Smetannik is a Russian cake that has multiple thin and fluffy cake layers with a tangy and sweet sour cream frosting. The cake is so tender and delicate, it just melts in your mouth. 
This classic Russian cake has been in our family and on our holiday tables since before I was born. The tender and delicate layer cake is an ideal accompaniment to an evening of tea with friends or a family birthday party. The cake absolutely melts in your mouth and is not overpowering or cloyingly sweet.
The numerous layers make it beautiful and intricate but preparing it is so simple, I remember making it when I was ten. You can also add poppy seeds to the batter and it will become a poppy seed layer cake. The tangy sour cream frosting seeps into fluffy, thin cake layers and that's what makes it so magically moist, slightly tart, with the sweetness of the honey cake layers.
Ingredients:
Cake:
9 eggs
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons honey
1 ½ Tablespoons oil (vegetable, canola, grapeseed, etc.)
1 Tablespoon baking soda dissolved in ¾ Tablespoon distilled white vinegar
3 cups all-purpose flour
Sour Cream Frosting:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 can sweetened condensed milk
½ - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 (16 oz) containers sour cream
8 oz heavy cream or Cool Whip
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9 inch round cake pan with parchment paper and spray the top and bottom with oil. (I do 2 baking pans at one time.)
Using a standing mixer with a whisk attachment or a large bowl and a hand mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar until they are pale yellow and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Dissolve the baking soda in the vinegar and add to the batter. 
Add the honey and oil. Mix to combine. 
Add the flour and mix just until the flour is incorporated and the batter is smooth. 
Spread 1/9 of the batter evenly on the baking pan. (If you want, you can use a scale and it is approximately 5 oz of the batter for each layer.) The cake layers should be very thin, the batter just covering the bottom of the baking pan. 
You should have 8-9 cake layers. (I set one of the cake layers aside to use for crumbs and the cake is 8 layers tall.)
Bake for about 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden brown. 
Repeat with the rest of the batter. The cake layers will peel off the parchment paper very easily. Cool the cake layers completely.
Meanwhile, make the sour cream frosting. 
In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl and a hand mixer, cream the cream cheese and condensed milk until they are an even consistency.
Add the sour cream and vanilla until they are incorporated too. Mix the sour cream only until combined, don't overmix, or it will become too runny. 
Pour in the chilled heavy cream and whip on high speed until the frosting thickens. However, if the frosting is really thin, (it depends on the sour cream, some brands of sour cream become very thin when mixed) whip the heavy cream separately and then fold in gently into the sour cream mixture. You can also use the same amount of Cool Whip instead of the heavy cream.
Place one of the cake layers in a food processor and pulse it a few times until you have crumbs and set them aside. The crumbs will be used as a decoration for the sides of the cake.
Spread the sour cream frosting on each of the remaining 8 cake layers. 
Since the sour cream frosting is on the thin side, the cake layers may slip around on me. That is ok. Sometimes I use a springform pan to put around the sides of the cake to keep it all together better, place it in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. The sour cream frosting will soak into the cake layers and firm up, so the cake will be perfect at that point. This is what makes this cake so magically soft, fluffy and tender. You may have a small amount of frosting left over.
Take the springform pan from around the cake, spread some of the frosting on the sides of the cake, just to even up the sides and then press the crumbs onto the sides of the cake. Grate some chocolate on top of the cake. If you want, you can also pipe a border around the top of the cake from buttercream frosting. (butter, powdered sugar and a splash of milk.) Store the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Delicate and Tender Layer Cake - Smetannik
Smetannik is a Russian cake that has multiple thin and fluffy cake layers with a tangy and sweet sour cream frosting. The cake is so tender and delicate, it just melts in your mouth.
- Total Time: 2880 minutes
- Yield: 1 cake 1x
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
Cake:
- 9 eggs
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ Tablespoons oil (vegetable, canola, grapeseed, etc.)
- 1 Tablespoon baking soda dissolved in ¾ Tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Sour Cream Frosting:
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 (16 oz) containers sour cream (32 total ((32 oz total))
- 8 oz heavy cream or Cool Whip
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9 inch round cake pan with parchment paper and spray the top and bottom with oil. (I do 2 baking pan at one time.) You will need to do this for every cake layer.
- Using a standing mixer with a whisk attachment or a large bowl and a hand mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar until they are pale yellow and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Dissolve the baking soda in the vinegar and add to the batter. Add the honey and oil. Mix to combine.
- Add the flour and mix just until the flour is incorporated and the batter is smooth.
- Spread 1/9 of the batter evenly in the baking pan. (If you want, you can use a scale and it is approximately 5 oz of the batter for each layer.) The cake layers should be very thin, the batter just covering the bottom of the baking pan. You should have 8-9 cake layers. (I set one of the cake layers aside to use for crumbs and the cake is 8 layers tall.)
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Repeat with the rest of the batter. The cake layers will peel off the parchment paper very easily. Cool the cake layers completely.
- Meanwhile, make the sour cream frosting. In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl and a hand mixer, mix the cream cheese and condensed milk until they are an even consistency.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla until they are incorporated too. Mix the sour cream only until combined, don't overmix, or it will become too runny.
- Pour in the chilled heavy cream and whip on high speed until the frosting thickens. However, if the frosting is really thin, (it depends on the sour cream, some brands of sour cream become very thin when mixewhip the heavy cream separately and then fold in gently into the sour cream mixture. You can also use the same amount of Cool Whip instead of the heavy cream.
