“Miracle” Honey Cake (Medovik)
Very delicate, melts in your mouth - perfect for festive tea! “Miracle” honey cake is loved for its thin layers soaked in custard. It’s topped with chocolate glaze that decorates and adds extra flavor. This fragrant bake fits any table.
Updated : 30 January, 2026
Easy
More than 1 hour.
Ingredients
Dough
3
Eggs
150 grams
Sugar
3 tablespoon
Honey
60 grams
Butter
1 teaspoon
Baking soda
420 grams
Wheat flour
Cream
2
Eggs
70 grams
Sugar
7 grams
Vanilla sugar
450 milliliters
Milk
120 grams
Butter
60 grams
Wheat flour
Glaze
2 tablespoon
Cocoa
2 tablespoon
Sugar
70 milliliters
Milk
50 grams
Butter
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How do you make “Miracle” honey cake? Prepare the ingredients for the dough. The honey can be either thickened/crystallized or liquid.
Step 2
The dough is made over a water bath, so use a heatproof bowl or a saucepan of suitable size. Combine the eggs, honey, and sugar and whisk until smooth.
Step 3
Add the butter to the egg mixture. It’s best if the butter is soft so it melts faster. Set the bowl over a larger pot of water. The water in the lower pot should simmer/boil and must not touch the bottom of the bowl.
Step 4
Stir constantly so the eggs don’t curdle, until the sugar and butter fully dissolve. Add the baking soda. Mix well.
Step 5
Keep the bowl on the water bath for 1-2 minutes. A light foam will appear from the reaction of baking soda with honey.
Step 6
Remove the bowl from the water bath. Let the liquid mixture cool slightly until warm. Gradually add sifted flour. Don’t add it all at once - you may need more or less than the recipe states. Go by the dough’s consistency.
Step 7
The honey dough should be soft, smooth, not sticky, and not too stiff.
Step 8
Divide the dough into 9-10 parts. The number of layers depends on the cake diameter you want.
Step 9
Roll each portion into a round sheet 2-3 mm thick. Roll right on parchment, a silicone/Teflon mat, or directly on a baking sheet lightly greased with oil. The layers lift easily with a spatula.
Step 10
Bake each layer in a preheated oven at 160°C / 320°F for about 4-5 minutes. The layer is thin, so it bakes very fast - watch closely so it doesn’t dry out. Remove as soon as the edges start browning. Cool the baked layer on a flat surface. While one layer bakes, roll the next.
Step 11
Right after baking, trim the hot layer using a plate of the desired size. I used 19 cm (about 7.5 in).
Step 12
Bake all the layers the same way.
Step 13
Crush the trimmings into crumbs (for example, in a blender). You’ll need them to decorate the cake.
Step 14
Make the custard. Use good-quality butter with no butterfat substitutes. The cream is moderately sweet; you can add more sugar if you like.
Step 15
In a small saucepan, combine the eggs, sugar, and vanilla sugar. Whisk until smooth.
Step 16
Pour in the milk and mix well.
Step 17
Place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly so the eggs don’t curdle.
Step 18
When the mixture starts to thicken, keep stirring actively. Reduce heat to low. The custard should be medium-thick, slowly sliding off a spatula. Remove from heat.
Step 19
Immediately add the soft butter in 2-3 additions, stirring continuously.
Step 20
Mix thoroughly until smooth. The custard should be glossy and moderately thick.
Step 21
Cover the custard with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface and let it cool.
Step 22
Place one cake layer on a flat plate. Spread with custard.
Step 23
Cover with the next layer and spread another layer of custard.
Step 24
Assemble the whole cake. You may leave the top layer uncoated with custard and cover it with chocolate glaze instead.
Step 25
Prepare the ingredients for the glaze.
Step 26
In a small cup/bowl, combine cocoa, sugar, and milk. Rub/mix well until smooth with no lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until slightly thickened.
Step 27
Remove the glaze from heat, add butter, and mix well. Let the glaze cool completely.
Step 28
Cover the top of the cake with the cooled glaze. Coat the sides with the cake crumbs. Refrigerate the cake - overnight is best - so it soaks through.
Step 29
Decorate the top as desired. Slice the “Miracle” honey cake into portions and serve. Enjoy!
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