edition

Photography
by Natalia Khoroshaieva
 Honey has always held a special place in the world of
patisserie. And when it comes to Eastern-European
baking traditions, it plays a particularly special role.
Though its exact origins are debated, the honey cake
or “Medovik” is said to date back more than 200 years,
and has been cherished by generations since. In Festive
Mood Honey Cakes, I’m excited to invite you to prepare
16 honey cake recipes, ranging from traditional and iconic
to innovative and perhaps a little daring.

Our journey begins with the Classic Honey Cake. This timeless recipe features
layers of honey-infused sponge, a silky sour cream frosting, and a luscious cream
cheese buttercream. It’s the real deal – dreamy, creamy, and oh-so moreish.

Within these pages, you’ll also learn how to prepare a variety of fruity honey
cakes, such as the Orange Honey Cake, infused with an orange-rum confit, and
the Mint and Lime Honey Cake, featuring a refreshing mint and lime curd. The
berry honey cakes are also a treat to behold – the Pistachio-Raspberry Honey
Cake dazzles with its vibrant pink and green layers, and the Raspberry Rose
Honey Cake boasts a raspberry soufflé that’s pure poetry on a plate.

A taste of honey cake should be a moment of indulgence, and these recipes take
this mantra to the next level. The Classic Chocolate Honey Cake, with its layers of
chocolate honey sponge, is a chocolate lover’s dream come true. The Caramel
Honey Cake is drizzled with luscious salted caramel, offering an irresistible
temptation, and the Milk Slice Honey Cake pays homage to a nostalgic favorite,
enveloped in a chocolate icing that’s pure decadence.

Honey cakes are traditionally sweet cakes, but who says they can’t be savory
too? The Pear, Gorgonzola, and Pine Nut Honey Cake layers spiced stewed
pears with a blue cheese frosting. And the Pistachio, Camembert, and Wild
Strawberry Honey Cake features the unexpected pairing of fresh camembert
and a wild strawberry coulis.

For a further imaginative touch, I have two more recipes that turn the honey cake
tradition on its head. Composed of vertical layers, the Cherry Velvet Honey Cake
bursts with the tartness of sour cherry marmalade, while the Spartak Honey
Cake indulges your senses with layers of intense chocolatey goodness.

I hope you enjoy creating these honey cakes and proudly savoring the results.
The recipes have been carefully crafted to be easy to follow, suitable for both
seasoned bakers and those just beginning their baking adventure.

Tetyana Verbytska
Founder of KICA Edition
CONTENTS
Bilberry Tenderness Honey Cake 7
Blackcurrant Honey Cake 16
Caramel Honey Cake 24
Cherry Velvet Vertical Layer Honey Cake 32
Chiffon Honey Cake 39
Classic Chocolate Honey Cake 46
Classic Honey Cake 52
Coffee, Toffee and Pecan Honey Cake 57
Milk Slice Honey Cake 65
Mint and Lime Honey Cake 71
Orange Honey Cake 80
Pear, Gorgonzola and Pine Nut Honey Cake 89
Pistachio Raspberry Honey Cake 97
Pistachio, Wild Strawberry and Camembert Honey Сake 104
Raspberry Rose Honey Cake 112
Spartak Vertical Layered Honey Cake 120
BILBERRY TENDERNESS
HONEY CAKE
The weight of the cake ~3 kg,
d=20 cm, h=12-14 cm
 Bilberry Tenderness Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3 kg, d=20 cm, h=12-14 cm

HONEY SPONGE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 943 g 100%

for 6 layers d=20 cm

• Egg yolks 110 g 12%

• Egg whites 200 g 21%
• Sugar 100 g 11%
• Icing sugar 100 g 11%
• Salt 5g <1%
• All-purpose flour 145 g 15%
• Cornstarch 55 g 6%
• Baking powder 5g <1%
• Honey 145 g 15%
• Butter 82.5% 45 g 5%
• Milk 30 g 3%
• Lemon zest 3g <1%

1. Put the egg whites in the mixer bowl, add two pinches of salt and
whip with the whisk attachment at low speed.

2. While the egg whites are being whipped, in a separate bowl,

using a hand mixer, whip the egg yolks with sugar until the mass
increases by 3-4 times.

3. As soon as in the mixer bowl with the egg whites the light foam
forms, increase the speed.

4. Meanwhile, add honey, milk and butter to the saucepan. Mix with a
spatula and place over low heat to melt the honey and butter and
bring all the ingredients to a smooth consistency. Then add the
lemon zest. Do not bring the mixture to a boil.

5. Mix the flour, starch and baking powder thoroughly. Sift through a
sieve twice, preferably 3-4 times, to saturate the flour with oxygen,
and to make the sponge even more tender and airy.

