This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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.
Notes
Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. It stays yummy in the fridge for a few 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.