Easy Russian Honey Cake

Combine 300g butter, 180g sugar and 5 tbsp honey in a heavy-bottomed pot.

Place the pot over medium heat and stir frequently until all the ingredients melt completely.

Then add 2 tsp baking soda.

Mix fast until the mixture makes a lot of foam and pot is filled with it.

After several minutes, the foam becomes less and it changes colour. 

Remove the pot from heat.

Allow the mixture to cool down on the table for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally, you will notice it gets more and more orange - it should.

Add the four eggs in turn, beat well with a whisk after each one.

Notice how the colour resembles the caramel.

At the end, add the flour, whisk well until the batter is not lumpy.

The batter should be like a thick liquid, just like cream or yogurt.

Tip the batter into 2 big baking sheets (the classic oven sheets), lined with parchment paper. If you have only 1 sheet, you'll have to bake the cakes in turn. Lift out the baked cake by pulling the paper, line with parchment paper again and tip into the remaining batter. 

Or, if you are making a smaller cake, of half of the quantities, use only one baking sheet and bake the cake in one turn.

Spread the batter evenly with the back of the spoon, covering the whole surface of the baking sheet. It might seem too thin, but it will rise in the oven.

Just make sure the batter is spread in an even layer.

Bake each layer for 15-20 minutes at 180 degrees C. 

Then let cool on the table until you prepare the filling, or until you assemble the cake.

Cut each layer into equal halves, trim the edges with a knife.

If you have one single layer, of half of the quantities, you can cut into 3 parts.

For the filling, combine together the cream with 220g sugar and vanilla extract. You don't need to use the mixer, beat with a spoon or a whisk. 

Arrange the layers one by one on a platter, spread generously with filling. Optionally, you can add some sour cherries or dried plums. Here I made jelly from sour cherry compote and I topped the filling with the fruit.

When you finish stacking the layers, spread out some more filling across the cake, on the laterals, too. 

Refrigerate for minimum 5-6 hours. I usually do this in the evening and refrigerate overnight.

You can notice the next day that the cream is absorbed. Initially, I made the filling using only 1.5 kg of cream. So I had to make 500g whipping cream to decorate it before serving, to look nicer and whiter.

So, save some filling for the next day to freshen up the cake.

You can crumble the bits from the trimmed edges and use them to decorate the sides.

Or add some walnuts or crumbled biscuits. But because the cake is so delicious, nobody will notice the looks, only the taste!

My girls topped it with fruits as well, as it was the New Year's Eve. It's up to you, only if you want it and if you have time.

It's so soft, tender, flavourful and really tasty, you must try it. Serve it cold with plenty of tea, coffee or milk... 

Enjoy!