Kievsky aka Kiev Cake Recipe
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Ooooh, this will knock your socks off! If you’ve made the Biskvit cake, you know how to make the bulk of this cake. It has a special layer sandwiched between the biskvit called “byuze or beze” which is a crunchy meringue.
The cakes have a unique syrup discovered by my Mama-in-law with apricots. You don’t know Ukrainian desert until you’ve tried Kiev Cake! The meringue part is quick to make, but it does take a long time to bake/dry-out and you can make it a day ahead. Ooooooh it’s so worth it!
This is definitely a special occasion cake, or a “make it on a Tuesday so you can share the recipe quicker and hope your family comes over to eat it” cake. For maximum meringue crunchiness, this cake should be eaten the same day it’s assembled. There are many different recipes of this cake, this one is my mom’s version.
Kiev Cake Biskvit Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour *measured correctly
8 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Beze/ Meringue Ingredients:
6 egg whites, at room temperature
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted for wax paper
Syrup/ Puree Ingredients:
15 oz Can Apricot Halves in light syrup (I used DelMonte Brand)
1/4 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp granulated Sugar
Click Here for the Frosting Recipe
The frosting from the Russian Cherry layer cake (whipping cream and sweetened condensed milk) is also fantastic for this recipe.
How to Make the Byuze/ Beze/ Meringue:
1. Line a 9×13 non-stick cake pan with wax paper. Melt 1 Tbsp butter and brush the top of the wax paper with butter.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, over high-speed, beat 6 egg whites and 1 1/3 cup of sugar together for about 6 minutes, or until stiff peaks form (see picture). It will be white and fluffy.
3. Spread the egg whites evenly into the cake pan lined with wax paper. Bake at 250˚ F for 4 hours and 10 minutes. When the time is up, remove from oven and peel off the wax paper. Set on a tea towel and cool to room temperature. The Meringue can be left on the counter overnight, covered with a dry tea towel.
How to Make the Russian Sponge Cake Beskvit:
1.Preheat the Oven to 350˚ F and line 1 non-stick cake pans with wax paper. Use a (13×9) non-stick pan.
2. First, separate egg whites from yolks. Next, in a medium bowl, whisk together 8 yolks, 3/4 cup of sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Add 1 cup of flour until well blended.
3. In a large bowl, beat 8 egg whites on high-speed until they foam and are about 3-4 times in volume (about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes). Don’t beat too long or you will begin to lose volume.
4. Use a spatula to gently fold the yolk mixture into the egg whites until well combined. Don’t mix too much or you will lose volume. The batter should have a fluffy texture.
5. Place the batter into the lined cake pan and bake 22 minutes until the top is golden.
6. As soon as the cake is done, turn the cake out onto a clean surface and peel off the wax paper. This is much easier to do while the cake is still very warm. Use a knife to remove rough edges. Let cakes cool to room temperature.
Assembling the Cake:
(note: for maximum crunchiness of the meringue layer, this cake should be eaten the same day it is assembled).
1. Drain the apricots reserving the syrup. Mix all of the syrup ingredients (drained apricot syrup, 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 Tbsp sugar) together until sugar dissolves. Puree Remaining Apricots in a Blender.
2. Slice the cake evenly into two layers. Place the first cake layer(with the cut side up) on the dish you will be serving it on. Once you put the syrup on, it will be very difficult to move it.
3. Pour half the syrup evenly over the first cake layer and spread half of the apricot puree over it.
4. Spread about 1/4 of the frosting evenly over the puree. Click here for Russian Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe that I used.
5. Set baked meringue over the cake and trim it to fit evenly over the biskvit cake. Reserve Crumbs for the top of the cake. Place the meringue on top of cake and spread frosting over the top
6. Place the second cake on top of the meringue . Pour the second half of syrup evenly over the second cake and spread the rest of the apricot puree on the top.
7. Frost the top and sides of the cake.
8. Crush the meringue crumbs and Sprinkle them all over the cake. It helps to hold a spatula next to the side of the cake as you sprinkle crumbs to keep more of them on the cake. Or you can use a fine mesh sieve if you have one for more even distribution. You may need to tilt the cake a little to cover the sides, just do this cautiously.
Notes: The final layers should be: cake, syrup, puree, frosting, meringue, frosting, cake syrup, puree, frosting on all sides, covered with meringue crumbs. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. It stays yummy in the fridge for a few days.
Kievsky aka Kiev Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Biskvit Ingredients:
- 1 cup flour
- 8 eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Beze/ Meringue Ingredients:
- 6 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted for wax paper
Syrup/ Puree Ingredients:
- 15 oz Can Apricot Halves in light syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp granulated Sugar
Frosting Ingredients:
- Follow the link in the post
Instructions
How to Make the Byuze/ Beze/ Meringue:
-
Line a 9x13 non-stick cake pan with wax paper. Melt 1 Tbsp butter and brush the top of the wax paper with butter.
-
In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, over high-speed, beat 6 egg whites and 1 1/3 cup of sugar together for about 6 minutes, or until stiff peaks form (see picture). It will be white and fluffy.
-
Spread the egg whites evenly into the cake pan lined with wax paper. Bake at 250˚ F for 4 hours and 10 minutes. When the time is up, remove from oven and peel off the wax paper. Set on a tea towel and cool to room temperature. The Meringue can be left on the counter overnight, covered with a dry tea towel.
How to Make the Russian Sponge Cake Beskvit:
-
Preheat the Oven to 350˚ F and line 1 non-stick cake pans with wax paper. Use a (13x9) non-stick pan.
-
First, separate egg whites from yolks. Next, in a medium bowl, whisk together 8 yolks, 3/4 cup of sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Add 1 cup of flour until well blended.
-
In a large bowl, beat 8 egg whites on high-speed until they foam and are about 3-4 times in volume (about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes). Don't beat too long or you will begin to lose volume.
-
Use a spatula to gently fold the yolk mixture into the egg whites until well combined. Don't mix too much or you will lose volume. The batter should have a fluffy texture.
-
Place the batter into the lined cake pan and bake 22 minutes until the top is golden.
-
As soon as the cake is done, turn the cake out onto a clean surface and peel off the wax paper. This is much easier to do while the cake is still very warm. Use a knife to remove rough edges. Let cakes cool to room temperature.
Assembling the Cake: (note: for maximum crunchiness of the meringue layer, this cake should be eaten the same day it is assembled).
-
Drain the apricots reserving the syrup. Mix all of the syrup ingredients (drained apricot syrup, 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 Tbsp sugar) together until sugar dissolves. Puree Remaining Apricots in a Blender.
