A Russian honey cake of eight thin layers with a sour cream and cream cheese filling. Make it a day ahead, because overnight in the fridge the cream softens the layers.
In a pot over low heat, melt the butter and honey, stirring, until the butter melts.
StoveSmall saucepan
2
Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda and cinnamon.
3
Add the eggs and whisk quickly, until the mixture is smooth.
Whisk
4
Add the flour and mix, then knead lightly into a soft, pliable dough.
5
Divide the dough into 8 equal balls.
Knife
6
Wrap the balls in plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes.
⚙ Wrapping and Chilling the DoughPlastic wrapRefrigerator
💡Chilling firms the butter and relaxes the gluten: the dough rolls out easily, doesn't stick to the counter and doesn't shrink in the oven.
7
Preheat the oven to 175°C (345°F) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
⚙ Preheating the OvenOven
💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
8
Roll out the balls, one at a time, into thin rounds, and cut a 24 cm round from each, using a plate as a guide; save the scraps.
⚙ Rolling Out DoughRolling pinKnife
💡Roll from the center outward and give the dough a quarter turn between rolls: this keeps it even in thickness and stops it sticking to the counter. If it springs back, cover for 10–15 minutes and try again.
9
Bake each round on its own on the baking sheet 5–7 minutes, until it turns golden. Bake the scraps the same way.
⚙ BakingOvenBaking sheet
💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
10
Cool the layers on a rack, and crumble the baked scraps into crumbs.
Cooling rack
11
Whip the cream cheese, powdered sugar, sour cream, vanilla and honey into a smooth cream.
⚙ WhippingBowlHand mixerorStand mixerorWhisk
12
Place one layer on a serving plate, spread cream over it and lay the next layer on top; repeat up to the last layer, and coat the sides and top with the rest of the cream.
Offset spatula
13
Scatter the crumbs over the whole cake, cover and chill overnight, until the layers soften.
Refrigerator
💡Chilling is what turns the layers into a cake: the baked layers are crisp and dry, and in the fridge they absorb the cream and soften.
359calories
6 gprotein
39 gcarbs
20 gfat
● protein 7%● carbs 44%● fat 49%
Per serving (122 g), of 12 servings
To assemble ·
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Oven· 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Toaster oven (Fits one small pan; good for small batches) · Air fryer (Small batches only, no runny batters) · Pot (Only for covered stews on the stovetop, no browning on top)
Refrigerator· Also works: Freezer (Chills faster; don't let it freeze) · Ice bath (Ice bath)
Stove· 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Portable hot plate (one weaker burner) · Camping gas stove (One burner, outdoors) · Electric pressure cooker (multicooker) (One pot, no real shallow frying)
Small saucepan· Also works: Pot (None) · Frying pan (A deep pan for sauces)
Baking sheet· Also works: Baking pan (None) · Disposable pan (None)
Cooling rack· Also works: Oven rack (Oven rack)· 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Plate (Bottom sweats and softens)
Rolling pin· Also works: Glass (for drinking/serving) (Bottle/glass, less even rolling) · Pasta machine (For pasta dough)
Offset spatula· Also works: Spreading knife (Spreading knife) · Spoon / teaspoon (regular) (Back of a spoon)
Knife· Also works: Food processor (Fast, less control over size) · Kitchen shears (For herbs/dough)
Bowl· Also works: Pot (None)
Whisk· Also works: Hand mixer (None)· 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Fork (Beat with a fork, less air)
🧻 Consumables: Plastic wrap
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