Medovik (Honey Cake)
The primary ingredient in this cake is honey and there are several local suppliers in and around Calgary to support and buy honey from.
Ingredients
Cake Layers
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
Cream Filling
- 4 1/2 cups whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla, or 1 sachet of vanilla sugar (available at European stores)
- 1/2 cup sugar
Instructions
Cake Layer
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a bowl, whisk eggs and sugar together until combined.
- In a separate bowl, gently melt butter and honey in a bain-marie (hot water bath) until hot, avoiding boiling. Add baking soda into this blend, mixing thoroughly until it begins to foam.
- Gently stir the egg mixture into the hot honey and butter, then slowly add the flour until the dough is thick and a bit sticky.
- Put the dough on a generously floured surface. Continue to add flour as necessary as you roll out the layers. Divide it into 8 equal pieces, and roll each piece to a thickness of 2 mm (1/16 in) on separate, lightly floured parchment papers. Each piece should be about 25 cm (10 in) in diameter.
- Bake each layer for about 4 minutes each until golden. Don't over bake.
- As you remove each layer, use a pizza cutter and plate or cake mold to trim each layer to 22-cm (9-in) diameter circles. Set trimmings aside for finishing crumbs.
Cream Filling
- In a stand mixer or with a hand-beater, slowly mix together whipping cream, vanilla and sugar on low speed. Once all the sugar is added, switch to high speed and mix for about 5 minutes until stiff peaks form.
Assembling and Finishing the Cake
- Assemble the cake on a serving surface (plate, platter, etc.) by spreading about 30ml (2Tbsp) of filling on each layer.
- Cover the sides and top of the cake with cream.
- Grind the cooled layer trimmings in a food processor and sprinkle the crumbs generously on the sides and top of the cake.
Notes
Tip 1: Instead of using a hot water bath, try melting butter and honey in the microwave. Use short 30-second bursts and stir in between each time.
Tip 2: Sprinkle water on the table surface to help the parchment stick while rolling.
Tip 3: Roll out all the layers first and then bake them one by one.
Tip 4: Trimming the layers after baking, instead of before, is an easier method
that results in even layers thickness both in the center and on the sides. Tip 5: Let the layers cool completely before assembling to prevent the filling from melting.
that results in even layers thickness both in the center and on the sides. Tip 5: Let the layers cool completely before assembling to prevent the filling from melting.