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My Aunt Anna made this King’s Cake last Thanksgiving. I took a photo of it and posted it, then got a wave of requests for the recipe. 1 year later (ok, that’s more than a little embarrassing), I am finally posting it!
I just found out this is a Russian cake recipe. Korolevsky means King’s, which makes this a royal cake. Russian and Ukrainian people are known for their fantastic cakes. I’m sure you will enjoy this one!
Each cake layer has 1 cup of sour cream so it turns out very soft and moist. If you make the full recipe with all three different layers, it is very time consuming – not difficult – just time consuming.
According to the original recipe, each cake layer is mixed and baked separately (my wonderful husband so kindly washed my KitchenAid 4 times!!) This triple-layer-cake turned out huge and even a thin slice of cake was a lot!
Next time I make this, I will make double the cake portion at once, then divide the batter in half, put poppy seeds in one and walnuts in the other and bake them together in 2 separate cake pans.
This would make a double layer cake instead of a triple. You can also just make a full poppyseed cake or a full walnut cake and it will be just as good.
Ingredients For the Full 3-LAYER King’s Cake
3 cups sugar
3 cups sour cream
3 cups flour *measured correctly
3 tsp baking soda
3 tsp vinegar
1 Tbsp cocoa powder (I used dutch cocoa powder)
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 cup walnuts, toasted & chopped
Ingredients For Frosting:
Cake Prep Instructions:
How to Make Each Cake Layer:
Frosting Instructions:
1. Using a whisk attachment, beat together on high speed the cooked sweetened condensed milk (at room temp) and 2 sticks of butter for 3 to 4 minutes until fluffy.
Frost once the cake is cooled to room temperature. If you refrigerate the frosting before using, it may become too stiff and you will need to let it stand 15 to 30 minutes until it’s spreadable.
Russian Korolevsky Cake (King's Cake)
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Full 3-LAYER Cake
- 6 extra large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 cups sugar
- 3 cups sour cream
- 3 cups flour
- 3 tsp baking soda
- 3 tsp vinegar
- 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 Tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 cup walnuts, toasted & chopped
Ingredients For Frosting:
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk, cooked and at room temperature
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
Instructions
Prep:
- Cake Prep Instructions:
- Grease and generously flour a 9" non-stick cake pan.
- On a dry skillet, over medium-high heat, toast 1 cup of walnuts until lightly golden then chop into small pieces.
How to Make Each Cake Layer: Preheat the Oven to 380 ˚ F (read note before starting)
- In the bowl of an stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat together 2 eggs and 1 cup sugar until pale yellow (4 minutes on medium/high speed). Reduce the speed to low and add 1 cup flour. Mix until well-blended.
- Put 1 cup sour cream in a large measuring cup. In a small ramekin, combine 1 tsp baking soda with 1 tsp vinegar. It will fizz up, then stir it right away into the sour cream.
- The sour cream will start to visibly rise. Once you notice it rising, mix it into the cake batter using a spatula.
- In the first cake batter, mix in 1 Tbsp cocoa. Repeat steps 1-3 but In the second cake batter, mix in 2 Tbsp poppy seeds and in the third cake batter, mix in 1/2 cup toasted, chopped walnuts.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake at 380˚F for 20-22 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cake layers cool to room temperature.
- Frost the top of each layer (see frosting instructions below)
- Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Frosting Instructions:
- Using a whisk attachment, beat together on high speed the cooked sweetened condensed milk and 2 sticks of butter for 3 to 4 minutes until fluffy. Frost once the cake is cooled to room temperature.
Notes
Filed Under
Hey natasha I wanna try to make this cake for the thanksgiving . And I wanted to know if I do all my 3 layers separate I have to put 2 egg, 1 cup of sugar …………….. Is that right?
Yes, that’s correct, 2 eggs and 1 cup of sugar in each layer.
Natasha, you think PAM won’t do its job ad well as butter and flour to avoid stickyness?
Thanks:)
I’ve never had to use that especially with parchment. I think butter and flour would work, but I think you’d love parchment paper 🙂
Would you happen to have the recipe to the zebra cake? If so PLEASE post! Its a beautiful/very yummy cake! Thanks in advance 🙂
I don’t currently have one, but I will add the cake to my list for desserts to make 🙂
Hello I’m making this cake and want to do a chocolate глазурь. Do you have a good recipie?
I have one that I still need to test but it’s not posted yet; sorry 🙁
How long does it take for this cake to be moist? If I bake it on Friday and surve it Sunday do you think it will be ok? Thanks.
It should be good, I’d frost it Sunday for best results. Wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Ok great I’ll grost it Sunday morning. Sorry one more question what if i made the batter for all 3 layers all together and than devide it in to 3 pans will that work or will it be to full to mix in the mixer. Thank you Natasha.
If your mixing bowl is big enough, I think that’s a good idea to make it all together and then divide it up and bake all at the same time. The baking time might be a little longer if baking the 3 together, just do a toothpick check and make sure the toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake before removing from the oven. Washing the kitchenaid 4 times was a pain!! Let me know how you like it.
