Russian Cake Truffles Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
This is the Russian/Ukrainian version of cake pops (I didn’t have the sticks when I made these). My cousin Katerina shared this Russian Cake Truffles recipe with me and we loved it!
The center is a traditional Russian sponge cake called biskvit which is mixed with cooked poppy seeds and sweetened condensed milk. They are coated in melted chocolate truffles and made pretty with white chocolate. P.S. Merry Christmas to all of you!
These Russian Cake Truffles are so so good! P.S. The chocolate truffles are sold at Costco and fairly inexpensive right now. Stock up on them now because it’s way more expensive and only found online later on in the year! My cousin also shared with me that the chocolate can be used as a ganache topping for a cake. How delicious!
P.S. This Russian Cake Truffles recipe works best if you have a meat grinder to make the prepared poppy seeds. I tried a blender and it just didn’t cut through the tiny poppy seeds even after they were cooked.
Ingredients for Russian Cake Truffles:
the biskvit cake:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour *measured correctly
1/2 tsp baking powder
5 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
The poppyseed mix:
3/4 cup poppy seeds
2 cups water
6 oz (1/2 of a 12oz can) of sweetened condensed milk
(Note: I made 1 1/2 cups poppy seeds with 3 cups water and a full 12 oz can of sweetened condensed milk.
Other fillers & toppers:
8 oz tub of cool whip
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
3/4 – 1 cup white chocolate chips to decorate
1/2 of one bag of chocolate truffles to melt and dip
How to prepare poppy seeds:
(these can be made a few days ahead and refrigerated):
1. Place 3/4 cup dry poppy seeds in a pot and fill with water, then drain (this gets rid of impurities). Add 2 cups water to the pot. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer, then turn off heat, cover and let it stand 30 minutes. No need to stir. Return to a simmer again then turn off heat, cover and let sit 30 minutes.
2. Drain poppy seeds well. You can use a cheesecloth over the lid so the poppy seeds don’t escape while draining or use a fine mesh sieve like this one from OXO
3. Using a food grinder 
How to make the Russian biskvit cake:
Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
1. Line a large, rimmed cookie sheet (12×16) with parchment paper ). This will keep the cake from sticking to the pan.
2. Separate egg whites and yolks into two medium bowls. Whisk 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla into the egg yolks.
3. Sift 2/3 cup flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder into the yolk/sugar mixture. whisk together until well blended.
4. Beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff-ish peaks form (about 2-3 min). Gently fold egg whites into the rest of the batter until well combined
5. Transfer your batter to the prepared baking sheet and bake at 350˚F for 12-15 minutes or until top is golden. Remove cake from the pan and immediately peel off the parchment paper. If you wait till it cools; it will get stuck to the paper. Let cake cool to room temp on a wire rack or kitchen towel.
6. Cut the cake into small dice and place in the bowl of an electric mixer (or just a large bowl if you have no mixer).
7. Add 3/4 cup of the prepared poppy seeds to your diced cake (You will have a little poppyseed mix left over; use it or eat it), also add an 8 oz tub of cool whip and 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional; I made this batch without the nuts). Mix for a minute or 2 on lowest speed setting, just until well combined.
P.S. If you are one of those who prefer not to use cool whip, you can use sweetened whipped cream and just add enough to be able to make a ball with the dough
8. Roll into balls (about 3/4″ in diameter, not too big because the chocolate coating will seem too thin. You need a balance of chocolate and dough). Of course I always re-use parchment paper as many times as humanly possible in a recipe (less mess; less waste)
9. Melt your chocolate truffles in a bowl (microwave method) or in a small pot on the stove. Don’t overheat the chocolate or it will be too runny. If you find that the coating is too thin and doesn’t coat the cake ball well, pop your chocolate in the fridge until it thickens to a nice dipping consistency. Dip the cake balls into melted truffle chocolate and place them on the parchment paper (yep re-using it again!). Refrigerate the cake balls to let the chocolate set (double dipping in the chocolate is more than ok). When the chocolate hardens, top with melted white chocolate. That’s it. :
These Russian Cake Truffles are so good, it’s hard to stop at just one. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!
