julia

    Hello. Am I the only one who came out with super oily dough – almost like churros? Is the 1/2 cup butter correct or should it be 2 table spoons like in most other recipes online?

    • olgak7

      Hi Julia,
      This recipe calls for 1/2 cup of butter, not 2 Tablespoons. The batter consistency should not be like churros, maybe you needed to add more flour.

  • sakina

    Hello Olga
    I Have made your recipe and its the 2md time im doing so. It turned out great! However this time my cake discs have not hardened up after baking… what do you think I can do.. the discs are still good in shape its just they are soft and not turned hard.. please suggest ! Thankyou
    Sakina

  • Esther

    Your cake looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it as I love honey and condensed milk. I just need to ask if you can please tell me how many grams is a cup? Sorry not used to this






  • Olga

    it takes a bit more time than expected but is definitely worth it! The cake is incredible and looks great! Felt very professional 😉






  • Natalija

    I love this recipe and have made it many times, thank you! I do wonder what is the best way to freeze it. Should I do it the day after I frost it? I want a ready cake sometimes, and am thinking it should be ok.






  • Rosalie

    **Re-posting because the first time I forgot to give this recipe the stars it deserves!!**
    I made this for a “Russian Night” with friends. The recipe was labor-intensive, but I followed it and got really great results.
    The stovetop method was weird, but it worked! I used a makeshift double-boiler, and it probably took me 25-30 minutes of stirring and cooking to achieve the caramel color I was aiming for. I used around 3 1/2 cups of flour — the lower end of the range in this recipe. While rolling out the dough in batches, I was able to keep the remaining dough pliable by keeping it in the same double-boiler with the heat turned off.
    I modified the method for rolling and baking the cookies. First, rather than using flour, I rolled out the dough between two pieces of parchment. That method worked well, and I was glad I used it because it helped me avoid adding too much flour (which might have toughened the dough). After cutting the cookies down to size, I baked them on parchment-lined baking sheets (as opposed to inside a tart/cake pan). Then, right out of the oven, I once again cut them down to size as one would do with gingerbread, reserving the trimmings. This all worked very well.
    I ran into some issues with the frosting because it was *so* soupy. No disrespect to Olga — this may have been partially due to the temperature of my cream, which was not very chilled. Or maybe I didn’t fold it gently enough. However, I did think the high ratio of sweetened condensed milk could have been behind the runny consistency, as well. I did manage to get it into the cake, building the cake layers in a plastic wrap-lined springform pan. I didn’t want to even try using that soupy icing for the outer surface of the cake, so I gave it a minimal coating on the top and stuck it in the fridge overnight, inside the springform pan. This actually worked; in the morning, the icing had hardened in the cold and I was able to neatly remove the springform pan and plastic wrap lining.
    I had ½ cup of cream and 4 ounces of cream cheese left, and I needed something to finish the top and sides of the cake that was less runny. I whipped the cream cheese with some vanilla, salt, and 1/3 cup powdered sugar. Then I slowly drizzled in my cream and whipped to stiff peaks. This made just the right amount of “frosting” to finish off the outside of the cake neatly, and it was much stiffer than the soupy stuff I’d used the night before.
    I finished the cake off with crumbs around the sides (I had just enough from trimming the cookies), slivered almonds around the top perimeter, and little bees made of almonds, chocolate, and sunflower seeds. It looked great and was very well received. One thing I appreciated was that the cake as a whole really wasn’t too sweet, even with all that frosting. My outer layer of tangy “frosting” may have helped the balance, because it was only mildly sweetened. Perhaps I’d also used a light hand with the icing I put between the layers. In any case, it was spot-on.
    For next time, I’d follow almost the exact same procedure that I did this time, with perhaps some modifications to the frosting. I’m not a big fan of sweetened condensed milk, and I’d rather avoid this recipe’s method of folding the elements together, especially since for my outer frosting I just beat it all together with good results. That said, what I did this time turned out so well that I might not touch the process. I’d love to make this for the family.






    • olgak7

      Thank you so much for sharing your experience and taking the time to write, Rosalie. I always appreciate hearing feedback. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.

  • Emily

    Thanks for this recipe!
    My cake layers are very dry and hard after putting it in the refrigerator for a day. Would you know what is the problem?

  • Mila

    Made this cake, it was very easy to follow instructions. It did take me close to 30min to steam cook the batter. I also used 3 cups of flour and I think will need a bit less next time as the dough was getting very hard as it cooled. I pop it into microwave for 8sec to soften it up so I can roll it out. Cream came out runnier then expected and I had leftovers then I realized I made a mistake of pouring the full can of condensed milk vs half. I’m sure it will be fine. I used the extra cream for my iced coffee topping and I think I am hooked!! Like wow! I may or may not make same mistake next time;) Thank you for great recipe as always:) can’t wait to try it!






  • Julia

    An excellent recipe, thank you! We made a smaller but taller 6 inch cake, so inadvertently ended up with thicker dough layers using the same 1/4 cup of dough measurement. It was still super delicious! If you have any leftovers, consider freezing plastic wrapped slices; they will taste wonderful when defrosted. This cake seems to taste best 2-3 days after assembly, so don’t even think about serving it before 24hrs of it sitting in the fridge.






  • Linda

    My hands down, all-time favourite cake! And finally I can make it myself! I have made a few of them already and this recipe is the winner! Thank you, Olga!!!






  • Randi

    Merry Christmas, Olga and family!! Please thank your mother for this recipe (thank you so very much for sharing) and for enabling you to become a very accomplished cook at the tender age of 12 (what a feat and talent you were/are). This is possibly my all time favorite cake concoction and I think your recipe is probably the best available on the internet for an English speaking audience (I looked at many posted recipes but none of the others had the finesse of caramelizing the honey/sugar/butter/egg mix to maximize the Maillard reaction for taste). I have made this a number of times, always seeking to improve my skills and the experience. Having found myself sweating profusely to achieve Medovik perfection (not quite there yet), LOL, I wanted to share tips that I have incorporated to my method that might help others. I found the most challenging aspect is getting the cake batter rolled before it cools and hardens. I was racing to roll out each layer within the 4 min time slot while baking the previous layer and this was causing me stress and splitting in my dough circles (which then require time to repair and allowed the remaining dough to cool too much despite keeping it over a pot of warm water). So I now divide my dough into 10 balls as soon as it is cool enough to handle and put the dough pot in. a warm (not hot) oven. I use a 10″ tortilla press to quickly press each dough ball as thin as I can (floured parchment under and plastic bag on top) and then pop them back (still on parchment, reusing the bag for the next one) in the warm oven on a baking sheet. Then I take each one out, still warm, and finish rolling from a 6″ circle to an approximate 10″, adding flour to the dough and parchment as needed. I roll out the edges first as it seems to help to help reduce splitting. When they are all rolled out, I cut the circles and set aside the scraps and it is simple to transfer to a baking tray on the parchment. This cake is so deliciously worthy of making more often that any techniques to reduce the challenge is a bonus. I did achieve the 12 layer one once (without the easier method) and it nearly defeated me, LOL. I also found it harder to stack 12 layers and keep the top layers stable when frosting (possibly more unevenness in rolling so thin) so I am resting content with 10 layers for now. I use buckwheat honey which is a stronger flavor but indescribably good with this recipe and all my family/friends adore it. Blessings to you and yours and best for the New Year!






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