-
Slice the cake evenly into two layers. Place the first cake layer(with the cut side up) on the dish you will be serving it on. Once you put the syrup on, it will be very difficult to move it.
-
Pour half the syrup evenly over the first cake layer and spread half of the apricot puree over it.
-
Spread about 1/4 of the frosting evenly over the puree. Click here for Russian Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe that I used.
-
Set baked meringue over the cake and trim it to fit evenly over the biskvit cake. Reserve Crumbs for the top of the cake. Place the meringue on top of cake and spread frosting over the top.
-
Place the second cake on top of the meringue . Pour the second half of syrup evenly over the second cake and spread the rest of the apricot puree on the top.
-
Frost the top and sides of the cake.
-
Crush the meringue crumbs and Sprinkle them all over the cake. It helps to hold a spatula next to the side of the cake as you sprinkle crumbs to keep more of them on the cake. Or you can use a fine mesh sieve if you have one for more even distribution. You may need to tilt the cake a little to cover the sides, just do this cautiously.
Recipe Notes
The final layers should be: cake, syrup, puree, frosting, meringue, frosting, cake syrup, puree, frosting on all sides, covered with meringue crumbs.
Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. It stays yummy in the fridge for a few days.
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Natasha, would I be able to make this in a 13×18 pan? Your recipe is the only one I have seen in a 9×13 versus round pans so I think it should be fine, I need to make 3 13×18 pans since I need enough for 150 people. I love your recipes, thank you for your hard work.
Hi Michele! I think that would work but I’ve never made it in a pan that large. You’ll have to experiment with the amount of batter that you will need.
I grew up in Kyiv and had Kyiv cake my entire life. This recipe is NOT for the real Kyiv cake.
There should be no sponge layer, the meringue should contain flour and cashew nuts instead of the above. The cream named Charlottes should consist egg yolks, milk, butter, vanilla, cognac and sugar, half of it with added cocoa powder. Sorry guys. This name should not be used for this recipe.
Hi, Natasha, I am planning to make this cake and was wondering if wax paper can be substituted for parchment paper?
Hi Tatiana, yes that would work.
Hello Natasha, was intrigued by this cake, but I don’t see the link to the mentioned Russian Cream Cheese Frosting. Could you please re-link in the recipe or provide a link in the comments? Thank you so much!
Hi Anna, I think you’re referring to this recipe.
I made this cake for the fourth time. It tastes insanely. Just heavenly!!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
My mom said she has tried this cake from Kiev, and from our local Ukrainian store and she said this one beats them all! Thank you Natasha, great job. I made it last weekend and she asked me to make it again this weekend for grandpas birthday. Hopefully I’ll perfect this one
Wow what a great compliment! Thank you for the kind words I appreciate it.
Question, I am halving this recipe, so I also half the time for the meringue?
Hi Janice, it should still take close to the same amount of time but I would watch it closely.
This is awesome recipe for Kiev cake, one of the best I’ve seen and made. Thank you so much for sharing with us. I will bake this cake again in a few weeks for a large party ( probably 35 guests!!). I am ordering 18 by 26 inch bake sheet and hoping to double up the recipe. What do you think, Natasha? Thank you in advance
I haven’t tested a full sheet before but I have seen it done, Lena! I hope you love this recipe and I can’t wait for your feedback!
Hi Natasha! Can I use peaches instead?
Hi Katie, the peaches could work. I hope you love the cake!
My cake part doesn’t come out as fluffy & I can’t even cut it in half. It’s so thin. I’ve tried it twice. The 2nd time with baking powder. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Lyanne, the most likely culprits are: under-beating the egg whites, overmixing after adding flour, or leaving it on the counter too long before baking. In more recent years, we started adding baking powder and using a slightly different method for sponge cake (that is a little more fail proof) and this post goes over common sponge cake troubleshooting. I hope that helps.
I can’t wait to try this version! I was definitely under beating. Do I still use the same meringue recipe in the 9” round pan?
Hi Lyanne, I think it would be safer to cut the meringue recipe in half for a 9″ round pan (at the most, make 2/3 of the recipe). Keep in mind if you put it into a smaller pan and cut the recipe in half, it may bake up faster. I really need to re-do this recipe for a 9″ with the new sponge cake method. Thanks for the motivation! 🙂
Hi Natasha. Have you ever tried to make and freeze this cake for later? I need to make a cake and freeze it to use for a birthday party at a park. I want it to stay cool, that’s why i want to freeze it. Have you froze any of your cakes before? Need some advice.
Hi Irina, I don’t think this would do well in the freezer since the crunchy meringue portion doesn’t like moisture – it would probably be gummy by the time it thawed out.
Are there any cakes you have froze before?
I have fully frozen our walnut cake which worked great (good if you don’t have any nut allergies at your party!) In general, buttercream freezes really well.
Thanks for such a great recipe! I really like it 😃… the first time I made this recipe of meringue it worked out perfectly but this time it broke into a bunch of pieces. Do you know why?
Hi Rachel, I wonder if it was dried out too long or at too high of heat?
I left it in the pantry for 2 days
Hi Natasha,
Do you think I can make the biskvit part with blending the eggs and sugar together and then folding in the flour? Instead of beating the egg whites and yolk seperately.
Hi Olga, yes you can do that. I’ve been making it this way lately. Here is the link to the tutorial.
This is probably a very tasty cake, but I have never seen Kiev cake without a single nut in it. The merengue and the load of nuts that what makes it Kiev cake.
Hi Anna, this is just the way we make it. I will have to post a more traditional version with nuts and buttercream one of these days. It’s on my to-do list! 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I made some yellow and blue macaron shells to do a small fundraiser for Ukraine. I heard about Kiev cake and wanted to do a filling that’s inspired by that. Can you give me some guidance? The shells cover the meringue part I think. But what kind of nuts and what flavor buttercream should I include? Thanks in advance! PS I use your macaron recipe, it’s my go-to!
HI Sarah, I haven’t tested that so I don’t think I would be much help in advising.
Hi Natasha, I have a question. I already made beze part, but just realized that instead of 1 1/3 cup of sugar I only added 3/4 cup as was required for biskvit by mistake. It came out OK, not broken, but a little brownish,,and smaller than usual. Before it was rising much bigger with correct sugar amount, but seem dry by tapping. Do you think it is better to redo the beze?
Hi Lana, I’m not sure since I haven’t tested it with that amount of sugar so I’m not sure if it would cause it to be hollow inside. Does it seem ok if you shave off a sliver from the side (taste, texture and not hollow)?
