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)
Ingredients
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
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
(And the Pinterest friendly). Thanks so much for sharing this recipe with your friends and family. Good things are meant to be shared 😉
Just made this cake last night and absolutely love this recipe!! We had a little hard time rolling out the dough but just kept using flour with our rolling pin. Helped a lot and the left over flour on the cake wasn’t noticeable! Thanks for this.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
My heavy cream spoiled, can I substitute with whipping cream and how would it work best? Thanks
I would still recommend heavy cream because it whips better than regular whipping cream, especially since this frosting is a little loose already. If you do still want to try the regular whipping cream, it will help to freeze your mixing bowl and whisk attachments for 15 minutes and make sure your whipping cream is cold; straight out of the fridge. Beat until stiff and spreadable.
Hi I made this cake for my son’s wedding, but mine was 15 layers and 15inches diameter, so doubled the recipe. Went down really well, so well in fact my nephew asked me if I would make it for his wedding in June.
It sounds like an impressive cake! Great job!!
Hii Natasha
I love this recipe it seems so easy !
I’m planning to make it tomorrow, just a quick question, after I make it, I’ll leave it in the fridge for a day, but how long can I leave it outside the fridge? (Like when we have parties and the food is set out for 3-4 hours)
I’m hoping this cake will last outside the fridge for a day
Hope you can help
Naaz -xo
I don’t know if I’d leave it out for a whole day but 3-4 hours should be fine. Enjoy!
I am planning to make this for a friend’s birthday, and I am slightly confused on one instruction: when it says to bake on parchment paper, is that parchment paper supposed to go on top of a baking sheet or directly on the oven rack?
It is easier if you slide the parchment paper over a large cookie sheet.
Natasha,
I followed this recipe to the T, however the dough kept sticking. I wasn’t able to make 8 Layers, I barely made 5. Any suggestions on how to roll out the dough for it not to stick? I used the exact measurements so Im not sure why it kept sticking. I used a lot of flour thinking it would help for it not to stick but it did not help. The cake turned out a “Not so pretty shape”, I hope it tastes good though. Any suggestions? I love making your recipes! This is the only one i had trouble with.
Hi Tina, what kind of flour did you use? I haven’t had that experience so It’s hard to say what it could be without being there with you. Did you change anything else about the recipe?
I used All-Purpose flour. I did not change anything about the recipe. Can it be the wooden roller I use? It was sticky to touch too.
Was it American all-purpose or Canadian? I used American on this. Also, did you use dry or wet ingredient measuring cups? It sounds like you need a little more flour.
Hi,
The cake looks great, but for an amateur like me this didn’t work at all. First I didn’t get even close to eight layers and had to double the recipe to be able to make eight. Second I had to use much more flour than three cups to make it nonsticky and claylike (before doubling) and third it was not at all enough with 5 min in the oven. Also the first golden layer fell to pieces when I tried to move it to a rack. I don’t think I will try again and you should probably have baked quite a bit before making this cake.
Hi, sorry to hear you had trouble with the cake. You have to roll the layers out pretty thin – it sounds like yours must have been quite thick if it took longer to bake.
Natasha, just made the cake today – and I don’t know what I did wrong but I was only able to squeeze out 5 layers. I think it might be because I suck with a rolling pin, and that I probably waited too long so it wasn’t warm. I did use the trick mentioned in the comments about using the microwave. Any ideas of what could have went wrong?
Just put it in the fridge – looks and smells delicious – fingers crossed.
Thanks!
It should still work out even if it is five layers. It probably is related to what you’re saying with not rolling them thin enough or waiting too long to roll them out which makes it difficult to roll.
If you get two pieces of wood, or knitting needles the same thickness of the dough you require . Then put the either side of your dough and rest the rolling pin on them, and roll until the rolling pin rests on the wood or knitting needles. Then the dough will be the correct thickness
Thanks for sharing your tip!
Hi! I’ve made this cake twice now and both times it’s been great! I made it as part of our Christmas Day lunch and it was delicious. Fantastic recipe, nice clear instructions- thank you so much!
That’s awesome! I’m honored that my recipe was part of your Christmas menu 🙂 Thanks for sharing that with me 🙂
The last time my mother made this cake I was too young to know how to make it myself. Now, almost 20 years later, after many years of listening to my mom’s reasons (excuses) for not making this cake or its cousin, the Madonna cake, I decided to take matters into my own hands…
Well, Natasha, you’re my hero!
I followed your recipe and your prep. directions to a T, then let the cake sit for about 24 hours in the fridge, and we had it after our traditional New Years’ celebration feast and almost finished it the next day (today!) It was SO good and SO reminiscent of the cakes I ate growing up, it almost brought tears to mine and my parents’ eyes.
Just perfection… thank you so much! I cannot wait to make it again!! This is definitely a keeper. American desserts got nothin’ on this soviet era stalwart, and your instructions made it ridiculously easy to create.
Thank you for the awesome review! I’m so glad it brought back sweet memories for you :). Now I want to know more about the Madonna cake you’re referring to. Can you describe it? I couldn’t find much when I googled it. Thanks so much!
