Russian Honey Cake Medovik

Method7 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F and line two baking trays with parchment. Set a heatproof bowl over a pot two-thirds filled with simmering water to make a double boiler. Melt the cake butter (70 g), granulated sugar (100 g) and honey (4 tbsp) in the bowl. Separately beat the eggs (3) and cake vanilla (1 tsp), then add gradually to the warm mixture while mixing constantly to avoid scrambling.

   Uses 70 g unsalted butter for cake dough · 100 g granulated sugar for cake dough · 4 tbsp honey (I prefer dark honey for more flavour) · 3 eggs (large) · 1 tsp vanilla

2. 2

   Step 2: Mix in the baking soda (1 tsp), salt (1/2 tsp) and two-thirds of the cake’s 330 g flour. Keep mixing for a few minutes until the dough thickens and pulls away from the bowl. Remove from the heat and mix in the remaining third of that same flour. Take care with the hot dough.

   Uses Warm honey butter sugar and egg dough base · 1 tsp baking soda · 1/2 tsp salt · 330 g cake flour total: two thirds heated, final third added off heat

3. 3

   Step 3: Cool for a couple of minutes, then knead carefully until smooth like cookie dough. Divide into 8 equal pieces and keep covered. Use a 7 inch round template for the layers.

   Uses Hot cooked honey cookie dough

4. 4

   Step 4: Dust the work surface with the separate extra flour. Roll each portion into a thin circle slightly larger than 7 inches. Bake each layer on a lined tray at 200°C/400°F for 4–5 minutes, watching closely. Roll the next while one bakes. Cut each baked layer to 7 inches while still hot, then cool all layers completely before adding cream. Repeat for all 8 layers.

   Bake EACH honey-cake layer 4–5 minutes; repeat 8 times · 5 minUses Eight portions of honey cookie dough · Extra flour as needed to dust work surface

5. 5

   Step 5: Whip the filling’s 500 ml crème fraîche or sour cream, 500 ml whipping cream, 50 g icing sugar and its vanilla until thick and doubled in volume. Stack all 8 cooled layers with filling between them, leaving the top and sides for the separate frosting.

   Uses Eight completely cooled baked honey layers · 500 ml crème fraîche or sour cream for filling · 500 ml whipping cream for filling · 50 g icing sugar for filling · Seeds of 1 vanilla bean OR 1 tsp vanilla extract, for filling

6. 6

   Step 6: Whip the frosting’s 125 ml cream with 100 g icing sugar and its vanilla until thick. Lightly beat the chilled mascarpone (250 g) separately and fold in the whipped cream, taking care not to overbeat. Cover the top and sides of the filled cake with this mascarpone frosting.

   Uses Filled eight-layer honey cake · 250 g chilled mascarpone for frosting · 125 ml whipping cream for frosting · 100 g icing sugar for frosting · Seeds of 1 vanilla bean OR 1 tsp vanilla extract, for frosting

7. 7

   Step 7: Refrigerate the finished cake for 24 hours before serving so the crisp honey layers soften and absorb the filling.

   Chill honey cake 24 hours to soften the layers · 1440 minUses Filled and frosted honey-layer cake