Natasha, the cake came out beautiful outside and delicious inside as always, it was gone very fast :), it is just not possible to spoil it even with lower sugar amount. I will watch more closely next time. It is one of the best cakes I ever made or tried. The beze taste was more like a caramel, but the consistency was still good and dry enough. Thank you so much!!
You’re welcome Lana! I’m glad to hear the recipe is a success! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
I have a question. If I am making the meringue but half the bath that you have in the recipe (i want one for my round 9in diameter cake ). Do I still bake it for the same amount of time?
Hi Anastasiya, I haven’t tested baking this in a 9″ pan so I can only offer a guestimate. It may be done after about 2 hours if you are cutting the recipe in half and baking in a 9″ pan which would result in a shorter and smaller layer. Make sure it is fully dried out and crisp to the tap before removing it from the oven.
Thank you!!
My pleasure 🙂
Hello,
I’m just wondering, you don’t use baking powder for this recipe? And what sort of toppings can you suggest for this besides the meringue crumbs? Thank you!
Hi Janice, I posted this one before I started adding the 1/2 tsp baking powder for my sponge cake. I find that adding the baking powder gives slightly more consistent results but the recipe definitely works without it. You can also apply crushed graham crackers or your favorite cookies to the sides. 🙂
Thanks for the quick reply! I did put some almond slices on top of the meringue crumbs it was a hit! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I’m looking forward into trying your other recipes. 😊
My pleasure Janice! I’m glad to hear you like the recipe! Thanks for sharing your great review!
Hello- I was looking for the kiev torte recipe which traditionally has the hazelnuts, the Roshen Kiev Torte in Ukraine. This must be a different version. Thanks.
This is a different one. The traditional one is also a buttercream frosting and I do have it on my to-do list 🙂
Hi Natasha,
what will be the ingredients for a 16 in round pan?
Hi Lily, I haven’t tested it that way (that’s a huge pan!) so I can’t really guess.
How many days ahead can you make the meringue layer?
I’ve always done it the day before but if you live in a non-humid area and keep it in a cool, dry place like the pantry, it should do well up to 2 days in advance. Just make sure you do not assemble until ready to serve since the cream starts to soften the meringue. Enjoy and have a Merry Christmas! 🙂
For the frosting, do you use cooked condensed milk?
Darina, I use uncooked condensed milk. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Can you add dry poppy seeds to the cake mix before baking?
Hi Darina, I haven’t tried that but I think it would work 🙂
Hello!
This is my husbands favorite cake, I’m excited to be able to make this for him. There’s only one question I have… should the butter be salted butter? Unsalted butter? Sweet butter? I was about to attempt to make this, when I walked to the butter isle Igor overwhelmed and totally quit lollll put all the other ingredients back. Hope to hear back soon! 😉
Hi Sarah, I always use unsalted butter. You can use unsalted or unsalted sweet cream. Both will work well. 🙂 I always purchase unsalted butter so I can control how much salt goes into my recipes.
Makes sense 😉 thank you Natasha! God Bless you.
Hi nat! One more question… my husband loves nuts in his Kiev cake… he kinda didn’t like that the recipe I’m making doesn’t have any… so I told him I’ll try to incorporate it somehow… he mentioned crushed walnuts in between the layers? And I thought it would be nice to decorate the sides of cake with sliced almonds.. is this too much? Or would these tastes mix well with this cake?
Hi Sarah, I do think that would work well. Nuts would be a complementary flavor in this cake 🙂
Awesome! Ok one more, I accidentally grabbed peaches instead of apricots 🙄 Do I do same procedure? Or should I use an apricot jam I have here at home? So far the beze came out perfect! The cake is in the oven! Everything is going smooth. Excited to taste it!
HI Sarah, the peaches could work but I think apricot jam would work as well. I’d probably go with the jam 🙂 I hope you love the cake!
This is my favorite cake to make, and it’s always a hit. The main thing people say is they love that it’s not too sweet. And I have gotten compliments where people didn’t believe it wasn’t from a Russian bakery haha.,I also got that comment when I made ur tiramitsu cake. Yum that’s another fav. Thanks for all ur dessert recipes it’s my favorite section 😂 hehe.
Anna, thank you for such a nice review and for sharing that with me 😁. I’m all smiles!
Hi Natasha!
When you make the syrup, do you use the syrup from the apricots, or is it just the water, sugar, lemon juice mix? The recipe never explicitly says to use the syrup from the can of apricots, but from the pictures, it looks like you have used it. I’m looking forward to trying this – thanks for the recipe 🙂
Amy, I did use the syrup from the apricots and mixed it with the water, sugar and lemon. You don’t have to use the syrup, I’ve done it both ways. I clarified the recipe.
Hi Natasha. the link for the frosting doesn’t work ( I think) it takes me to the some breakfast recipies.
do you think store bought meringue would work ? trader joes sell some .
Hi Anya, do you mean the large meringue kisses? I haven’ tried those and I imagine you would need quite a bit more frosting to cover the crevices of those and they would probably soften faster if they have more surface area (which the meringue kisses do). Or are you referring to another meringue product?
yes, I was talking about large meringue kisses. ok. I think I want to try them. I let you know how it turns out 🙂
and thanks for the new frosting link!
Yes, do let me know how it turns out! 🙂
That’s odd, I am able to click on both frosting links and it goes to the frosting. Try this link instead. Maybe you need to clear the cache on your phone?
Hi Natasha, so I’m making this cake as the wedding and my first batch of meringue worked out, but after baking the biskvits after that and putting the 2nd & 3rd batches of meringues, they didn’t work out. The outside was beautiful but the inside was uncooked fluffy meringue. I kept it at 250 degrees for 4 hrs, same the 1st time around. Do I need to turn the temp. down to 200 degrees & keep it in longer? Or is it just because my oven was on all day and was was too hot (at the 250 mark) the 2nd time around. Please help!
Hi Val, with my own oven, if I bake cookies for example and do batch after batch, my oven gets too hot and I reduce the bake time for the second and third batches. It’s odd that your meringue is uncooked though so I wonder if your oven isn’t heating up properly. If they are uncooked inside, I would add another hour to the bake time or turn the oven off after 4 hours and let them sit in there another hour to continue drying out. If you are using a different sized pan for the meringue (if the meringue is thicker), you would need to alter the bake time for it to fully dry out. Given that your first batch worked out, I suspect your oven isn’t heating properly.
Also, Val, I hope you saw the note that I left on this cake – that it is best eaten the same day it is made or the frosting can soften the meringue. If making it a day ahead, I would suggest using a buttercream frosting instead.