Russian Cake Truffles Recipe
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup poppy seeds
- 2 cups water
- 6 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 8 oz tub cool whip
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional
- 1/2 of one bag of chocolate truffles to melt and dip
- 3/4 to 1 cup white chocolate chips to decorate
Instructions
How to prepare poppy seeds:
- Place 3/4 cup dry poppyseeds in a pot and fill with water, then drain (this gets rid of impurities)
- Add 2 cups water to the pot. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer. Turn off heat, cover and let stand 30 min. Return to a simmer again then turn off heat, cover and let sit 30 min. Drain poppy seeds well. You can drain with a cheesecloth over the lid so the poppy seeds don't escape or use a fine mesh sieve.
- Push cooked,drained poppyseeds through the fine grinding disk of a food grinder. You have to apply a little pressure as you push the poppy seeds so they are processed well. Stir 1/2 can condensed milk into ground poppyseeds. Set aside (or refrigerate until ready to use).
How to make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Line a larged rimmed cookie baking sheet (12x16) with parchment paper ).
- Separate egg whites and yolks into two medium bowls.
- Whisk 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla into the yolks.
- Sift or whisk together flour and baking powder. Stir flour into the yolk and sugar mixture.
- Beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form (about 2-3 min). Fold egg whites into the rest of the batter until well blended.
- Bake at 350˚F for 12-15 minutes or until top is golden. Remove cake from the pan and immediately remove the parchment paper. Cool to room temp. Once cooled, cut cake into small dice.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, add crumbled biskvit, 8 oz tub of cool whip, 3/4 cup prepared poppy seeds and 3/4 cup walnuts (optional) and mix for 1-2 min on the lowest speed.
- Roll into balls no larger than 3/4" in diameter.
- Melt chocolate in the microwave or stove-top just until melted, but not too watery or it won't dip well (you can cool it down to thicken it if you overheat it). Dip the cake balls, place them on lined parchment paper and refrigerate until chocolate is set.
- Melt white chocolate and pipe strips over the balls.
- Keep chocolate balls refrigerated until ready to eat.
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Hi Natasha! Quick question-do we use 3/4 cup poppy seeds or 1.5 cups. In one part of the recipe you mentioned you made 1.5 cups of poppy seeds, was that just because you were doubling the recipe? Thank you!
Hi Lena, yes that was to double the recipe. I suggest following the recipe card at the bottom which is accurate. I hope you love the recipe!
Hi Natasha is it 1/3 cup of walnuts or 3/4? In ingredients it’s says 1/3 and in instructions 3/4? Thanks
Hi Lena, it is 3/4 cup, sorry that wasn’t consistent.
Hi Natasha! can you please share normal left over cake truffles without any poppy seeds …….Thanks
Hi Maryam, Thank you so much for that suggestion!
you are welcome Natasha !
Hi natasha, thanks! Have a great blessed weekend.
You’re so welcome!
Hello natasha! Can I not put poopy seeds in them? So if I wont do I still need to add cond milk,& just add cool whip ?
Hi Olga, You sure can, we have poppy seeds listed in the recipe instructions.
Hello natasha, I want to try these. Do we have to cook the poppy seeds?
Hi Olga, yes, we have instructions within the recipe for that 🙂 I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Will store bought poppy seed filling work ??
Hi Mira, I haven’t tested that in this recipe so I’m not sure. You’ll probably get the best flavor with homemade but I think it would be worth an experiment! 🙂
I disagree. – Gertrud
What is the weight of the truffles? I don’t have any, and wanted to substitute with other chocolate. ..
It’s about half a pound 🙂
Ok, thanks)) they are super yummy by the way, even without the chocolate 😉
I’m so glad you liked them!! 🙂
I don’t know how I kept missing this recipe looks so delicious! So they don’t have the truffles at Costco yet 😬 Can u use any other truffles? Thank you! 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I would like to make these for a get together next Saturday. But I don’t have a meat grinder, do you think a coffee grinder would work? Or do you have any other suggestions?
And if I’m whipping my own cream, how many cups of whipped cream would I add? 1 cup maybe?
Thanks for all your great recipes and always helping out when we have questions. 😀
Yes a coffee grinder is the next best thing. You’ll just have to do it in batches so you don’t overcrowd or overwhelm your coffee grinder. If whipping your own cream, beat 1 cup of heavy whipping cream with a little sugar if desired.
Hi
I just made these cake truffles. was the cake part suppose to be mushy and soft? almost watery?