6. Once all the egg whites have turned into a foam, gradually add
the icing sugar to them in 3 additions. Whip the meringue until soft
bird’s beak stage.

7. In the meantime, prepare the cake rings for baking the sponge.
To do this, cover the bottom of the rings with foil. If you use fairly thin
foil, you can double layer it.

8. In a large bowl, add slightly less than half the meringue to the yolk
mass. Once the egg whites are completely combined with the egg
yolks, add the dry ingredients in several stages and mix the batter
again until homogeneous with gentle circular movements.

8
 Bilberry Tenderness Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3 kg, d=20 cm, h=12-14 cm

HONEY SPONGE LAYERS

9. Scoop a full spatula of batter (about 3-4 tablespoon) and add to

the butter and honey mixture. Mix until homogeneous, then pour
the mixture back into the bowl with the main batter and mix again
until smooth.

10. Then add the remaining meringue and incorporate it gently by

circular motions until homogeneous.

11. Place the prepared cake rings on a baking sheet and pour the
batter into them. Immediately put them in the preheated to a
temperature of 170-180 °C / 338-356 °F oven for 40-50 minutes
until rich golden brown. In 15 minutes lower the temperature to
160-170 °C / 320-338 °F, and in 30 minutes to 150-160 °C /
302-320 °F.

12. Take the baked sponges out of the oven and place them upside
down on the wire rack. Let them cool completely at room
temperature and then unmold them. Wrap in cling film and put in
the fridge for at least 8-10 hours, preferably overnight.

13. Before assembling, cut each sponge into three layers h=1.6 cm
using a sharp large knife or a cake leveler.

BILBERRY FILLING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 235 g 100%

• Bilberries 200 g 85%

• Sugar 35 g 15%

1. In a saucepan, combine bilberries (fresh or frozen) with sugar and

heat over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring from time to time.

2. Remove the saucepan from the stove and pour the berries into a
sieve. Let the juice drain completely into a bowl, which will then be
used to make soft bilberry pate de fruit.

3. Then carefully, trying not to push the soft bilberries, transfer them
to a small container and cover with cling film in contact (do not
press too tightly, since your aim is to use whole berries in the filling).

4. Leave them to cool at room temperature, then put in the fridge.

9
 Bilberry Tenderness Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3 kg, d=20 cm, h=12-14 cm

SOFT BILBERRY PATE DE FRUIT

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 153-173 g 100%

• Bilberry juice 120-140 g 81%

• Sugar 30 g 17%
• Pectin NH 3g 2%

1. Pour the bilberry juice left after making the bilberry filling into a
saucepan and heat slightly over low heat.

2. Constantly stirring the mixture, sprinkle sugar mixed with pectin

over it. Bring to a boil.

3. Pour into a separate container and cover with cling film in contact.

4. Cool down to room temperature and put in the fridge for further
stabilization for 4-5 hours, preferably overnight.

DRAINED SOUR CREAM

1. Prepare the sour cream for draining:

• 500 g of sour cream 30-35% ~ 400 g of drained sour cream

• 800 g of sour cream 20-25% ~ 400 g of drained sour cream

The amount of drained sour cream obtained directly depends

on the quality and fat content of the sour cream that you have.
Therefore, it’s better to make a slightly bigger amount of the drained
sour cream, so that it is enough for making the cake.

2. Place the strainer over a deep bowl and cover it with the
cheesecloth folded 2-3 times.

3. Pour the sour cream on the cheesecloth and put it in the fridge
from 2-3 hours to one night, depending on the fat content of the
sour cream. If the sour cream is high-fat (25-30%) put it in the fridge
for 3-4 hours, and if it is low-fat (15-20%) – overnight.

10
 Bilberry Tenderness Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3 kg, d=20 cm, h=12-14 cm

BILBERRY FROSTING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 925 g 100%

• Drained sour cream 30-35% 400 g 43%

• Whipping cream 33-36% 400 g 43%
• Icing sugar 50 g 5%
• Soft bilberry pate de fruit ~75 g 8%

1. Put the well-chilled slightly drained sour cream and the whipping
cream into the mixer bowl. You may not drain the sour cream at all,
but then make less liquid for cake soaking.

2. Add the icing sugar and a half (~ 75g) of soft bilberry pate de fruit,
which can be lightly mashed with a spatula before adding.

3. Whip the frosting with the whisk attachment first at minimum and,
when all the ingredients are combined, at maximum speed until the
frosting thickens and a very light, fluffy and homogeneous mass
with stiff peaks is formed.

MILK AND HONEY SOAKING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 125 g 100%

• Milk 90 g 72%
• Honey 35 g 28%

1. In a small saucepan combine honey and milk, and heat them

over low heat.

2. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring from time to time. The soaking
is ready to use.

