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Shilpa

Russian Honey Layer Cake (Medovik)

This Russian honey cake (Medovik) is made with soft, honey-kissed layers and a light, tangy whipped cream frosting. Each bite melts in your mouth, bursting with cozy honey flavor and creamy richness. A beautiful make-ahead dessert that gets even better with time!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chilling time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Russian

Ingredients
  

Dough Layers:
  • 110 g Butter (unsalted) ½ cup
  • 90 g Sugar ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp
  • 90 g Honey ¼ cup
  • 3 Eggs (room temperature) room temperature
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tsp Baking soda
  • 500 g All-purpose flour 4 cups (approx)
Cream Filling:
  • 300 g Whipping Cream (chilled) chilled – 1¼ cups
  • 30 g powdered sugar – 1/4 cup ¼ cup
  • 260 g Sour cream 1 cup
  • 50 g Honey 2 tbsp

Method
 

Prepare the Honey Dough
  1. In a heat-proof bowl, add butter, sugar, and honey.
  2. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Let it sit for a few seconds.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with vanilla.
  4. Stir the honey-butter mixture until melted and smooth.
  5. Slowly whisk in the eggs, bit by bit, to avoid scrambling.
  6. Add baking soda. Mix until combined.
  7. Take the bowl off the heat. Sift in flour in parts. Mix into a soft dough.
  8. Divide into 12 equal portions (~78g each), and cover with a damp towel.
Roll and Bake the Layers
  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F.
  2. Flour your surface and roll each dough ball into a 1mm-thick sheet.
  3. Use a cake ring or bowl to cut a 15cm circle.
  4. Transfer to baking paper, prick all over with a fork.
  5. Bake each for 5–7 minutes or until lightly golden.
  6. Cool on a wire rack.
Honeycomb Decoration (optional)
  1. On one dough disc, score hexagon shapes lightly with a knife before baking.
  2. Bake any leftover scraps until golden and dry.
  3. Grind them into crumbs for decorating the sides later.
Make the Frosting
  1. Beat chilled whipping cream with powdered sugar until thick and fluffy.
  2. Fold in sour cream and honey. Mix until smooth and creamy.
Assemble the Cake
  1. Stack the layers, spreading 2 spoonfuls of cream between each.
  2. Frost the top and sides.
  3. Press the powdered crumbs onto the sides.
  4. Arrange baked hexagons on top like a honeycomb.
  5. Refrigerate overnight for best flavor and texture.

Notes

Storage:
  • Room temperature: Not ideal due to the cream—keep it chilled.
  • Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Tastes better from Day 2 onwards!
  • Freezer: Freeze individual slices or the whole cake (well wrapped) for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge.