Medovyk – Ukrainian honey cake
Luscious multi-layered honey cake with prunes and walnuts.
This post is a part of the series of family recipes that are cherished, loved, and passed through generations in my Belarusian and Ukrainian families. I cook each recipe in my kitchen and include detailed descriptions and photos of each step, as well as cooking secrets and tips. View all family recipes from Eastern Europe.
Medovyk is a delicious Ukrainian honey cake. Russians claim this recipe to be theirs and even came up with a legend that the cake was invented to impress the wife of Alexander I, Elizaveta Alexeyevna, in the 19th century. However, there are no mentions of medovyk in the memoirs or any Russian cookbooks from that period. The first recipe for medovyk was found in a Ukrainian cookbook published in Kyiv in 1957. It’s a pity that the world picked up the Russian legend and falsely attributed this incredible Ukrainian cake to Russian culture.
In this post, I will share a medovyk recipe from my Ukrainian mother-in-law. My husband’s mom and grandma frequently baked this cake for birthdays and family celebrations. My husband just celebrated his birthday, so this is the perfect time to share the recipe for medovyk – a mouthwatering dessert that consists of delicate golden layers filled with rich cream, prunes, walnuts, and decorated with crunchy honey crumbs.
Medovyk takes time to bake, but don’t be discouraged by the number of cake layers and cooking steps. The steps are easy to follow, and I provide detailed photos of each of them. The result is 1000% worth it, and I’m confident that this cake will become your favorite at first bite!
When I started arranging the ingredients for medovyk on the table, my husband walked into the kitchen and said: “That’s how the magic begins.”
Let’s make some magic and bake together a delicious Ukrainian honey cake!
Below, you will find the step-by-step recipe instructions and photos of each step, which are available for paid subscribers. By upgrading to paid, you won’t only receive access to all previously posted family recipes from Eastern Europe, but will also allow me to continue my work and support both of my families who became refugees and whose recipes I share with you.