8-Layer Honey Cake Recipe (Medovik)

This honey cake is so soft and fantastic. The honey baked into the cake layers pairs perfectly with the simple sour cream frosting. 

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For my own safety, I’ve been delivering quarters of this goodness to various family members and I’ve received rave reviews across the board. It stays amazing in the fridge for a several days (the longest we’ve tested was 4 days), so this is also a great make-ahead cake. Woot!

It’s definitely a special occasion cake and will WOW your crowd, but it’s easier to make than typical Russian honey cakes that require a double boiler. This one’s not that sensitive, making it more attainable for everyone. Woot! Woot!

Honey Cake Layers Ingredients:

4 Tbsp (1/4 cup)  honey
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 large eggs, room temperature, beaten with a fork
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups all-purpose flour (I used unbleached, organic) *measured correctly

Sour Cream Frosting Ingredients:

32 oz sour cream
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream

For the topping:

1/2 lb Fresh Berries, optional

How to Make a Honey Cake:

1. Add 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup honey and 2 Tbsp unsalted butter to a medium sauce pan and melt them together over medium/low heat, whisking occasionally until sugar is melted (5-7 mins). Don’t put them over high heat or they may scorch to the bottom.

2. As soon as the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and while it’s still hot, add in your beaten eggs in a slow steady stream while whisking vigorously until all of your eggs are incorporated (whisk constantly so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs).

3. Whisk in the baking soda until no lumps remain, then fold in your 3 cups flour 1/2 cup at a time with a spatula until the dough reaches a clay consistency and doesn’t stick to your hands. Mine took exactly 3 cups flour (measured precisely, scraping off the top of the cup). Watch our easy video tutorial on how to measure correctly!

4. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and move on to the next step right away (these roll out best when the dough is still warm)

5. On a well-floured surface, roll each piece out into a thin 9″ circle (about 1/8″ thick). You can sprinkle the top with a little flour too to keep dough from sticking to your rolling pin.

Place a 9″ plate or base from a springform mold over your rolled dough and trace around it with a pizza cutter to get a perfect circle. Keep the scraps for later.

Transfer the dough to a large sheet of parchment paper and bake 2 at a time at 350˚F for 4-5 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before stacking. Repeat with remaining layers

6. Finally bake the scraps separated evenly on a re-used sheet of parchment.Once the scraps are baked, cooled and firm, you can crush them with a rolling pin or pulse them in a food processor until you have fine crumbs.

Tips for Success:

Roll out the next layers while the first ones are in the oven and total combined baking time shouldn’t take more than 25-ish minutes. Some of mine bubbled up a little on top which is fine since after it’s frosted, it won’t make a difference. I deflated any real whopping bubbles after they came out of the oven. Oh and I re-used my parchment paper (because I’m frugal that way).

If you don’t have a baking sheet large enough to place the parchment paper on,  just bake directly on the rack (that’s what I did!)

How to make the frosting:

1. Beat 1 cup heavy cream until fluffy and stiff peaks form (1-2 min on high speed).

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together 32 oz sour cream with 2 cups powdered sugar. Fold the whipped cream into the sour cream and you have your frosting. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Assembling your Cake:

1. Spread about 1/3 cup frosting on each cake layer (the frosting will be loose, but don’t skimp on it since the cake needs to absorb some of the cream to become ultra soft. Press the cake layers down gently as you go to keep the layers from having air gaps. Frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting

2. Dust the top and sides with your breadcrumbs, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. This cake needs time to absorb some of the cream and soften, so be patient. It’s worth the wait!

Here’s the Print-friendly for your recipe books:

8-Layer Honey Cake Recipe (Medovik)

4.88 from 293 votes

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

SaveSaved Pin Review Print

Prep Time: 2 hours hrs

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

Servings: 12 slices

Cake Layers Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp honey, (1/4 cup)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs, room temperature, beaten with a fork
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, I used unbleached, organic

Sour Cream Frosting Ingredients:

• 32 oz sour cream
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

For the topping:

• 1/2 lb strawberries, optional

Instructions

How to Make The Cake Layers:

• Add 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup honey and 2 Tbsp unsalted butter to a medium sauce pan and melt them together over medium/low heat, whisking occasionally until sugar is melted (5-7 mins). Don't put them over high heat or they may scorch to the bottom.
• As soon as the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and while it's still hot, add in your beaten eggs in a slow steady stream while whisking vigorously until all of your eggs are incorporated (whisk constantly so you don't end up with scrambled eggs).
• Whisk in the baking soda until no lumps remain, then fold in your 3 cups flour 1/2 cup at a time with a spatula until the dough reaches a clay consistency and doesn't stick to your hands. Mine took exactly 3 cups flour (measured precisely, scraping off the top of the cup).
• Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and move on to the next step right away (these roll out best when the dough is still warm)
• On a well-floured surface, roll each piece out into a thin 9" circle (about 1/8" thick). You can sprinkle the top with a little flour too to keep dough from sticking to your rolling pin. Place a 9" plate or base from a springform mold over your rolled dough and trace around it with a pizza cutter to get a perfect circle. Keep the scraps for later. Transfer the dough to a large sheet of parchment paper and bake 2 at a time at 350˚F for 4-5 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before stacking. Repeat with remaining layers.
• Finally bake the scraps separated evenly on a re-used sheet of parchment. Once the scraps are baked, cooled and firm, you can crush them with a rolling pin or pulse them in a food processor until you have fine crumbs.

How to make the frosting:

• Beat 1 cup heavy cream until fluffy and stiff peaks form (1-2 min on high speed).
• In a separate bowl, whisk together 32 oz sour cream with 2 cups powdered sugar. Fold the whipped cream into the sour cream and you have your frosting. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Assembling your Cake:

• Spread about 1/3 cup frosting on each cake layer (the frosting will be loose, but don't skimp on it since the cake needs to absorb some of the cream to become ultra soft. Press the cake layers down gently as you go to keep the layers from having air gaps. Frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
• Dust the top and sides with your breadcrumbs, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. This cake needs time to absorb some of the cream and soften, so be patient. It's worth the wait!

Notes

Tips for Success: Roll out the next layers while the first ones are in the oven and total combined baking time shouldn't take more than 25-ish minutes. Some of mine bubbled up a little on top which is fine since after it's frosted, it won't make a difference. I deflated any real whopping bubbles after they came out of the oven. Oh and I re-used my parchment paper (because I'm frugal that way).
If you don't have a baking sheet large enough to place the parchment paper on, just bake directly on the rack (that's what I did!)

Nutrition Per Serving

514kcal Calories66g Carbs6g Protein25g Fat14g Saturated Fat112mg Cholesterol190mg Sodium202mg Potassium1g Fiber41g Sugar880IU Vitamin A11.9mg Vitamin C110mg Calcium1.9mg Iron

• Full Nutrition Label
• Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

8-Layer Honey Cake Recipe (Medovik)

Amount per Serving

Calories

514

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

25

g

38

%

Saturated Fat

 

14

g

88

%

Cholesterol

 

112

mg

37

%

Sodium

 

190

mg

8

%

Potassium

 

202

mg

6

%

Carbohydrates

 

66

g

22

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

41

g

46

%

Protein

 

6

g

12

%

Vitamin A

 

880

IU

18

%

Vitamin C

 

11.9

mg

14

%

Calcium

 

110

mg

11

%

Iron

 

1.9

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian

Keyword: 8-Layer Honey Cake, Medovik

Skill Level: Medium

Cost to Make: $

Calories: 514

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