Oh, yes, thanks for mentioning that. Yes, I need to have it all done & decorated today, but I know that the russian group that I’m doing this for love the russian creams, so I have to use a delicious cream for sure (a must). Is there another cream that you know of that’s not the american buttercream and won’t soften the meringue?
It was probably not the best choice of recipe for a wedding cake, but I don’t do this enough to know that and they asked for it, lol 🙂 Do you think if I put the cake into the freezer (all done & decorated with fondant on top) until tomorrow, that it would preserve the meringue? Or would it ruin the cake? Thanks so much!
I’ve never frozen a meringue before but I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t be good since it would introduce moisture into your meringue which would soften it. Did you use a buttercream frosting under the fondant?
Thank you so much for the quick response, you guys are great! 🙂 Since my oven is new and I know its heating properly, I will increase the bake time or leave in oven for another hour, after 4 hrs. Thanks so much once again!
No, I’m using the russian cream cheese frosting, but I’ll probably need to put the buttercream frosting on top?
Everyone loved this cake! it was my first time making meringue and it came out perfect!! I iced the cake the night before and it was still crunchy and nice the next day for dinner! hardest part about this cake was getting the cream on on-top of the pure layer when assembling. cream and pure topping just wanted to mix and slide and it did which was ok !!
Tanya, I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us! 😀
hi Natasha. i have a question… I want to make it in round, do I have to reduce everything in half? and what about baking time? there are too many commentaries to read 😉 I made it three times already in the past two years but now I want to change the shape… thanks in advance
You will probably want to cut the cake layer ingredients in half then bake in a single cake pan and slice in half once it’s out of the oven and cooled to room temp. For the crunchy layer, I would use 3 large egg whites with 3/4 cup sugar – beat 6 min on high and put in a 9″ pan at 250 for 4 hours, then turn off heat and leave in oven 30 min.
thank you. I just saw your comment. I am doing this today… came to print the recipe. hope it will turn great… my husband loves this cake! and this will be a surprise for him for his birthday tomorrow…
made it!!! as always it is a hit in our family… I have an extra piece that I keep in the fridge for my husband… the beze is kind of hard to get it right, but I hope next time it will be perfect. we really love this cake. thank you Natasha! oh, and this 4th time when I make it, baside other recipes that we love from your website like pasta with shrimp in tomatoe sauce, and many other that I can’t remember now. Thanks again!
I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes! 🙂
So my beze turned out a little wacky but I used it anyways, and as usual, made this cake with regular Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour. PHENOMENAL. I used apricots instead of peaches, and decorated the top with apricots cut in fourths and sliced almonds. It turned out so beautiful, and tasted perfect. So perfect. I made sure to send it home with my guests so I wouldn’t eat it in one sitting. THANK YOU for your amazing recipes.
Thank you for the nice review on the recipe Lena and you are very welcome 😊.
This is not a Kiev cake recipe. This cake may be a good cake, but has absolutely nothing to do with authentic Kiev cake
Hi Natalie, this is how our family makes it and every families recipe is a little different. Do you have a more authentic recipe posted online somewhere that you could share? I’d love to see your version!
My thought exactly. For starters “The Authentic” Kiev cake has nuts and nothing but merengue layer with nuts and buttercream frosting.
Yup authentic Kyiv cake has only the beze (merengue) with nuts, and a buttercream (not an american buttercream). I think this cake is really delicious, maybe better than Kyiv cake depending on your taste, but it’s a misleading name here.
Hi Natasha, Love your site! I check it very often and totally get inspired to make stuff off it:) just a quick question about the beze: if I make a half of the recipe should I cut the baking time also?
It depends on the size of the dish you are putting it in. If the same thickness, it will need the same baking time. At that temperature, its really just drying the beze so its best to leave it longer, that way it will be completely dry.
Yum. I want to make this. Can you use peaches instead of apricots?
Yes! 🙂 Peaches would work fine.
I made this cake!!!! I liked it soooo much!!!
Thank you!!! Merry Christmas!!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you Olga for the great review 🙂
I would like to show you my piece of cake. Is it possible?
You can share it on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/natashaskitchenpage or email me directly: natashaskitchen @ yahoo.com (no spaces). 🙂 I’d love to see it!
So much fun! I added a sprinkle of cardamom to the apricot—not sure it was enough to make a difference. My guests raved about the cake and I look forward to making it again, but I think I will double the apricot purée and increase the cardamom. I did not measure the egg whites, just used some we had on hand, and my meringue was about 4 inches tall. Next time will try for a crispy-all-the-way-through thinner one. But that inner marshmallow layer just added to the fun this time!
oooh that sounds like a good add-in! 4 inches tall; whoa!! That must have been one impressive looking cake 🙂
Finally going to make this! I think I saved the recipe 3 years ago……last year I practiced the meringue….but this time, all the way! Tonight I made the biskvit, and will make the meringue and serve the cake in 2 days. Should the cake layers be frozen, or kept at room temp? I am in FLorida, US, so humidity is always a concern. Thanks for the great website.
Is it very humid in your house? You could put the layers between parchment and lightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Freezing is ok if you’re not using the layers for several days.
Thanks! Yes, even with AC, baking is a little unpredictable In the almost-tropics. Or, maybe it’s just me! 😉
I want to make this cake for a bday and also wanted to decorate the whole cake with roses out of frosting. Can you suggest the best frosting for that?
My cupcake frosting holds up really well. https://natashaskitchen.com/2012/06/29/cupcake-frosting-recipe/. You definitely don’t want to use the kievsky frosting for piping roses. It’s tasty but much too soft for roses.
thank you
Would i need to half the recipe if I make the cake in a 9in pan?
Yes, otherwise your cake would be ridiculously tall and probably wouldn’t rise properly. For the biskvit cake portion, actually these proportions would work perfectly in a 9-inch round cake pan: https://natashaskitchen.com/2011/03/06/russian-tiramisu-recipe/ <-- follow the baking instructions for the cake portion from this link also.
Hi,
Thanks for your wonderful recipes! I’ve just discovered this blog and your tiramisu recipe was loved by my family! 🙂
I was just wondering what do you personally do with the egg yolks that remain after using 6 egg whites only? Do you throw them away?
When I’m being lazy, I throw them away. You can make custard cream out of them, flan creme brulee,… 🙂 I asked my readers the same question on this post: https://natashaskitchen.com/2012/04/04/boccone-dolce-cake-recipe/ They shared lots of inspiration!
I made this cake yesterday for our poker night and everyone was so impressed. My husband is Russian and he has been raving about it non stop! Every recipe of yours I have made is always so good and comes out exactly as it should. My husband always seems to taste them and say, “This is a keeper!”
