Layered Honey Cake – Classic Russian Medovik

👨‍🍳 Method

To assemble

1. 1
   In a pot over low heat, melt the butter, honey and sugar, stirring, until the sugar melts.

   StoveSmall saucepan
2. 2
   Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda.
3. 3
   Add the eggs and whisk quickly, until the mixture is smooth.

   Whisk
4. 4
   Add the flour and mix, then knead lightly into a soft, pliable dough.
5. 5
   Divide the dough into 8 equal balls.

   Knife
6. 6
   Wrap the balls in plastic wrap and chill 40 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. 7
   Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°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. 8
   Roll out the balls, one at a time, into thin rounds, and cut a 20 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. 9
   Bake each round on its own on the baking sheet 5 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. 10
    Cool the layers on a rack, and crumble the baked scraps into crumbs.

    Cooling rack
11. 11
    Whip the powdered sugar, heavy cream, sour cream and vanilla into a smooth cream.

    ⚙ WhippingBowlHand mixerorStand mixerorWhisk
12. 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. 13
    Scatter the crumbs over the whole cake, cover and chill 8 hours, 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.