This Royal Layer Cake has four delicious layers—raisin, poppy seed, peanut, and chocolate—plus a creamy butter and sweetened condensed milk frosting. A truly unique and flavorful cake!
If you’re a fan of cakes with a little something extra, then you’re going to love this Royal Layer Cake. This beautiful cake has been a beloved dessert in my Belarusian culture for years, and for good reason. With four separate layers—each bringing its own unique flavor and texture—it’s truly a showstopper. The layers include raisin cake, poppy seed cake, peanut cake, and rich chocolate cake, each contributing a different dimension to every bite. When you take a forkful, you get the perfect balance of sweetness, nuttiness, and a touch of richness, all wrapped up in one magnificent cake.
What really takes this cake to the next level is the frosting. Made with butter and sweetened condensed milk, it’s creamy, velvety, and a little indulgent—just the way frosting should be. The beauty of this cake is how all the different flavors in the layers complement each other so well. The raisins add a bit of chewiness, the poppy seeds bring a lovely texture, the peanuts add a salty crunch, and the chocolate layer gives it that rich depth. It’s a cake that feels special, but surprisingly easy to make—and perfect for a celebration or just as a sweet treat to enjoy with a cup of tea.
Ingredients:
Cake:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups sour cream
2 teaspoons baking soda, dissolved in 1 teaspoon vinegar
2 cups flour
½ cup raisins
½ cup toasted peanuts (or any other kind of nuts)
¼ - ½ cup poppy seeds
¼ cup baking cocoa powder
Frosting:
1 ½ sticks of butter (12 Tablespoons or 6 oz. total), softened
1 (8 oz package) cream cheese, softened
½ -1 (14 oz) can condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Buttercream Frosting: (for the outside of the cake, optional)
2 sticks of butter, (8 oz total) softened
powdered sugar
1-2 Tablespoons milk, optional
How To Make a Royal Layer Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of 2 or 4 (8-9 inch) round cake pans with parchment paper and grease with oil.
Beat 2 eggs with 1 cup of sugar in a standing mixer with a whisk attachment or use a hand mixer. Add 1 cup of sour cream, 1 teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon vinegar. Mix to combine. 
Add 1 cup of flour and mix to combine. 
Divide the batter in half and put the raisins into one half of the batter and the peanuts into the other half of the batter. 
Spread the batter evenly out into the prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, repeat with the remaining ingredients, dividing it in half again. This time, add the poppy seeds and cocoa powder to the batter. 
Spread the batter out evenly in 2 more round cake pans or wait until the first two cake layers have baked and use them to bake the remaining two cake layers on the same temperature.
Take the cakes out of the cake pans, cool on a rack.
Meanwhile, make the frosting.
In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese until they are a smooth consistency. Add the condensed milk and vanilla. The amount of condensed milk depends on how sweet you like your frosting.
When the cake layers have cooled completely, even out the layers by cutting off the rounded part, if it needs it.
Assemble the cake by spreading the frosting between the layers. It doesn't matter which order you assemble the cake layers in. 
Cover the top and sides of the cake with frosting as well. You can simply use the reamaining frosting or make additional buttercream frosting to make it more smooth and to use for piping a design around the edge of the cake. I used chopped peanuts and raisins and pressed them against the sides of the cake and used poppy seeds and buttercream frosting to decorate the top of the cake. 
I didn't include the exact measurements for the buttercream frosting, because it's very basic - use a standing mixer or hand mixer and mix the softened butter and as much powdered sugar as you like, the more you use, the stiffer it will be. Add a little bit of milk if it becomes too stiff.
The texture of this cake is much more dense than a typical sponge cake, so don't expect it to be tender and fluffy. This is a different type of cake.
It's best served at room temperature but should be stored in the refrigerator. The cake can be made ahead of time.
Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups sour cream
- 2 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 2 cups flour
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup toasted peanuts or any other kind of nuts
- ¼ - ½ cup poppy seeds
- ¼ cup baking cocoa powder
Frosting:
- 1 ½ sticks of butter 12 Tablespoons or 6 oz. total, softened
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
- ½ -1 14 oz can condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Buttercream Frosting: (for the outside of the cake, optional)
- 2 sticks of butter (8 oz. total) softened
- powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of 2 or 4 (8-9 inch) round cake pans with parchment paper and grease with oil.
- Beat 2 eggs with 1 cup of sugar in a standing mixer with a whisk attachment or use a hand mixer. Add 1 cup of sour cream, 1 teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon vinegar. Mix to combine. Add 1 cup flour and mix to combine. Divide the batter in half and put the raisins into one half of the batter and the peanuts into the other half of the batter. Spread the batter evenly out into the prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, repeat with the remaining ingredients, dividing it in half again. This time, add the poppy seeds and cocoa powder to the batter. Spread the batter out evenly in 2 more round cake pans or wait until the first two cake layers have baked and use them to bake the remaining two cake layers on the same temperature.
- Take the cakes out of the cake pans, cool on a rack.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese until they are a smooth consistency. Add the condensed milk and vanilla. The amount of condensed milk depends on how sweet you like your frosting.
- When the cake layers have cooled completely, even out the layers by cutting off the rounded part, if it needs it.
