edition

Photography
by Natalia Khoroshaieva
 Honey has always held a special place in the world of
patisserie. And when it comes to Eastern-European
baking traditions, it plays a particularly special role.
Though its exact origins are debated, the honey cake
or “Medovik” is said to date back more than 200 years,
and has been cherished by generations since. In Festive
Mood Honey Cakes, I’m excited to invite you to prepare
16 honey cake recipes, ranging from traditional and iconic
to innovative and perhaps a little daring.

Our journey begins with the Classic Honey Cake. This timeless recipe features
layers of honey-infused sponge, a silky sour cream frosting, and a luscious cream
cheese buttercream. It’s the real deal – dreamy, creamy, and oh-so moreish.

Within these pages, you’ll also learn how to prepare a variety of fruity honey
cakes, such as the Orange Honey Cake, infused with an orange-rum confit, and
the Mint and Lime Honey Cake, featuring a refreshing mint and lime curd. The
berry honey cakes are also a treat to behold – the Pistachio-Raspberry Honey
Cake dazzles with its vibrant pink and green layers, and the Raspberry Rose
Honey Cake boasts a raspberry soufflé that’s pure poetry on a plate.

A taste of honey cake should be a moment of indulgence, and these recipes take
this mantra to the next level. The Classic Chocolate Honey Cake, with its layers of
chocolate honey sponge, is a chocolate lover’s dream come true. The Caramel
Honey Cake is drizzled with luscious salted caramel, offering an irresistible
temptation, and the Milk Slice Honey Cake pays homage to a nostalgic favorite,
enveloped in a chocolate icing that’s pure decadence.

Honey cakes are traditionally sweet cakes, but who says they can’t be savory
too? The Pear, Gorgonzola, and Pine Nut Honey Cake layers spiced stewed
pears with a blue cheese frosting. And the Pistachio, Camembert, and Wild
Strawberry Honey Cake features the unexpected pairing of fresh camembert
and a wild strawberry coulis.

For a further imaginative touch, I have two more recipes that turn the honey cake
tradition on its head. Composed of vertical layers, the Cherry Velvet Honey Cake
bursts with the tartness of sour cherry marmalade, while the Spartak Honey
Cake indulges your senses with layers of intense chocolatey goodness.

I hope you enjoy creating these honey cakes and proudly savoring the results.
The recipes have been carefully crafted to be easy to follow, suitable for both
seasoned bakers and those just beginning their baking adventure.

Tetyana Verbytska
Founder of KICA Edition
CONTENTS
Bilberry Tenderness Honey Cake 7
Blackcurrant Honey Cake 16
Caramel Honey Cake 24
Cherry Velvet Vertical Layer Honey Cake 32
Chiffon Honey Cake 39
Classic Chocolate Honey Cake 46
Classic Honey Cake 52
Coffee, Toffee and Pecan Honey Cake 57
Milk Slice Honey Cake 65
Mint and Lime Honey Cake 71
Orange Honey Cake 80
Pear, Gorgonzola and Pine Nut Honey Cake 89
Pistachio Raspberry Honey Cake 97
Pistachio, Wild Strawberry and Camembert Honey Сake 104
Raspberry Rose Honey Cake 112
Spartak Vertical Layered Honey Cake 120
BILBERRY TENDERNESS
HONEY CAKE
The weight of the cake ~3 kg,
d=20 cm, h=12-14 cm
 Bilberry Tenderness Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3 kg, d=20 cm, h=12-14 cm

HONEY SPONGE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 943 g 100%

for 6 layers d=20 cm

• Egg yolks 110 g 12%

• Egg whites 200 g 21%
• Sugar 100 g 11%
• Icing sugar 100 g 11%
• Salt 5g <1%
• All-purpose flour 145 g 15%
• Cornstarch 55 g 6%
• Baking powder 5g <1%
• Honey 145 g 15%
• Butter 82.5% 45 g 5%
• Milk 30 g 3%
• Lemon zest 3g <1%

1. Put the egg whites in the mixer bowl, add two pinches of salt and
whip with the whisk attachment at low speed.

2. While the egg whites are being whipped, in a separate bowl,

using a hand mixer, whip the egg yolks with sugar until the mass
increases by 3-4 times.

3. As soon as in the mixer bowl with the egg whites the light foam
forms, increase the speed.

4. Meanwhile, add honey, milk and butter to the saucepan. Mix with a
spatula and place over low heat to melt the honey and butter and
bring all the ingredients to a smooth consistency. Then add the
lemon zest. Do not bring the mixture to a boil.

5. Mix the flour, starch and baking powder thoroughly. Sift through a
sieve twice, preferably 3-4 times, to saturate the flour with oxygen,
and to make the sponge even more tender and airy.

6. Once all the egg whites have turned into a foam, gradually add
the icing sugar to them in 3 additions. Whip the meringue until soft
bird’s beak stage.

7. In the meantime, prepare the cake rings for baking the sponge.
To do this, cover the bottom of the rings with foil. If you use fairly thin
foil, you can double layer it.

8. In a large bowl, add slightly less than half the meringue to the yolk
mass. Once the egg whites are completely combined with the egg
yolks, add the dry ingredients in several stages and mix the batter
again until homogeneous with gentle circular movements.

8
 Bilberry Tenderness Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3 kg, d=20 cm, h=12-14 cm

HONEY SPONGE LAYERS

9. Scoop a full spatula of batter (about 3-4 tablespoon) and add to

the butter and honey mixture. Mix until homogeneous, then pour
the mixture back into the bowl with the main batter and mix again
until smooth.

10. Then add the remaining meringue and incorporate it gently by

circular motions until homogeneous.

11. Place the prepared cake rings on a baking sheet and pour the
batter into them. Immediately put them in the preheated to a
temperature of 170-180 °C / 338-356 °F oven for 40-50 minutes
until rich golden brown. In 15 minutes lower the temperature to
160-170 °C / 320-338 °F, and in 30 minutes to 150-160 °C /
302-320 °F.

12. Take the baked sponges out of the oven and place them upside
down on the wire rack. Let them cool completely at room
temperature and then unmold them. Wrap in cling film and put in
the fridge for at least 8-10 hours, preferably overnight.

13. Before assembling, cut each sponge into three layers h=1.6 cm
using a sharp large knife or a cake leveler.

BILBERRY FILLING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 235 g 100%

• Bilberries 200 g 85%

• Sugar 35 g 15%

1. In a saucepan, combine bilberries (fresh or frozen) with sugar and

heat over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring from time to time.

2. Remove the saucepan from the stove and pour the berries into a
sieve. Let the juice drain completely into a bowl, which will then be
used to make soft bilberry pate de fruit.

3. Then carefully, trying not to push the soft bilberries, transfer them
to a small container and cover with cling film in contact (do not
press too tightly, since your aim is to use whole berries in the filling).

4. Leave them to cool at room temperature, then put in the fridge.