Equipment
Ingredients
Honey Biscuit Dough
- 150 g honey, liquid
- 100 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 10 g baking soda
- 500 g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 3 g fine sea salt
Sour Cream Frosting
- 700 g sour cream, chilled
- 300 ml heavy cream, chilled
- 150 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 10 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 531 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 72 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 36 g
- Sodium
- 401 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 113 mg
- Potassium
- 220 mg
- Calcium
- 115 mg
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 19 mg
- Phosphorus
- 128 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 232 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.21 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 25 mcg
- Water
- 78 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, honey, and salt until smooth.
Place the bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water (bain-marie). Add the cubed butter. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is completely melted and the sugar has dissolved.
Add the baking soda to the honey mixture and whisk vigorously. The mixture will quickly foam up, expand, and turn a pale caramel color. Continue heating for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
Gradually fold the sifted all-purpose flour into the hot mixture using a spatula. Mix until a warm, sticky dough forms. Do not overmix.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide evenly into 8 equal pieces, shaping each into a smooth ball. Keep them covered with a clean kitchen towel so they stay warm and pliable.
Preheat your oven to 180C (350F).
Working with one piece of warm dough at a time, roll it out directly onto a piece of parchment paper until it is paper-thin, about 2 to 3 millimeters thick. Dust with flour as needed to prevent sticking.
Transfer the parchment paper with the rolled dough onto a baking sheet. Bake at 180C (350F) for 4 to 5 minutes until deep golden brown.
Immediately upon removing from the oven, use a 22cm (9-inch) cake ring or plate to trace and cut a perfect circle into the hot biscuit. Set the trimmings aside; they will be used for the crumb coating.
Carefully transfer the trimmed biscuit to a wire cooling rack. Repeat the rolling, baking, and cutting process for all remaining dough balls.
Place all the reserved baked trimmings onto a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 3 minutes to dry them completely. Once cool, pulse in a food processor to fine crumbs.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the chilled heavy cream and powdered sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
Add the vanilla extract and sour cream to the whipped cream. Gently fold using a spatula until just combined and smooth. Do not overmix or the frosting will become runny.
Place a dab of frosting on your serving platter to secure the first biscuit layer. Spread about 4 tablespoons of frosting evenly over the layer. Repeat with all 8 layers, then use the remaining frosting to coat the top and sides of the cake smoothly.
Take the reserved biscuit crumbs and press them evenly all over the top and sides of the frosted cake until entirely coated.
Refrigerate the cake overnight (minimum 12 hours) before serving. This resting period is non-negotiable, as it allows the hard biscuits to absorb moisture from the sour cream frosting, transforming into a tender cake.
Chef's Notes
- The reaction between the acidic honey and baking soda is the chemical heart of this recipe. It aerates the dough and creates the signature porous texture that absorbs the frosting.
- Do not be tempted to skip the overnight rest. When first assembled, the cake will resemble a stack of hard crackers and frosting. Time does the heavy lifting of turning it into a sliceable sponge.
- For the most authentic flavor, seek out a dark, robust honey like buckwheat. Standard clover honey will yield a much paler cake with a less pronounced caramel flavor.
- To save time, you can roll out multiple layers on individual sheets of parchment paper ahead of time, baking them back-to-back in rapid succession.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Keep covered in a cake dome to prevent absorbing fridge odors. Cake improves on the second day.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze unglazed or fully assembled in an airtight container.
Troubleshooting
Dough becomes too hard to roll out thinly
Cause: The dough has cooled down too much while waiting to be rolled
Fix: Microwave the dough ball for 5-10 seconds to gently rewarm and soften it
Prevention: Keep the unrolled dough balls covered with a kitchen towel or place them near a warm oven
Biscuits crack or shatter when cutting the 22cm circle
Cause: The biscuit was allowed to cool before being trimmed
Fix: Cannot be fixed seamlessly, but cracked layers can still be used in the middle of the cake as the frosting will bind them
Prevention: Have the cake ring or plate ready and cut the biscuit within 15 seconds of removing it from the oven
Frosting becomes thin and runny
Cause: Overmixing the sour cream into the whipped cream, or using low-fat sour cream
Fix: Chill the frosting in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up before assembling the cake
Prevention: Use high-fat sour cream and fold it in very gently by hand rather than using the mixer
Cultural Context
Medovik was allegedly created in the early 19th century by a young, newly hired pastry chef in the Russian Imperial kitchen. Unaware that Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna despised honey, he baked her a beautiful layer cake utilizing the ingredient. She was so enchanted by the tender texture and complex flavor that she forgave the use of honey, and Medovik immediately became a staple of Russian royalty and eventually Eastern European households.