Just want to thank you for your blog and the time you put into testing & perfecting the recipes!
P.S. I halved everything and used an 8×8 pan and it was perfect.
That is fantastic! Thank you for the great review! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake 🙂
Hi Natasha, great cake. I impressed a lot of people at a party 🙂 One thing though, I didn’t think the amount of frosting in the recipe was enough for this cake. I didn’t notice anyone else complaining about this problem which surprises me. But even while trying to preserve as much frosting and using only as much as the recipe required for each layer, there was not enough to cover the sides of the cake. I had to make another batch to finish my cake. Maybe my cake was higher than normal?
I’m so glad you liked it! I know there wasn’t tons of extra frosting but I don’t recall running out. Which frosting did you end up using? There are two linked in the post.
SOOOO excited that I found this… I am VERY new to baking (have made 3 things so far from scratch- one of which was a disaster-) but i digress… I wanted to impress my family by making something they consider delicious… the only problem is that no one likes apricots :\ … What other fruit do you think the syrup would work well with? Id LOVE to make it a berry related cake as everyone loves berries… what do you think? Thanks!
If you’re going for a berry related cake, you should really try my Kiwi Berry Cake. You’ll dazzle them with this one for sure! 🙂 But if you’re sticking with this one, you could use any kind of berries. Strawberries and raspberries would work well 🙂 I think canned peaches would also work.
Thanks for the recipe and great instructions – it was delicious – fun to make a Russian Cake as we head into Olympics!!!
Here are some pictures: http://tblondonlori.blogspot.com/2014/02/pre-olympic-russian-feast.html
Looks great! Thanks so much for sharing that with me 🙂 Sounds like an amazing menu!
OMG! this is heavenly manna! the best cake ever! take sometime to make it, though
I have it on my to-do list to make an easier version. I’m so glad you loved it 🙂
Great recipe!! We LOVE this version of Kievskiy tort!!!! My husband asks for it all the time, his favorite is the meringue and apricots. He loves the apricot flavor for this cake. …oh, and btw….I have become a baker thanks to your blog 🙂
so Thank you!! 🙂
That’s so awesome! Thank you for sharing that with me. You just made my night! I’m so happy you both enjoyed the cake 🙂
can i use milk instead of syrup?
I haven’t tried it with milk. You mean to soak the layers yes? Like a tres leches cake? https://natashaskitchen.com/2011/08/07/katerinas-tres-leches-cake-recipe/
Sorry for the typo…..I tried to correct. Ukraine and Russia are not the same countries, not counties. Thank you again!
🙂
Hi Oksana! Thank you for pointing that out nicely (some people aren’t nice when they notice my errors lol), well, I’ve fixed it. I didn’t realize that I wrote that. How embarrassing! If you spot misleading or erroneous blunders in the future, just know that I do appreciate the f.y.i. 😉 Thanks again, you’re awesome!
Hi Natasha,
Excellent recipe! Thank you very much! However, I must take issue with a comment that you made: “You don’t know Russian cake until you’ve tasted Kievsky Cake” Natashu, Kyiv (Kiev) is the capitol of Ukraine, not Russia. Shouldn’t this cake be referred to as a Ukrainian cake? Ukraine and Russia are not the same counties. Since your family is from Ukraine, you know that very well, but many of your readers don’t. I know that there are many similarities between the cuisines of both countries, but when you are referring to Ukrainian recipes, it would be so nice if you would refer to them as Ukrainian. Ukraine has it’s own identity, cuisine, culture, proud history, and Ukraine and Russia are not interchangeable terms when it refers to any of those. We have Ukrainian food groups who refer to your recipes a lot. We’re proud of the work you do and enjoy your website very much. But, it would be so nice not to see you describe something as Russian, when it is in fact Ukrainian. (You have done the same with some other recipes as well). There are many wonderful Russian recipes too, but they are always identified as such. Not keeping the distinction between the two is misleading and erroneous. Thank you so much!
Just another Karen making a big deal out of nothing.
Hi Natasha , I made this cake today and it turned out delicious! Except the beze was not crunchy at all I thought kievsky cake was supposed to have that crunch? But it became all moist after I assembles it and put it in the fridge for a couple hours
I wonder if maybe it didn’t dry out completely in the oven. It is definitely supposed to be crunchy in the center.
Hey Natasha,
I ran in a lil bit of a problem and want to know how i can fix it. So i made my buze and had somebody else pull it out, the pan that i used was new and i guess it doesn’t heat well inside so after 4 hours and 10 mins and next morning my buze is still raw in the middle like soft when i touch the top. ( i did beat it well i know its the pan cause the first time i used it same thing happend to a different cake) So what should i do i really don’t want to make another one, can i put it into the over again?
You can turn the oven back on to dry it out. Rotate it a couple times to make sure the heat in the oven is hitting all sides. Let me know how it goes!
This is NOT kievskiy Tort!
Its a DELICIOUS CAKE, but it is NOT authentic Kievskiy Tort AT ALL. not even close!!
I am russian, my parents have had it, I have bought it from Ukraine, It is NOT the same thing as this recipe. Though I really love this recipe but just so everyone knows it is not Kievskiy tort! 🙂
I’m glad you like the cake, there are so many variations of kievskiy cake and this is our family’s version. I’d love to know how you make your Kievskiy cake. Do you have a great recipe you could share?
no , it is not * Kiev cake *! it is a mixture of meringue with biscuit …
There are as many variations to kiev cake as there are to plov. How do you make your kiev cake?
I made this cake today… And I must say its one of the best I’ve tried. I love the tartness of the apricots. Thank you. I love your blog and check it almost everyday( few times a day) 😀
You’re so sweet Lana. I’m so glad you loved the recipe! 🙂
Hi Natasha, Can you give me some instruction on splitting the cake in half? It sounds very fragile. Thanks and a blessed Pascha to you.
Use a sharp serrated knife and work from the outsides in.
This cake is soooo good! I am usually into making meat dishes and real food. I decided to step out of my comfort zone and made this cake. It turned out perfect in taste. I am soo happy to have found your blog. May your blog continue to grow. I can’t wait to try more recipes! Please keep it going. God bless you and your family.
Nelya, thank you for your sweet words 🙂 God bless you too in all of your cooking adventures and I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake 🙂
Let’s rename this cake “heaven on earth” 😉
I will confess that this cake was consumed in two days by two people!
That’s funny, I like your alternate name for the cake :D. I hope you at least spread it out over 6 meals :).
Thank you so much for responding! You are such a great gal! I want to make this for my husband’s 27th birthday next week! Eeeeek 🙂 Excited! Hopefully it will taste amazing!
