Honey Spice Cake (Medovik)

Name: Honey Spice Cake (Medovik)
Prep time: 90 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Russian
Ingredients: 1/2 cup honey; 8 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 cup granulated sugar; 4 large eggs; 2 tsp baking soda; 4 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground ginger; 4 cups full-fat sour cream; 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted; 2 tsp vanilla extract

Thin, lightly spiced honey cake layers stacked with a tangy sour cream frosting and left to meld overnight into a moist, tender Russian celebration cake. Plan ahead: refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 8 hours before serving.

120 minHardServes 12410 cal/serving

RussianDessertOvenVegetarianNut-FreeLow-SodiumPork-FreeNightshade-Free

Ingredients

1/2 cup honey
8 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp baking soda
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
4 cups full-fat sour cream
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1

In a medium saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup honey, 8 tbsp unsalted butter, and 1 cup granulated sugar over medium-low heat. Stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Add the 2 tsp baking soda - the mixture will foam up - and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
2

Whisk the 4 large eggs into the honey mixture one at a time until smooth. Stir in the 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp ground ginger. Add the 4 cups all-purpose flour gradually, stirring until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Trace an 8 or 9-inch circle on parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of dough very thin (about 1/8 inch). Trim to the traced circle. Bake on the parchment for 4 to 5 minutes until golden and just set. Repeat with all remaining dough portions. Cool all layers completely. Save the trimmings and bake them too - they become the crumble topping.
4

Make the frosting: whisk together the 4 cups full-fat sour cream, 1 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar, and 2 tsp vanilla extract until smooth and slightly thickened.
5

Place the first cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous layer of frosting over it. Continue stacking, spreading frosting between each layer and over the top and sides of the cake.
6

Crush the reserved baked trimmings into fine crumbs and press them onto the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight to allow the layers to absorb the frosting and soften.
7

Slice and serve cold.

Questions

Can I make Honey Spice Cake (Medovik) dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 8 tbsp unsalted butter, 4 cups full-fat sour cream. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed; the sour cream for thick coconut yogurt with a squeeze of lemon. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Honey Spice Cake (Medovik) gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 4 cups all-purpose flour. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

Can I make Honey Spice Cake (Medovik) ahead?

Yes, it takes well to being made ahead. Store it airtight: two to three days at room temperature or up to a week refrigerated. It freezes for up to two months; thaw at room temperature.

Can I halve or double Honey Spice Cake (Medovik)?

Yes. As written it serves 12. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Doubled, split it across two pans and rotate them halfway; one crowded pan bakes unevenly.

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