Kiev is a capital city of Ukraine. “Kiev” Cake became a brand dessert that was made in Kiev, Ukraine since 1956 (Wikipedia). Originally, this cake was made with meringue layers and butter cream frosting. It was a 24 hour process that included leaving egg whites overnight in room temperature, plus 5 hours baking time. Overtime, the recipe was simplified, and changed. There are so many variations of this “Kiev” Cake recipe, but they all have original “meringue” part, which makes this cake special, and super delicious. This is definitely a special occasion cake, because it is a bit time-consuming, but trust me, its so worth it at the end.
I always start making this cake 2-3 days in advance. It takes about 4 1/2 hours to bake a meringue. I’d prepare the frosting while meringue is baking, as it requires some cooking and chilling time. Then, bake a sponge cake, assemble and decorate.
Meringue Ingredients:
- egg whites from 4 large eggs at room temp.
- 1 cup sugar
How to make a Meringue:
Line 11″ baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Beat egg whites with sugar until soft peaks form. Carefully transfer the mixture to the baking pan. Place it in the oven. Reduce heat to 250 degrees, and bake for 3 1/2 hours.
Sponge Cake Ingredients:
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
How to make a perfect Sponge Cake:
Beat the eggs with sugar on high speed until fluffy. Sift flour and baking powder, slowly fold it in the egg mixture with spatula 1/4 at a time.
Spray 11” baking form with a non-stick spray, line the bottom of it with parchment paper, and carefully pour in the mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes. Now, its very important: DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN for the first 15 minutes. This will allow for sponge cake to rise nicely. Transfer it to the cooling rack and let cool. If you’re baking your sponge cake ahead of time, let cool completely, wrap in a plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. It is also freezer-friendly.
Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting Ingredients:
(Note: ingredients for the frosting can be doubled for the bigger cake, or even tripled if you decide to frost the whole cake with butter cream. I doubled this recipe for my 11” cake. I frosted it with royal icing, not the butter cream this time, otherwise I’d need to triple this recipe )
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup milk
- 250 g butter (2+1/4 sticks), softened
- 1 tablespoon dark cocoa
How to make a Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting:
Combine milk, egg and 1/2 cup sugar in a pot, and bring to boil over low-medium heat, continuously whisking. After the mixture boils, keep cooking for another 4-5 minutes. The “syrup” will start getting thicker. Remove from heat. Transfer to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let cool completely.
Meanwhile, beat the butter with 1/2 cup sugar on high speed, until white and fluffy, add cocoa. Reduce speed and slowly add chilled “syrup” to the butter mixture. Refrigerate until ready to use.
How to assemble “Kiev” Cake:
Cut your Sponge Cake in half, now you have 2 cake layers. It is a good idea to moisten the sponge cake layers with water or juice. I personally prefer pineapple juice. Don’t pour too much liquid, you don’t want you sponge cake to be soaked.
Assemble the cake is this order: sponge cake layer, butter cream (once in a while I’d add nuts or prunes between the layers which gives the cake an extra kick), meringue, butter cream, sponge cake layer. Trim meringue with sharp knife if needed. Frost the cake with leftover butter cream and decorate with nuts, or cover it with chocolate, your choice. I’ve covered it with royal icing this time, because I wanted it to look more festive for my daughter’s birthday.
I hope you’ll love this Kiev Cake as much as we do. Do not hesitate to ask questions if you have any.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- egg whites from 4 large eggs at room temp.
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup milk
- 250 g butter (2+1/4 sticks), softened
- 1 tablespoon dark cocoa
Instructions
- Line 11" baking pan with parchment paper.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Beat egg whites with sugar until soft peaks form.
- Carefully transfer the mixture to the baking pan. Place it in the oven.
- Reduce heat to 250 degrees, and bake for 4 1/2 hours.
- Beat the eggs with sugar on high speed until fluffy.
- Sift flour and baking powder, slowly fold it in the egg mixture with spatula 1/4 at a time.
- Spray the 11'' baking form with a non-stick spray, line the bottom of it with parchment paper, and carefully pour in the mixture.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes.
- Now, its very important: DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN for the first 15 minutes. This will allow for sponge cake to rise nicely.
- Transfer it to the cooling rack and let cool. If you're baking your sponge cake ahead of time, let cool completely, wrap in a plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. It is also freezer-friendly.
- Combine milk, egg and 1/2 cup sugar in a pot, and bring to boil over low-medium heat, continuously whisking.
- After the mixture boils, keep cooking for another 4-5 minutes. The "syrup" will start getting thicker.
- Remove from heat. Transfer to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let cool completely.
- Meanwhile, beat the butter with 1/2 cup sugar on high speed, until white and fluffy, add cocoa.
- Reduce speed and slowly add chilled "syrup" to the butter mixture. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Cut your Sponge Cake in half, now you have 2 cake layers. It is a good idea to moisten the sponge cake layers with water or juice. I personally prefer pineapple juice. Don't pour too much liquid, you don't want you sponge cake to be soaked
- Assemble the cake is this order: sponge cake layer, butter cream (once in a while I'd add nuts or prunes between the layers which gives the cake an extra kick), meringue, butter cream, sponge cake layer.
- Trim meringue with sharp knife if needed.
- Frost the cake with leftover butter cream and decorate with nuts, or cover it with chocolate, your choice. I've covered it with royal icing this time, because I wanted it to look more festive for my daughter's birthday.
Notes
I always start making this cake 2-3 days in advance. It takes about 4 1/2 hours to bake a meringue. I'd prepare the frosting while meringue is baking, as it requires some cooking and chilling time. Then, bake a sponge cake, assemble and decorate.
Wow!!
I know, right?
I was hoping to have some left over cake the next day after the birthday party, not a chance, it was all gone 🙁
Trying to exercise self-control here. After the holidays and birthday parties I better go to your site and find something vegetarian to cook 😀
Ha ha 🙂
Pingback: HAPPY NEW YEAR! | Vera's Cooking