Hi Natasha! What flour do you use for this cake? All-purpose or Canadian? Also, when do you make this cake? The night before the event or the day of the event?
You can make it the night before and assemble and frost the day of your event. Use all-purpose flour (I always specify if it needs Canadian 😉
Hi Natasha. I was wondering how many days ahead can I make this cake? For it to be good and moist?
You can make the layers up to 2 days ahead and assemble and frost everything the same day or the day before your event; you don’t want the crunchy meringue to get soft so it’s not necessary to let it get moist.
Thank you so much
Natasha, I made this cake and it was amazing! BTW, you are awesome at decorating and photography!
Thanks Dina 🙂
Natasha, I looked at some Kiev cake recipes and found some that add hazelnuts to their cakes. I wondered if I was to add nuts, would I add them to the meringue? I would like to make this cake in the near future for my husband’s birthday.
Many people put them in the meringue and then you can put pieces of hazelnuts over the top with the crushed remaining cooked meringue. I have also heard that the oils from nuts can cause your meringue not to rise properly or leave gaps in your meringue. I don’t make it with nuts since my son doesn’t eat them, but I think the original kievsky cake has nuts at the bottom of the meringue (as in sprinkle them on the bottom of the pan and top with meringue; then bake. I’m not sure if that’s super helpful but it’s all I’ve got 😉
I add hazelnuts in between the frosting laters with some prunes;) it makes me feel as if i’m eating a healthy version and don’t feel too guilty going for a second piece:)
I like where you’re going with this! lol.
Happy 2013! Love this recipe. Must try!
Hi Natasha,
I made this cake a few days ago and it turned out so good. Though it was a lil too tall for me. Do you think its possible to reduce the buze, as in use half the eggs but still pour into the 9 by 13 pan? Just to make it shorter in height?
And instead of cutting the cake, which i had a problem with making it a even cut.. haha. Think I could just split the batter into the pans and bake 2 pieces of the cake part? I really want to make this again but a lil shorter.
You can bake it in two pans, but I don’t know what to tell you regarding baking time. I haven’t experimented this way 🙂
Hi natasha,
I sent my husband to buy apricot in a can. Day 1 he bought a 29 oz peach halves in heavy syrup, so I told him to find apricot one instead just in case. Next day he finds a apricot halves but a lite version. Lol. Because there wasn’t a del Monte brand. So this can has apricot & pear juice mixture. Which would you use? Lol
Lol :). My first choice would be lite apricot. Or if you like peachy flavor, than can use that as the second option.
Hi Natasha! so what do you do with 6 egg yolk that are left after taking egg whites for meringue? I want to make this cake but don’t want them just to spoil in my fridge.
So just divide everything in half and use that 8 x 8 pan?
Yes Olga, you will have nice square cake 🙂
Like a 8 x8 size??
Yep! You sure can! 🙂
Natasha could I make half of this cake using half ingredients??
Do you need to let the cake rest after making it (propitatsa), or it can be eaten right away?
You can eat it right away! 🙂
Hi, do you use powdered sugar in the meringue or regular sugar? What works best? Thank you!
Regular sugar. I think powdered sugar would ruin the meringue.
I am Russian, and this is not kievsky tort!!! it is infact a delicious cake, don’t get me wrong, but Not kievsky tort. A Canadian friend of mine made it for me thinking it was authentic, and Ive ordered Kievskiy from Kiev, the original store when it was open, Sorry guys.
Everyone makes it a little different and this is our family’s version of Kievsky I’ve never tasted two that were the same unless they were store-bought.
Making your version of this cake right now 🙂 I am intrigued by the apricot puree idea but I was only able to find apricots in heavy syrup at my grocery store. Should I add more water or what would you recommend?Also I want to say, you should not use wax paper for baking, it is coated with wax and the wax melts into your food. Try parchment paper instead 🙂
Thank you for the tip and parchment tends to stick less. Yes just dilute the syrup with water an it will be fine. Might take a few minute more to really soak in but your finished cake will taste just as good.
Making this yummy cake this weekend for the first time. Very excited, sounds very tasty.
I noticed that some of the steps contradict each other……
step 7. ( cake prep) Divide the batter evenly among the two, lined cake pans.
step 2. ( cake assemble) Slice the cake evenly into two layers.
Ill follow the assemble cake and only bake the batter in one pan like the picture shows. 😀
thanks for your posts, love to try out new recipes!!!
Sveta; you’re right! I updated the recipe and now just make 1 large layer and cut it in half. I found that to be easier 🙂 I’ve updated the recipe to correct that. Thanks for letting me know and I hope you love the cake!
Would a glass pan work for a cake? I don’t have a cake pan in that size. Or I could use 2 square pans and make smaller cakes. If I do, would I have to bake the cake for a shorter time?
Thanks
It should work- just make sure you use the same size for the cake as well as the meringue later. The bake time should be the same.
I like your version of Kievsky tort. I had a bowl of frosting left from your Spartak cake, so I desided to take on Kievsky. I added chocolate to the frosting, baked a box of yellow cake (needed to get rid of it) for 2 Biskvit layers; soked them with cherry syrop (left over from Black Forest cake); made one trye Kievsky “korg” from here
http://chadeyka.livejournal.com/tag/%D0%B1%D0%B5%D0%B7%D0%B5 (may be you’d like this blog also); assembled and decorated. Taste even better than trye Kievsky.
About Spartakcake: basicaly it is medovik bez meda. I reallu enjoyed rolling layers (haven’t done it in a while), was very easy to work with. I got two 20cm and 6 layers cakes + crumbs out of your recipe (single), but used only 1/2 frosting (I think you should mention that in the recipe). We liked it, but I like my medovik better (3 3ggs,2Tsp honey, 1,5 c sugar, 1stick of butter,1tsp soda). It is more “paxychee” 🙂 . Thanks for all your work, I love your blog!!!
You are welcome Kat. Seems like you were on cake baking spree 🙂
Hey, I have a question. So I made the beze and it cracked when I was taking it out. Do you think I should make another one or try to use that one?
If you can salvage it; use it! I’d try to keep it together with the cream. Even if it broke into 4 large chunks, I’d try to use it. The frosted layer underneath and above the beze should keep it in place.
Hey Natshenka! I’m just wondering, Do you bake two biskviti for this cake? Or just one?!
I baked one biskvit and just sliced it in half afterwards 🙂
Is it possible to get everything in grams? We do not uss cup measurements at all.
How would you modify this recipe and make a round cake instead of the rectangle?