No, I’ve never had it watery before. Did you grind your poppyseeds after you cooked them? What was the consistency of your poppyseed mixture before adding it to the cake pieces? Was the poppy seed mix watery? You may not have drained it well enough. I hope that helps. Did they still form well?
yes I did grind the poppy seeds. oh I guess, I probably didn’t drain it well enough. I had it drained in a mesh colander for 30 minutes. 🙁 they still formed. they are very soft though. Hopefully next time they will turn out as pretty as yours. still taste good though. thank you.
I’m glad they still tasted good. 🙂 I imagine a little more moisture would be yummy in these, but they shouldn’t be wet. I’m happy you liked them 🙂
These look mouthwatering! Do you think I can use your chocolate genache recipe to dip the truffles in, instead of the chocolate truffles you have in this recipe?
Yes I think that would work fine. Just be sure to refrigerate them when you are done since it takes ganache a little longer to firm up than the chocolate truffles.
Thank you for the quick reply! I cant wait to try them 🙂
Hello! How far in advance can I make these truffles and how do I store them if making them ahead of time?
Since there is dairy in the truffles, I like to refrigerate them for food safety reasons. It also helps to keep the chocolate from getting squishy if left in a warm room for too long. I think you could safely make them 5-7 days in advance.
Hi Natasha, I was wondering can i buy the truffles anywhere beside costco?
I’ve only seen then at Costco and online. I’ll ask around…
Hi there, You’ve done an incredible job. I will certainly digg it and
personally recommend to my friends. I am confident they will be
benefited from this web site.
Made them today, what a success! Thank you for the step by step directions, very easy to follow, especially for very visual people like me.
You’re welcome! I’m exactly the same way; I thought about you when I was planning how I would make this blog 😉
Natasha, Thank You so much for this amazing recipe, I made it for New Year’s party. My family and all those who gathered in my house loved it! Let’s not forget how much I loved it! It tastes great! I wanted to challenge my self and this is the first recipe I started from your kitchen 🙂 it came out well then I expected looking forward to make lots more! You are great ! I will post a pic. on fb for you to see 🙂 …Happy New Year
I’m so glad you loved it! 🙂 It’s also one of my favorite treats. Like nothing you could buy in any bakery!
Will this recipe work if i skip the poppy seeds step ??
The poppy seeds are a big part of making these taste great! If you skip them, you might consider adding a little sweetened condensed milk if it turns out too dry. It should still work but it won’t be as amazing 😉
Is there any other chocolate I can use to coat it in?
You can get any “melting chocolate” flavor that you like at a craft/hobby store. I’d recommend the truffles; they make these cake pops so delicious and rich. mmmm.
Thanks for your reply.
I just can’t seem to find any at the moment.
Chocolate chips won’t work?
You might try a chocolate ganache like this one for dipping: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/ganache-frosting-recipe/index.html?ic1=obinsite
Hi Natasha,
Has anyone tried putting them on a stick for cake pops? Will they stay up/be thick enough to hold on the stick?
I didn’t do it only because I didn’t have sticks. They will hold on a stick.
Did you increase the whole recipe or just the poppyseed & cond. milk?
Hey Natasha, I need to make these for a party on Saturday but am leaving camping on Friday afternoon (making these for someone else). Since I’m in a crunch for time, will it be ok if I made the poppy seeds (cooking them and all) Thursday evening, and then refrigerated them until Friday before adding the other ingredients? Any suggestions?
Also, I don’t have food grinder, so I hope my bullet processor will do the trick.
You can even make the poppy seeds a week ahead of time 🙂
I made these for my sisters sweet 16 for the first time, and for me personally they were way too sweet. one was enough, but boy were they delish.. Of course my dad and brothers LOVED them, and all were gone:)) the next time i made these, i didnt use the poppy seeds in the recipe, and they werent as sweet.. thankyou soo soo very much for your time :))
Every time I make these, there are never any leftovers either :).
Natasha, where can I find a big bag off poppy seeds?
Look at Whole Foods or russian stores if you have any near by.
Hi Natasha
Do you think I can do this chocolate truffles melting for cake on top, and if yes, its not going to be to difficult to cut the cake. thank you very much
My cousin shared that she does melt it and use it for the cake and truffle chocolate is very smooth and should be easy to cut through.
Yum Yum!! That looks DELISH!!! DEFF trying this recipe this coming weekend;) thanks Natasha:) Ur amazing!! Btw what white chocolate do u use? i always have problems decorating with white chocolate it seems too be too chunky at times ;/ so turns out not that smooth/pretty.
Guittard Choc au Lait Chips, is what I recommend. They work great for this recipe :).
