Russian Honey Cake
Samin Nosrat, Michelle Polzine
1249 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
1,249
4 hours, plus overnight chilling
Honey Cake
- Total Time
- 1 ½ hours, plus at least 3 hours’ chilling and 25 hours’ resting
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
Yield:1 (9-inch) cake
- 4cups/960 milliliters milk or soy milk
- 1cup/176 grams Original 2½-Minute Cream of Wheat
- 2teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½cups/340 grams unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 1¼cups/252 grams granulated sugar
- ¼teaspoon fine salt
- 1½cups/454 grams thick, chunky apricot or sour cherry preserves
- 1cup/201 grams granulated sugar
- ¼cup/60 milliliters milk or soy milk
- 3tablespoons dark wildflower honey
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3large eggs
- 4¼cups/544 grams all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 1teaspoon baking soda
- 1½teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1½teaspoons ground ginger
- ¾teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¾teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼teaspoon fine salt
For the Filling and Frosting
For the Torte
Preparation
- Step 1
Prepare the filling: In a medium pan over medium heat, bring the milk to a simmer, then whisk in the Cream of Wheat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 2 ½ minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool slightly, then stir in the butter, sugar and salt. Let cool, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to overnight. Once you’re ready to assemble the cake, bring the filling back to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Beat in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with a spoon until fluffy.
- Step 2
While filling chills, make the torte: Warm the sugar, milk, honey and butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring well until sugar is dissolved, butter is melted and ingredients are thoroughly combined. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes until lukewarm, then pour into a stand mixer. Add the eggs and mix with the paddle attachment on medium just until incorporated.
- Step 3
Sift together the 4 ¼ cups flour with the baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, coriander and salt, then add to the bowl of the mixer. Mix on medium-low until a smooth, not sticky, dough is formed, adding more flour if needed, a few teaspoons at a time. Using a dough cutter, divide the dough into 4 equal balls. Set on a plate and cover with a towel; let rest at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the gluten to relax.
- Step 4
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly dust each ball of dough all over with flour before placing it in the middle of a sheet of parchment paper. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into approximately a 10-inch circle, about ⅛- to ¼-inch thick. Cut out a circle using a sharp knife and a 9-inch-round dinner plate or baking pan. Save the scraps of dough, pushing them to the sides of the parchment paper, away from the circle. Transfer the paper with the circle and the scraps to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough balls. You can use 4 separate baking sheets (or use 2 baking sheets at a time and then repeat).
- Step 5
Bake 2 sheets at a time until the top of each round is slightly puffed and set, about 7 to 10 minutes. (Watch carefully, as they can burn quickly.) Let cool, then pulverize the scraps in a food processor or blender. Reserve the crumbs in an airtight container to decorate the cake.
- Step 6
Assemble the cake: Tear a sheet of parchment into several wide strips and use the strips to line the bottom of a serving plate in a circular pattern. (These will be removed before serving and will help keep the plate clean while you decorate the cake.) Place the first baked cake layer on top of the parchment and spread with 1 ½ cups of filling. Top with a second cake layer and then spread the apricot or sour cherry preserves on top, leaving ½-inch border uncovered along the perimeter. Top with a third cake layer and spread with 1 ½ cups filling. Add the final cake layer, then spread 1 ½ cups filling on top and the remaining 1 ½ cups filling on the sides. Pat the reserved crumbs over the top and sides, just enough to lightly cover, reserving the rest.
- Step 7
Let cake stand at room temperature, covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, for at least 24 hours — or, ideally, 2 days. (Refrigerating the cake would cause the frosting to firm up, preventing the cake layers from soaking it up and softening as they are intended to do.)
- Step 8
To enjoy, sprinkle more of the reserved crumbs all over the cake to add texture. Carefully slide out and discard the parchment paper strips before cutting into slices to serve.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
susan
semolina is made from hard wheat and is often yellow in colour. it gives a grittier texture. cream of wheat is made from softer wheat and is white in colour. it produces a softer texture. I would not substitute in this instance.
Lizzie
The story behind this recipe brought tears to my eyes. I'm adding it to my Rosh Hashanah table
rebecca
Is the 25 hour resting for the cake or the baker?