When I made it round, I just used the same amounts/ingredients but I baked in round cake pans. I’d recommend using a Springform Pan
and baking the beze in it ahead of time, then baking the cake and cutting it in half so you have two cake layers. FYI, it will be a very tall cake.
This recipe is nice and cake is delicious but it is not a trditional Kiev (Kievsky) cake. For traditional Kiev cake you have to use only meringue layers with nuts (hazelnuts or cashew), no biskvit layer, no apricot syrop and different cream. Your cake is really tasty ( one more in my collection now) but unfortunatly it is not a real Kiev cake. Anyway, thank you for this recipe
There are many variations of this cake, this is one of them. I will try to make one your way 🙂
Thanks a lot.
I had this cake at my wedding from a bakery in Glendale CA, it was amazing!!! i cant wait to try your recipe 🙂
they had a layer of carmel cream (i am guessing) under the frosting… any idea how to get that?
I’ve been wondering the same thing… Would carmel go well with this cake?
THats how I make mines. With a caramel layer ( canned dulce de leche by la lechera) and crushed toasted walnuts, instead of the apricot layer. Turns out super good too!!
Ooooh yum! I’d love to try that! Thank you!
Just had this in Prague so I had to try and replicate it! Wonderful recipe and your recipe makes it so easy to make. Love it!!!!!
Yes it’s one of my favorites 🙂 I wonder how it compares to the one you’ve had.
Ha, ha! I can’t remember the one in Prague after eating yours! No, really there were some differences I don”t think the other one had apricots and I can” t remember the beze layer being as crispy. I am glad I found your blog so I can have it anytime.
Apricots are definitely unique to this recipe, but I just love the hint of tart flavor the fruit adds 🙂
Just came across your recipe. It looks fabulous. The photos are extremely helpful. I’ll be giving it a go very shortly. Cheers.
Hope you love it! 🙂
Dear Natasha, in the beskvit recipe, you mentioned using two pans for baking, but in the pictures where you illustrate, you cut one cake in to two? So do I need to use two pans or just one. Tnx
Oh, sorry, I just edited the recipe since I was able to do it with just one. You can either separate it into two pans or just put it in one pan which is what I did. I’ll fix that. Thank you!
i love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hey so i want to make this cake for christmas but i dont see anywhere if i should use cooked condensed milk or not.thanks =)
Depends in which frosting you are making. The Russian cherry layer cake frosting is boiled one hour. The other one is not.
QUICK question.
Is the syrup from the can, reserved? Do i use it in addition to the water and lemon listed?
Thank you.
Yes, reserve the syrup from the can and mix with water, sugar and lemon. I’ve edited the recipe to include that. Thanks Rachel.
The only thing that was wrong with it is that beze falls over because the creme is so heavy and it’s not as crunchy as it’s supposed to be… I don’t know why but it was too mushy 🙁
I’ve never had a problem with it being too mushy or falling over. The beze should stay put pretty well and be completely dry. Maybe your oven needs a little longer baking time. Try adding 15-20 minutes. Sorry you had trouble with the cake. Next time I make this cake, I will add more photos of what the beze is supposed to look like.
can you use two round pans?
Are they 9″ cake pans? I think a round cake would be too tall with this recipe as is. You may want to use 1/3 less of everything or just trim down the cake and beze after it’s baked if you think it will be too tall. Even if it is really tall, your guests won’t complain 🙂
Thanks for sharing this recipe! My friend Natalia is originally from Ukraine but has been living in the U.S. for several years. I wanted to make her something special for her birthday and was delighted when I found you blog. This cake came out great! She loved it and everyone at the table loved it too! It was all gone (and mine came out huge) within minutes. Thanks a lot for taking the time to share you wonderful cuisine and culture with us! 🙂
That’s wonderful! Mine always turn our huge! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it 🙂
Hi, i was just wondering if it is necessary to use the wax paper for the biskvit, or can i just pour the batter into the greased pan
I wouldn’t risk it. You could easily crush or break it if u don’t have wax paper to lift it up from the pan after it bakes. Its fragile stuff 🙂
Thanks so much for the recipe! Everyone in my family looooooved this cake, its almost all gone and I made it last night lol. Napoleon cake is next on my concur list. 🙂
This looks so interesting, i must make it! I saw it says bake for 4 hours, is that right? 🙂
The meringue part takes 4 hours 🙂
Thanks again! And the Деруни were fantastic 🙂
Hi Katya – you’re very welcome 🙂
Hi Natasha:)
I tried a version of this cake when I visited Kiev in August. I’m excited to try this at home! I’m so happy I found your blog…I miss Ukraine already, but your recipes and stories will make me feel better, until I can go back there. Can’t wait to share this with my Ukrainian family:)
I’m glad you enjoy the blog and recipes. Welcome to the site 🙂 and I think you will really like this cake 🙂
Hi Natasha. Do you think it’s ok if I make the “beze” a day ahead? And also I ran out of parchment paper, but I have cooking spray, do you think I’m going to have a hard time removing the “beze” out of the pan?
It’s ok to make beze a day ahead and cover with a tea towel on the counter overnight. I strongly advise buttered parchment paper.
Thanks for the quick reply! 🙂 Then I better pay a visit to my local safeway!
This cake was absolutely amazing! I tried this recipe to see if my son would want it for his birthday cake. I made a 1/2 recipe and shared it with friends! Everyone seemed to love it, especially the meringue layer. It is most definitely worth the time it takes to make it. Thanks for the great website and recipe. I enjoy all of the Eastern European recipes you post.
Natasha,
I had this cake at my Sister-In-Law house and making it today for a party this weekend. But the Beze looks a lot shorter then her was…Did I do something wrong? Is it still ok to finish the cake or should I remake the Beze?
Thanks
It should still work just fine. Sometimes if you don’t beat it long enough it doesn’t rise as well or if eggs aren’t room temp but if you already baked it and it just didn’t rise as much it should still taste great. Hope that helps 🙂
Here’s a tip- I read in a baking magazine that if you are short on time to wait for eggs to become room temperature, you can jus put them in hot water for a couple minutes.
Thanks Viktoriya!
Hey, this recipe looks awesome- I’m planning on making it for a Eurovision party on Saturday, I drew Ukraine, and I’m hoping they get through to the final. 🙂 I was just wondering, for the biskvit, what sort of flour should I use? I normally make cake with self-raising, but they don’t look very large, so should it be plain?
Thanks.