- Assemble the cake by spreading the frosting between the layers. It doesn't matter which order you assemble the cake layers in. Cover the top and sides of the cake with frosting as well. You can simply use the reaming frosting or make additional buttercream frosting to make it more smooth and to use for piping a design around the edge of the cake. I used chopped peanuts and raisins and pressed them against the sides of the cake and used poppy seeds and buttercream frosting to decorate the top of the cake.
- I didn't include the exact measurements for the buttercream frosting, because it's very basic - use a standing mixer or hand mixer and mix the softened butter and as much powdered sugar as you like, the more you use, the stiffer it will be. Add a little bit of milk if it becomes too stiff.
- The texture of this cake is much more dense than a typical sponge cake, so don't expect it to be tender and fluffy. This is a different type of cake.It's best served at room temperature but should be stored in the refrigerator. The cake can be made ahead of time.
Hi Olga, I bake this cake exactly by your receipy, but it turn a little bit dry (сухой)...mayby I should been пропитать коржи what do you think?
That's up to you, Angie. You can use any kind of syrup that you like.
Hi Olga, gotta admit it. This cake is OUT OF THIS WORLD! 😀 I NEVER BAKED A SINGLE CAKE (only brownies, pies, cookies, muffins... and such). Well, until now, when i saw this post. (i've done tons of your reicipes: salads, soups, muffins, cookies- but i always bypassed all the cakes, because I just dont' bake them.
First of all i'm afraid i'll mess up, NO EXPERIENCE WHATSOEVER, 2nd major issue - i don't have a Kitchen Aid mixer (only a hand held). So this one cought my eye as you mentioned that a hand held mixer could be used here. PLUS the ingridients in this cake are simply a combination of the best ones out there, that one can put together in one AWESOME CAKE! I just realized that this is it! I MUST put my fear behind and just bake this one! 😀
So i used cocoa for one, dried cherries (cuz i had those) for 2nd, walnuts (same thing, had those already, just had to toast them) for 3rd. Didn't find poppy seeds in the store, which i love, so in that layer i added a little bit of walnuts, dried cherries and cocoa, lol. AND IT TURNED OUT SOOOO GOOD! (to answer for people that were asking about subtitutes - YES, add any other nuts or dry fruit you love, you won't ruin this beauty). 😛
Long story short, i baked THIS CAKE - MY FIRST cake, and it turned out amazing, so delicious, that my family is still in shock! 😉
If someone is like me (not a baker) - PLEASE TRY, like i did - Super easy with these lovely directions from Olga.
Olichka, now when i let my excitement out in this long comment, just must say it again THANK YOU SO MUCH, and may GOD BLESS YOU! 😀 What a great job you do in this blog! Keep it up!
That's so awesome, Oksana! I was thrilled to read your comment. You really made my day:).
How cup use? 250ml?
Yes, Adi, 250 ml.
Hi Olga:
Another good looking cake. You make everything look so beautiful. I will make this cake with your easy to follow instructions, it should be no "problem". It does look delicious. I do enjoy following your blog. Thanks again for all your recipes.
Tony
Hi, Olga,
Your cake looks SOOOO GOOD!!!
I have question, What do you think to substitute first layer of your cake with plum instead raisin.
I love plums ):
THANKS MUCH
The cake is very versatile, Nina. You can use many different things: craisins, prunes, dry cherries, dry blueberries, etc. Use whatever you like or have stashed in your pantry.
All of your cakes are absolutely delicious! This one is so beautiful! I'm not a baker but know where to come back for inspiration 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Katya!
Olga you are so talented this cake looks amazing I cannot wait to try to make this cake I hope it will turn out just like yours
Thanks, Viktoriya! I hope you enjoy the cake.
Hi Olga,
We are not big fans of cocoa or chocolate. What can we substitute that layer with? thanks
Hi Larisa,
You can add whatever you like, add other nuts, dry fruit, or even leave it plain.
That is one gorgeous cake!!!
Thanks, Anna! I'm glad the cake caught your eye:).
Hi Olga,
Love your website! And I also love this cake. It has been in my family since forever. My grandmother (who was a professional chef) gave it to me. The only difference is there is no chocolate layer in our version and we use walnuts (but that's a minor difference). Anyway, to everybody, who is not sure - you must try it! That is a phenomenal cake. )))
Blessings to you, Olga, and your family, especially those two cuties you have. )))
Thanks for the shout out, Zhanna:). It's always great to hear second opinions.
This is so amazing! 🙂 I cannot wait to try it! 🙂
Wow, looks amazing!! How did you pipe the frosting on top to make it look so perfect? Or is it a little easier with butter cream? (to take breaks to spin the cake if that makes sense)
Thanks, Tanya! Using buttercream does make piping a lot easier. I just kind of winged it:).
I'll be trying to make this cake once our oven is fixed! I think my husband should like it very much. 🙂
Good luck with your oven, Luba. I hope you and your husband enjoy it:).
Absolutely stunning cake!
Thanks, Mom's Dish! I really appreciate the shout out from such an accomplished baker like you:).
WOW This cake looks amazing! Great job on all the layering...
Happy Medley