Ella
I can't comment on the quality of the recipe but this is just a note to those who are making this cake... it's not supposed to rise, it more or less stays pretty flat and the "biscuit" absorbs the moisture from the cream of wheat and marmalade. The picture here shows pretty thick layers, in my experience when the old Romanian ladies make this, they bake thinner layers of the biscuit and make more layers (6-7). Then they will freeze the cake (or get it super cold) and cut it into clean slices.
Margaret S.
is it possible to make the recipe with semolina, rather than Cream of Wheat? Is the flavor with Cream of Wheat superior to semolina?
Bonnie
Addendum to my earlier comment. This cake was MUCH better after sitting for 2 days instead of 1. The filling was absorbed into the cake layers and it actually looked more like the picture here and tasted more like cake and less like pudding. It's still a lot of work and I don't know if I'd make it again, BUT if you want (or have a fond memory of) honey cake, it may be worth a try.
Rebecca
This worked perfectly for me Tips for the cake: 1. Coming out of the oven should be approximately the color, thickness and consistency of a graham cracker. (slightly more pliable) 3. Let it cool ALL THE WAY before decorating or it will be too pliable and warm Tips for frosting: 1. The correct consistency holds stiff peaks 2. Cook until the cream of wheat is thick (mashed potato consistency) 3. Frost COLD, chill for at least 3 hours before frosting 4. Whip to stiff peaks before frosting
G.Cannon
If you are gluten free, a white corn meal is a good substitute, especially if it is stone ground and the texture resembles cream of wheat.
Bonnie
I made the cake this weekend for family. I shared the story of the recipe (which everyone loved) but the cake? Not so much. I guess I don't know what a honey cake should be, but this seemed almost like pudding instead of cake. There was SOOO much filling compared to the cake/tort. Maybe my baking soda is old, but the cake layers didn't really rise much at all. The texture of the filling (with cream of wheat) just seemed weird. It was a lot of work for a HUGE cake that we probably won't finish.
susannah
The thin biscuit cake layers are tasty, thin, light and delicately flavored. The Cream of Wheat doesn't look promising when it is prepared, and putting it on the cake layers is tricky. It looks lumpy. But stick with it and smooth the Cream of Wheat onto the layers. Add a lot of jam 2cups at least. The next day the cake is transformed. Lightly flavored and unusual and very enjoyable. Next time, I will make the cake crumb topping more flavorful and prettier. Not yet sure how. Ideas?
gerry
I made the cake BUT this Torte recipe is laid out wrong. It should start with the flour and spices, not the sugar. All said and done, before baking the dough WAS sticky. I let it rest as recommended. Still sticky. We enjoyed this cake. It made a lot! I used Costco's Orange Marmalade for the fruity layer. This is a DENSE cake and small slices suffice. With that being said, I should have frozen about 2/3 of it because after a few days, mold developed on top and we had to compost the rest. :(
Li
Construct the cake in a torte ring, reserving some frosting for after the cake has set for a day or two. Then remove from torte ring, heating with a torch or carefully running very hot water under the tap. Then finish frosting.
Emily
I have no idea what Cream of Wheat is (I'm in New Zealand)...is it porridge (oatmeal)? If I substitute for semolina, is it a straight 1-to-1 comparison? Thanks!!
ASB
I don’t have a stand mixer. Could I knead it like bread?
Jack
I had never eaten or baked a cake like this before and made it out of curiosity. It was good, but probably not something I would make again. A few notes: though the cake is sweet and rich, it felt more like a breakfast food to me than a traditional dessert. I found the cake to be slightly dry. Perhaps this is how it's supposed to be, but next time I think I would like it more if the layers were soaked with something. The flavor of spices and honey was mild. Eat slightly warmed or at room temp.
Josh
I just made this as my husband's birthday cake. It was different and really good--especially the cream of wheat icing doesn't feel gross like the oil-based ones. Texture was best on the third day--the torte layers were fully softened. Glad I learned about this.
