Honey cake (aka Medovik) is one of the most famous Russian desserts. There are many recipes and variations of this cake, but, the main ingredient – is honey, which gives it incredible taste and flavor.
Honey cake was created at the 19th century by young chef for the wife of Emperor Alexander I – Elizabeth. The new chef didn’t knew that Empress don’t like a honey. But, Elizabeth was impressed with amazing taste of Medovik and generously awarded chef.
Today I will share with you a recipe of honey cake, which my mother was baked when I was a child. Delicious honey layers with cream from sour cream, heavy cream and powdered sugar. You may also use for “Medovik” a custard cream. Better bake and assemble your honey cake a day before serving, – the layers will absorb a part of cream and it will make your honey cake soft and fantastic.
Ingredients (for 12 portions):
For honey cake dough*:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 ½ oz unsalted butter
- 3-4 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 ½-3 cups all-purpose flour
* All ingredients for the dough have to be a room temperature
For honey cake cream:
- 22 oz sour cream 25-40% fat, chill
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream 33-35% fat, chill
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Let’s get started!!!
- Whisk eggs with sugar until white and fluffy.
- We will cook dough on a bain-marie. Place a stew-pot with water on a medium heat. Put honey and butter into a smaller stew-pot and place to the bain-marie. Stir until butter is completely melted.
- Add whisked eggs to the butter and honey and thoroughly mix. Leave honey mix on a bain-marie about 5 minutes more, constantly stirring. In 5 minutes add baking soda, mix well and cook about 20 minutes, occasionally stirring so mix doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- Preheat oven up to 180°C or 356°F. Remove stew-pot with honey mixture from bain-marie, add flour and knead soft and plastic dough. Divide the dough on 8 equal pieces. On the floured-well table roll out each piece of the dough into 8-9” inch circle (about 1/6” thick). Bake each layer about 3-5 minutes on a covered with baking sheet oven-tray until evenly golden. To optimize the baking process, roll out the next layer while the previous one is baking.
- Place ready layers on a cutting board and, while they still warm, correct the edges to get a perfect circle shape for your cake. Crush the scraps with the rolling pin or into a blender, set aside.
- While the baked layers are cooling down, let’s make a cream. Whisk sour cream with powdered sugar until fluffy and soft peaks. Separately whisk chilled heavy cream until stiff peaks. Now just carefully fold whipped cream into the sour cream and our cream is ready.
- Spread about 3 tablespoons of cream on each layer and assemble your honey cake. A little secret! Place 1 tablespoon of cream to the plate or surface, where you’ll assembling your cake, under first layer – it will make your cake gentler.
- Cover top and sides of your honey cake with remaining cream and dust with the scraps. Refrigerate overnight and decorate with chocolate, caramel, nuts, fresh fruits or berries before serve. Invite your family or friends and enjoy this delicious honey cake!
Bon appétit!!!
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