I have to say that this cake is very good 🙂
Thank you Alla 🙂
Hello Natasha, i tried making your karolevskiy cake yesterday. it was a win, WIN!!! So soft and yummy. Thank you for sharing the recipe. Fast & Easy.
Awesome! Which reminds me, I haven’t made this cake in awhile; I better get to it!
It tasted amazing. I have a picture! I accidentally put 2 pounds if butter in the icing instead of two sticks. How much is two sticks equal too hahah?
2 lbs!!! Whoa!! 🙂 2 sticks is 1/2 lb. What did you end up doing with the frosting?
We put it on the cake without realizing! Then one of my friend who obviously bakes more than I do kindly pointed out my mistake when I showed her the recipe. Oh well….. we don’t mind a little congestive heart failure….. just joking! I felt so stupid though! But I guess we all make mistakes while learning.
You just made me laugh. Yes 2 pounds of butter may indeed give you CHF
I baked this cake this morning but with enriched white flour. No all purpose :(! But each layer turned out great. I’m cooking the condensed milk right now via crock pot. From what I have tasted so far the cocoa cake tastes great but I’m curious as to whether I should refrigerate them? or just leave them out on the counter because we are eating the cake tomorrow night.
I would probably refrigerate the layers for this cake. It’s good to know that a different flour works just as well! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Does it matter what type of flour you use?
I used all purpose flour which worked great!
I love this cake and wanted to make something new for Easter, so I’m going to give it a whirl this weekend. Thanks so much for the recipe–looks really easy and delicious.
I hope you love it! 🙂 Which layers are you making? Or are you braving all of them?
we make this cake too! but we actually cut the layers in half and get two cakes out of one. Also, if you take out the condesnsed milk, add some water to the left overs stuck on the sides and mix it all, then take that liquid and actually promachit each layer with it and it makes it so much more moist!
Oh thank you so much for the tip! That sounds wonderful!
Where did you get your cake pans? The cake looks amazing! I love that it has no dome once baked, any special tricks for that?
Bed bath and beyond for the springform and macys for the other cake pan by martha stewart. I really like the springform best 🙂 It’s useful for different kinds of cakes.
Thank you:)
Hey!
The cake looks good! my question is what size of pan do you use?
Thanks!
It was a 9″ round cake pan or 9″ round springform pan
This cake is amazing! I made it for my mom’s birthday dinner and everyone loved it! I am making it this weekend for my dad’s and husband’s birthday dinner too. Thank you for all the great recipes! I am definitely a fan! I visit your website several times a week for ideas 🙂 Thanks so much for all the great recipes!
Thanks Oksana! Your words are motivation for me 🙂
this probably doesn’t matter, since it was written like two years ago. but in the directions, instead of just saying add flour, say add one cup flour. i figured it out but there are people who might not. anyway, looks like a great recipe and i can’t wait to try it
Done! Thank you Nastya; you are absolutely right! I hope no one added all 3 cups at once! :-O
so i made tthis cake twixw already but my cream seems to runny not that fluffy.. i wonder why.. any ideas? by the next day you can barley see it. it soaks in very good but there is barley any left.. i have a picture of if cut on my facebook in my mobile folder you can see it if you want.. (Alina svityashchuk)
Hi Alina! Thanks for writing. I haven’t had the problem of it soaking into the cake. Are you waiting till the cake cools to frost it? Did you cook the condensed milk and beat the cream long enough? Does your frosting look the same as the pictures I have posted? (I wasn’t able to access your mobile uploads folder on your facebook page, but I enjoyed flipping through your lovely pictures 🙂 – if you could email the picture to me I’d be happy to check it out: natashaskitchen@yahoo.com.
i was wondering you dont cream the whole cake all around? what if i was to do that would i just make double portion of the cream?
The cream is really rich and having too much of it might not taste as good.
Hi Natasha!
I just came across your blog while searching for Karalevsky cake recipes. My mom used to make them for New Year’s Eve when I was a child growing up in Armenia. I haven’t had it since we moved to the States 25 years ago (I now live in Rome, Italy)! But I am so glad to have found it on your blog, thank you! I will try it out soon. My mom is going to be so happy that I found the recipe once again!
Good luck and happy cooking! 🙂
P.S. I am a Wedding Photographer and Wedding Planner here in Italy, so if any of your friends or readers, or yourself, are planning to visit Italy and would like to have Family portraits, Honeymoon or Engagement Photography, or are planning to get married here, and need help with the planning, let me know! Also, If you need any Italian recipes feel free to write me.
Greetings from Italy,
Anna
I made this for my daughters birthday/my husband and mine 10th wedding anniversery… and it was a hit! Made the hole cake and seperated it into four parts (for one of the layers I added raisins). We are not fans of butter cream so I used sour cream in place of butter. It turned out very tasty….awsome recipe! Thank you for posting it Natasha!