I use Gold medal brand, unbleached all-purpose flour. Your project sounds awesome. Let me know how everyone likes the cake 🙂
Hi Natasha,
Thank you for the recipe. I made this cake last week for my neices 15th B-day party. I modified the layers a little bit and used 2 cans of apricots since my cake was 12 iches in diameter. I did beskvit-apricots-frosting-beze-frosting-apricots-beskvit, I did it that way so I can cover the whole cake with frosting and cover it with fondant. The cake turned out so yummy and very pretty. Also for those who wanted to add some nuts to the recipe I sprinkled the bottom of my pan with little bit of nuts and then put beze on top so that way it didn’t effect how my beze came up.
Also FYI-for those who have problems with beze falling apart or cracking when cutting it or taking out of the can- there is a spice called “Cream of Tartar” by McCormick- it is to be added to Meringue recipes- this is perfect because my beze came out perfect and didn’t fall apart when cut. I added about 1/2 teaspoon to your recipe. Give this a try.
Thanks again for the awesome recipe.
God Bless.
Thank you for the tips! I will try with nuts next time I make this. That actually sounds really good!
Thanks so much for this recipe! I’ve been looking for it everywhere. I’m getting married to a Ukranian guy..gotta learn how to make this! lol
You’re very welcome. I hope your new hubby is super impressed with your amazing cooking skills 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I’m planning on making this cake this weekend, I was just wondering should there be nuts in “Kievskiy” cake? Do you think I could add hazelnuts to the Beze? I would image it should still work.
Thanks,
E
A couple of gals in my church make theirs with nuts. They say sometimes the beze doesn’t rise very well. I don’t know if it has to do with the nuts or not. I’ve had pretty good success without the nuts, but they make it so I guess it should work.
Natasha, nuts have a pretty good content of oil in them. Depending on what type you use, some may experience a problem with their beze. The oil may contribute to a flat beze. I’m not a chemist, but it makes sense to me. Maybe that’s the problem with the nuts and the egg whites?
Olga
That makes sense. I haven’t used egg whites, but I’ve heard from people who do add walnuts that sometimes their beze doesn’t rise very well. I don’t mean to brag, but mine always rises well without nuts, so you may be correct!
I did this cake two weeks ago for the first time following your recipe and i have to say, it was DELICIOUS… i am not a huge fan of cakes, but i honestly couldnt stop eating this one… all my family liked it… I see that you updated the recipe with the egg change.. it does make sense now, why i had to beat the eggs for around 30 minutes (they were very cold, right from the refrig). even though mine didnt form a peak, the beze still turned out very tall and didnt break..anyway, it was very good.
Hi Ilona, I’m so happy you all enjoyed it! thank you! Yes, I realized this when I was making meringue cookies and it took forever because I didn’t let them warm to room temperature – then it hit me that I didn’t mention that with this cake. I’m sorry I didn’t post that sooner, but I’m glad it all worked out. 🙂
I updated the recipe with one change: the egg whites for the beze/ meringue should be at room temperature for better results. It will still work, it may just take longer to beat till stiff peaks form on the meringue.
Natasha……..this cake looks amazing. I’ve tasted this cake once before but have never made one yet. This looks so good.
My family will love this cake……..thanks for sharing one of your great recipes.
this cake was so much fun to make and very tasty!
I’m glad you enjoyed making it. I felt pretty proud of myself the first time I made it, it was like a little gold star in my cooking portfolio.
Thats really sweet of you! Btw your Gorgeous!!!
Wow, thanks 🙂 Thats so nice!
Thanks so much Natasha! Your the best!!!!! Gods blessings!:)
Your welcome. Thanks for asking, I’m sure someone else was wondering the same thing. I updated the frosting recipe with that change.
what is 3/4 can of condensed milk= too? like how many cups cuz my can says 14oz
A typical condensed milk can is 14oz, so about 3/4 of that can.
one more thing, did you have problems with the beze braking when taking it our or putting it together?
I didn’t have any problems with it. The beze did form some cracks in the top, but they weren’t major cracks. I used a sharp seratted knife to trim the edges and I didn’t have any breaking there either.
Natasha,
thanks for this step by step recipe. Ive been searching for this recipe and haven’t been motivated to do it until now. I’ll start the beze tomorrow and the rest of the cake on Saturday… wish me luck! I love to bake a lot, but haven’t baked this yet. first time for everything huh!
You’re welcome Liya. I hope you enjoy it. It only seems intimidating, but it’s not too bad.
This looks interesting. I’ve discovered there are many versions of Kievsky cake–I’ve only made my mom’s version (which is really, really good). The bize (meringue) can be tricky to make just right–my mom taught me to stick a spatula vertically in the dough, and pull on it horizontally–if it feels firm, almost like the meringue doesn’t want to give way, it’s beat to perfection, which will keep the meringue from collapsing during the drying-out process. Have you ever had problems with the meringue not coming out right?
I haven’t had problems yet. That sounds like a good method. I use a spatula to see if a stiff peak of frosting forms. Mine turned out really tall. It made my cake look like a monster of a cake, but it sure was good!
Monster cake sounds good :). I’ve occasionally had the bize not turn out as tall and crunchy inside as I’d like–maybe because I mix toasted hazelnuts into it…which is really yummy, but can deflate the meringue, if that makes sense…
Hi Natasha…. I first heard about you from my bestie Katia (apparently you guys are related 🙂 ) anyways thanks for all these awesome recipes! I think yours is the only cooking website I always refer too. I was just reading through all these comments about the kievskiy cake and I wanted to apologize and to thank you for being so upbeat. I just couldn’t believe some of the comments stating your recipe is not the real cake!!’ It’s so ridiculous! Of course all cakes are different! Anyway just wanted to thank you for providing us with great recipes and putting up with obnoxious people :)))) God bless!!
Yana you’re so sweet 🙂 Thank you! I’m learning to brush things off. I used to dwell on negative comments but it always just made me feel like crud and it definitely wasn’t productive. If I were mean, I’d write things like, “Ohhhh, did you take the time to write out, test, photograph and post a more authentic recipe on your blog?” But I’m not mean so I just don’t go there. lol. If we’re talking about the same Katia, you are blessed to have such a bestie 🙂 Say hello to her!
Thanks… i guess i checked the recipe right after you posted it (you can see i check this quite often…hehe.. i am the biggest fan. I love learning new recipes).. I do see it now.. i will def. try this cake for the upcoming holiday.. Thanks a bunch.
Natasha, i would like to thank you for posting the recipe for this cake.. i’ve always wanted to know how to make it… it really does sound delicious…
what is the syrup recipe here? i dont see it..
You’re welcome :). I realized I left it out as soon as I posted it. It should be there now as well as in the printer friendly recipe. The instructions for the syrup are in the assembling the cake section.