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Cake/lenas.htm
I loved this cake. I just made it and it only came out to six pieces for the cake not eight. I don’t know what I did wrong. When I tried 8 they were too thin falling apart. 🙂 about to make another one.
I made mine pretty skinny. It’s not a big deal even if you did end up with 6 – it will still soften from the cream and taste great 🙂
I always roll out my layers right on the parchment paper. that makes things much easier
This recipe is good but I modified the cream part as I used my own recipe of milk, flour, vanilla and sugar, and butter.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Made this recipe and it turned out great! Thanks 🙂 I rolled out the dough as I went and they are harder to roll after they cool so I just put the dough ball in the microwave for a couple seconds to make it warm again and made it much easier to roll.
That’s such a great tip to microwave them for a few seconds. That’s brilliant! Thank you!
How do you think, will it work if I make this cake with honey graham crackers?
I haven’t tried it but a couple of my readers reported that to work well with my spartak cake so I imagine it would work well with this one too. Let me know if you try it! Sounds easy! 🙂
Hey Natasha,
Thank you for this recipe! I made this cake but somehow mistakenly put in my head I needed whole wheat flour. It came out so delicious!! The whole wheat added so much texture to it. It was time consuming but completely worth it! Will not be the last time…..thanks again 🙂
Cheers,
Letizia
That would make it a healthier cake too! I’m glad it worked out 🙂
I am going to make this recipe tonight and I read some of the earlier reviews. So I should use dry ingredients cup for all of the measurements including sour cream correct?
Thanks
Hi ARti, yes, but sour cream should be in a wet ingredients measuring cup. I usually just buy the amount I need (two 16 oz tubs and add it right in without having to measure). Enjoy!
Thank you very much. Btw, great work on the website. I love going through your recipes. 🙂
Thank you so much for your feedback! I sure appreciate it 🙂
Hi Natasha, how do you roll out the dough so thinly? Mine was quite difficult to roll out and I ended up using 5 cups of flour in order for it to stop sticking, and the result was a really solid dough that only rolled out into giant cookies instead of nice and thin layers. It still turned out alright, but due to the weight of the top of the cake, the cream on the bottom got pushed out from the sides, so its not as soft as what it should be
Hmm… it’s difficult to say what could have gone wrong without being there with you but I’m happy to help troubleshoot :). 5 cups is ALOT! What kind of flour did you use and how did you measure it (using a dry ingredients measuring cup?) Did you use the same exact liquid ingredients measures? As far as rolling the dough out; it works best and most easily if the dough is still warm when you are rolling it out. You’re right, the dough layers should not be heavy at all normally. I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha, tried making this again today and it was much better. Somehow maybe my honey/butter/sugar mix might not be hot enough the previous time (i used a water bath last time), i actually warmed the mix again over the water bath after adding eggs and whisking like crazy. This time it probably could only be needing 2.5 cups but I ended up adding 3 anyway. But this turned out a lot easier to roll out thinly
Thank you for sharing your results. I’m so glad it worked out for you!
hai .I tried it last weekend for wedding anniversary and everyone loved it. Thanks
Megha, thank you for the great review and you are welcome :).
Fantastic cake…loved it to the core..
Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Not only was this a fail, but I don’t even know how to describe what I have done. I have spent 4 hours doing this, and note, I followed the recipe exactly. I did it step by step, and the outcome was horrifying. I don’t know what I did wrong, but yeah, it was just horrible. Please help.
It’s so difficult to say what could have gone wrong without being there with you. What was the consistency of your dough? Also, at what point in the step by step process did your dough start looking different than what is shown in the pictures?
My parents are Russian and I made this for a surprise for them. Since we weren’t raised with Russian influence in Canada, I had no idea about Russian baking! I love learning about everything from your website and I am becoming more authentic with every receipy. This cake was amazing!!! The only thing I would say is, don’t skimp on filling the layers and top with the cream. It does soak into the layers … So more is better!!! Absolutely delicious and my parents friends are astounded at me!!!
I really enjoyed reading your story. I’m so happy to hear that and thank you so much for the awesome review! 🙂
Hi Natasha! I’m planning on making this cake soon but being the healthy freak I am, I was wondering if coconut cream would work for the frosting instead of the heavy whipping cream originally called for. Do you think I would need to make any adjustments at all? Thanks!
Would half and half work as well?
I don’t think it would work since you can’t whip half and half and the consistency would be runny and very difficult to spread.
Hi! I am new to baking .. can any1 pls tell me what’s half and half?? And what’s the difference between heavy cream and whipping cream?
Hi Merin, half and half is basically half milk and half heavy cream. Heavy cream has a higher fat content and whips up more readily than whipping cream. I always use heavy whipping cream for best results and I always specify to use it in my recipes:)
Hi Margarita, to be honest, I’ve never cooked with coconut cream. Is it similar in consistency to whipped cream? After a quick google search, I am intrigued. Where do you buy it?