- Place one of the cake layers in a food processor and pulse it a few times until you have crumbs and set them aside. The crumbs will be used as a decoration for the sides of the cake.
- Spread the sour cream frosting on each of the remaining 8 cake layers.
- Since the sour cream frosting is on the thin side, the cake layers may slip around on me. That is ok. Sometimes I use a springform pan to put around the sides of the cake to keep it all together better, place it in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. The sour cream frosting will soak into the cake layers and firm up, so the cake will be perfect at that point. This is what makes this cake so magically soft, fluffy and tender.
- Take the springform pan off from around the cake, spread some of the frosting on the sides of the cake, just to even up the sides and then press the crumbs onto the sides of the cake.
- Grate some chocolate on top of the cake. If you want, you can also pipe a border around the top of the cake from buttercream frosting. (butter, powdered sugar and a splash of milk.) Store the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
im baking this for a class project and im wondering if i make it the night before if it would still be good for the next day?
Absolutely, Hannah. I actually prefer to make almost all cakes the day before I serve them.
they said the icing was amazing but the cake was dry! I was so disappointed but I love this recipe ! thank you
I'm sorry to hear that, Hannah. Next time, make more frosting. I'm bummed that it didn't work out for you the first time.
I actually made more frosting but it didn't work. thank you though
Need to make a lot in advance since I have family visiting and don't want to spend all my time in the kitchen. Thanks in advance. You are a smart girl.
Hi Oksana. Yes, you can make the cake layers ahead of time. Seal them well. You can keep them at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator or freezer for longer periods of time. I don't recommend storing it longer than a week.
Thanks Olga.
I have a question if you can bake cake and don't put any cream. How should I store it and for how long?
Hi Olga, I've been meaning to bake this cake and finally did it yesterday . I followed all the directions. The cake is a bomb!!! The layers were porous and soft ;therefore absorbed the frosting quite well.I really like the frosting, not to sweet and has an interesting texture to it..Keep up the good work! May God richly bless you for being so sweet and sharing your talents and skills with others.You're a very Special person!!!
I'm so happy to hear that the cake was a hit with you, Lena! Thanks for taking the time to write. May God bless you too.
Will it make a difference if I beat the eggs and sugar instead of whisk them?
Just mix the egg using a mixer or standing mixer until they are pale, thick and voluminous, Ilona.
Hi Olga,
So i have to make this cake for an event but I am not good at making the batter or the layers. So I was wondering if i could use puff pastry instead or any other store dough? I was thinking to use puff pastry with the frosting that you suggested...
Sure you can, Lucia. Although I'm not sure how much frosting you'll need for how many layers.
if I make it in rectangular pan 12x9 how many layers should i make?? Or may i put the whole thing at once and cut how many layers i need??
Hi Olga, I made this the second time and this time flavoured both the batter and the cream with lemon zest. I think it is a perfect combination for this cake, since already has tanginess from the sour cream. Try it when you have a chance. I think you will like it.
Hasmik
Great idea, Hasmik!
I love adding lemon zest to baked goodies. You're right, it perfumes the whole thing in such an awesome way, I love it!
Made this cake several times:) Halved the recipe and got 4 layers using an 9 inch pan. Rose beautifully! used only half of the condensed milk in the frosting though since my grandma was coming over (has DM so everything she eats has to to be "under-sweetened" or else she wont have any)Turned out delicious every time! Blessings 🙂
I'm so happy to hear that, Olga! I love to find out that other families are enjoying the same cake that we love in our family:).
Hi! What kind of oil did you use?
Any mild flavored oil will work. I used canola oil.
Hi Olga!
Thanks for all the recipes! I have really enjoyed everything that I've tried so far 🙂
Quick question... I started making the cake, but don't have whipping cream on hand. I do have a few tubs of Cool Whip in my freezer - could I use that instead? If so, how much should I use 1 tube or more? Any suggestions? I could just go and buy some , but trying to be thrifty and use up what I have :). Thanks a bunch!
Hi Zletush,
Yes, you can use Cool Whip. Cool Whip is whipped cream. I don't know how much you will need you use, since I always used whipped cream, not Cool Whip.
hi olga, can i substitute sour cream with yogurt or just omit it? because i just don't know what sour cream exactly is.
Yogurt may be a little too runny for this cake, but you can give it a try. Use thick Greek yogurt.
are you supposed to used cooked condense milk or it doesnt matter? would I be able to use the dulce de leche instead?
Alesya,
Use regular condensed milk, not cooked or dulce de leche. If that were the case, I would have specified it. I usually write "dulce de leche" in the list of ingredients, if the recipe needs cooked condensed milk.
HI Olga, I tried smetannik, even copied your design. It looked awesome and tasted even better. The layers were very porous, nice texture, This was the first time I tried your frosting with cream cheese and sour cream. I have to admit I am not a big fan of cream cheese but with the help of good quality vanilla, i think this worked. Thanks a lot. What I like in your recipes is precision. I tried three and they all exceeded my expectations. The next is the Rum cake. I am baking it this Saturday.
Cheers,
Hasmik
I'm thrilled that you are finding the recipes helpful. Thanks for taking the time to write, Hasmik!
Made cake today... Spread thick.... Cut into halves... Very delish! Thanks for the recipe!!!
That's great Natalya! This is one of my favorite cakes.