Hi Natasha, I made these for New Years and even thou I check your blog everyday it still took me this long to tell you that these were amazing, my dad loves anything with poppyseeds so I took them over to my parents and everyone loved them 🙂 Thank you!!!
That’s awesome! I’m glad you all loved them. My cousin Katya is a baking genius 😉
These look fantastic! I love cake pops, so I will definitely be giving these a whirl soon!
They went fast as soon as I made them 🙂
Spasibo! Do you use your grinder for other things (like meat)? & would it be difficult to clean? I am thinking of buying a coffee grinder just for poppy seeds (read it somewhere online), but maybe Kitchen Aid grinder is a better option? I used the blender before & had to add lots of water for it to work, it took forever to cook it down!
Yes I use the grinder for meat also and it’s pretty easy to clean. I have a coffee grinder but haven’t tried it for poppy seeds. Sounds like a good idea; it would just have to be in multiple batches.
uve never seen the canned poppy seed filling? its more sticky and you spread it
I wonder if it would work for this recipe?
lol il throw this silly question out there, so im guessing using the canned poppy seed wont work?
What is the texture like? I’ve never experimented with canned puppy seeds.
PS the poppy seed process was a little long….do you think that making a big batch of it and then freezing it would be ok or would that ruin the flavor/texture???
I think that would be perfectly ok. I always double the batch and refrigerate it, but freezing does not ruin condensed milk in my experience, just thaw it in the fridge before use.
These were Amazing! My husbad loved them! And they were a big hit at our family Christmas dinner party. They are beautiful, fancy, and delicious!!!! (I found that putting the rolled balls into the fridge for a little bit helped with the dough not falling apart in the melted chocalate) Keepimg this recipe in a safe place 😉
Thank you Lena. I’m so glad you and your hubby enjoyed them. That’s a great tip about putting the rolled dough in the fridge before dipping in chocolate. Thanks!
Approximately how many truffles does this recipe make? It looks absolutely delicious and looking forward to making this for New Years!! 🙂
It make 45 🙂
Thank you Natasha! These look delicious and not too hard to make!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
They really weren’t too tough to make. It always takes me longer than anyone else because I have to take photos and document every step 😉
They are beautiful
Thank you Natalya 🙂
С Рождеством Христовым! Merry Christmas to you Natasha and your family! Thank you so much for sharing such wonderful, delicious recipes throughout the year….your blog is a gift to all!
Thank you so much Zina 🙂
Yours look perfect!!
Thank you 🙂 it really wasn’t hard to make them pretty.
Thank you Natasha. I made Minnie Mouse cake pops for my daugters 4th Bday and they were quite a hit with the kids. 🙂 I made them with American boxed cake mix to save time/effort/for kids/etc. but its great to know that biskvit will work too…. and the poppy seeds must give it some great texture…. Will have to try 🙂
It is a nice little surprise to have poppy seeds I there! 🙂
Where can i get the mini paper truffel holders?
Most grocery stores should have them next to the regular ones.
I can’t wait for roulette with poppy seed recipe! :p
Finally found the best chocolate truffle with a very tempting filling! Well done Natasha! 🙂 Merry Christmas to you and your family! It’s Christmas Eve in here already *too excited*
Thank you dear and Merry Christmas to you too!! 🙂
wow Natasha, you blew me away with these truffles!:) I was actually hopping one day you would post a recipe using poppy-seeds (specifically рулет с маком :)) , hopefully i wont eat them all when i make them 🙂 lol
I will post roulette with mak very soon 😉 I did my test run and photographed the steps already! 🙂
Yayyy..cant wait :)))) thank-you
Thanks natasha!! Looking forward to that:)
Yum!!! These look delicious. Need to try em soon. I love all the ingredients in em.
Merry Christmas Natasha!!! ❄。 ¨¯`*✲ ´*。. ❄¨¯`*✲。❄*´*。 ✲O. ¸¸. ¸. o´¯`o. ¸(░) `O. ¸¸. ✲. ¸. o´¯`¸. o´¯`❄¸ (░) `O. ¸¸.¸. ✲´¯`o. ¸ (░) `O. ¸❄。 `O.¸¸. ¸. o´¯`❄。 ¨¯`*✲…. ¸. o´¯`o. ¸ (░) `O.¸¸. ¸. o´¯`❄. ¸ (░) ´*。 ✲
Thank you! Merry Christmas to you! I love all the lovely decorations in your comment 🙂 So fun!