Jon
Love ya, honeycakes - Now I know where this term of endearment used by a couple we know comes from. And here I was, thinking they were referring to each other's posterior :)
Marlette
I’m confused I didn’t see anyone else comment about the instructions but, The intro says the cake is refrigerated/chilling for 3 hours but the end says not to refrigerate. How is it chilled?
Sean
Why so many specialized ingredients? Cream of wheat? Sour cherry preserves? Dark wildflower honey? This essentially ensures I will never make this cake because those ingredients don't exist in Holland. Sounds tasty though, oh well.
Jack
I had never eaten or baked a cake like this before and made it out of curiosity. It was good, but probably not something I would make again. A few notes: though the cake is sweet and rich, it felt more like a breakfast food to me than a traditional dessert. I found the cake to be slightly dry. Perhaps this is how it's supposed to be, but next time I think I would like it more if the layers were soaked with something. The flavor of spices and honey was mild. Eat slightly warmed or at room temp.
Noodle
Deceptively tricky to make! The torte layers rely on the filling to make them moist, which requires sitting a very long time. Depending on your skill level, the whole cake could go bad before the layers moisten up. Flavors are wonderful though. I would try this again with lighter torte layer texture, making them more cake-like instead of cracker-like.
Jane
The cake tasted good but not great. And not worth the effort and 3/4+ pound of butter put into it.
mosaic
I made this with just two minor variations to accommodate food sensitivities of a guest . I used oat milk and Myokos vegan butter. I let it sit in the fridge two days before serving. My spices are very fresh and it was perfect. If they were older I’d add more to taste. The combination of textures is delightful. A small serving is satisfying, but not overly filling. I’ll be making it again next year.
James in NZ
I prepared this in my New Zealand kitchen two days ago, substituting fine semolina for the not-available-in-this-country cream of wheat. I let it sit, covered under foil, for two days at room temperature before cutting into it just now. Even though I had my doubts about how the filling would turn out, as it happens it was delicious. Not too sweet but sweet enough, and not claggy either. Definitely one to repeat.
Bonnie
Thinking of trying to make this cake with alternate filling because everyone loved the cake (biscuit/cracker-like layers). I was thinking of a thin cream cheese frosting but then it would have to be refrigerated. Do any of the great bakers out there know if the filling would still be absorbed into the cake layers if it was refrigerated? I could use buttercream frosting and not refrigerate, but I really think a cream cheese filling/frosting would be yummy with the spice-cake-like layers.
Carla
Why would you need to refrigerate cream cheese frosting? A few days outside the refrigerator wont do anything.
Bonnie
I'm thinking of making this again with a different filling since my family loved the biscuit/cracker-like layers. How about cream cheese frosting (thinned)? I would have to refrigerate it, so does anyone know if it would still absorb into the cake layers if I refrigerated it?
Mihaela
This is exactly the honey cake I grew up with in Romania, where it is known as "albinita" - "little bee" and made by lots of people, at least in Transylvania where I'm from. I remember it was in the mainstream cookbooks of the time as well - the 1980s. It's really not fair to say the recipe disappeared with the people who were murdered in concentration camps. My Romanian family was not Jewish, but before the war there had been a large Jewish population in the towns they lived in.
DebG
I assume that the cake batter scraps should be baked although the recipe does not explicitly say so. Is this correct?
Bonnie
yes, bake the scraps and then put in food processor or blender and use to "decorate" the cake. They are too yummy to not use.
Rebecca
This worked perfectly for me Tips for the cake: 1. Coming out of the oven should be approximately the color, thickness and consistency of a graham cracker. (slightly more pliable) 3. Let it cool ALL THE WAY before decorating or it will be too pliable and warm Tips for frosting: 1. The correct consistency holds stiff peaks 2. Cook until the cream of wheat is thick (mashed potato consistency) 3. Frost COLD, chill for at least 3 hours before frosting 4. Whip to stiff peaks before frosting
Nora
To Jennifer’s question about subbing for cream of wheat: in this recipe I would try cream of rice rather than corn meal as someone else suggested. It seems to me that the flavor and texture would be closer than cornmeal which is going to be a bit gritty and , well, corny.
Private notes are only visible to you.
Advertisement