TIP
• Make the liquid to soak the cake immediately before the
assembling, because it can be used both warm and hot.

11
 Bilberry Tenderness Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3 kg, d=20 cm, h=12-14 cm

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Baked sponge layers

• Bilberry frosting
• Bilberry filling

1. Apply some amount of frosting on the center of the cake base,

and then put the first layer baked side down. Press slightly and
apply some milk and honey soaking in the centre of the layer with
a pastry brush. Try not not apply a lot of soaking liquid to this cake,
since it is already quite moist and tender.

2. Weigh out the bilberry frosting and divide it into 5 equal parts
(~ 185 g each) and evenly spread 1/5 of the frosting over the surface
of the soaked layer with the offset spatula.

3. Randomly spread the bilberry filling over the surface of the frosting
and cover it with the second layer.

4. Soak it and apply 1/5 of the frosting on the second layer. Spread
some bilberry filling on top again and cover with the next layer.

5. In such a way assemble the cake till the end. Wrap the assembled
cake with the acetate film, put on an adjustable cake ring and
carefully tighten it. Do not tighten too much, since the sponge
layers are extremely tender and you may even squeeze them to
a smaller diameter.

6. Put a matching size thin round cake base on the top of the cake.
Press it very gently to get rid of the excess air inside the cake.

7. Cover the top of the cake with cling film so that it does not absorb
smells and does not dry out in the fridge.

8. Put the assembled cake in the fridge overnight to stabilize.

12
 Bilberry Tenderness Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3 kg, d=20 cm, h=12-14 cm

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 675 g 100%

• Butter 82.5% 160 g 24%

• Cream cheese 400 g 59%
• Icing sugar 40 g 6%
• Soft bilberry pate de fruit 75 g 11%

1. Put the butter of room temperature and the icing sugar in the bowl
of a stand mixer.

2. Whip them with the paddle attachment first at medium and then at
maximum speed until a fluffy light mass is obtained.

3. Gradually add the cold cream cheese. Whip the buttercream at low
speed till smooth and homogeneous texture.

TIP
• If you use thick butter that hardens in the fridge, then at this
stage do not add the cream cheese right from the fridge. Leave
it for 15-20 minutes at room temperature. Then the buttercream
will be softer and more pliable.

4. Add soft bilberry pate de fruit and mix again until smooth, but do
not whip.

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Cooled-down assembled cake

• Cream cheese buttercream
• Fresh blueberries
• Silver candurin

1. Remove the ring and the acetate film from the cake that has spent
a night in the fridge.

2. Place the cake on the turntable and apply some buttercream on it.

3. Spread the buttercream over the surface of the cake by rotating

the turntable and using the offset spatula.

4. Then smooth down the sides of the cake by rotating the turntable
and using the icing scraper.

13
 Bilberry Tenderness Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3 kg, d=20 cm, h=12-14 cm

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

5. In order to get a perfectly smooth coating, the cake has to be

coated twice. Therefore, having applied the first coating, put the
cake in the fridge so that the first layer of coating sets.

6. Apply the buttercream that has been kept at room temperature

(it should be soft) as a final layer using a spatula. And smooth it
quickly by rotating the turntable and using the icing scraper.

TIP
• If you use thick butter that hardens in the fridge, then at this
stage do not add the cream cheese right from the fridge. Leave
it for 15-20 minutes at room temperature. Then the buttercream
will be softer and more pliable.

7. Put the cake coated with the finishing layer of the buttercream in
the fridge for 30 minutes.

8. Decorate the ready cake with a wreath of fresh blueberries and

silver candurin.

14
 BLACKCURRANT
HONEY CAKE
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg,
d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm
 Blackcurrant Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg, d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm

HONEY SPONGE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 918 g 100%

for 8 layers d=20 cm

• Honey 280 g 31%

• Butter 82.5% 70 g 8%
• Baking soda 4g <1%
• Whole eggs 230 g 25%
• Sugar 60 g 7%
• All-purpose flour 270 g 29%
• Baking powder 4g <1%

1. Put the eggs with sugar in a mixer bowl with the whisk attachment
and whip them at medium speed until a light fluffy mass is formed.

2. In a saucepan, heat the honey and butter over low heat, then add
the baking soda. Stir the mixture from time to time until it foams.
Remove it from heat and let it cool slightly.

3. In a bowl, combine baking powder with flour and sift them through
a sieve. Then mix with a whisk.

4. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the egg mass to the butter and honey
mixture and mix until homogeneous. Then pour it back into the
bowl with whipped eggs and mix with the spatula.

5. Carefully fold the sifted and mixed dry ingredients in the honey
and egg mixture that you have now in 2-3 stages.

6. Prepare 8 sheets of parchment paper with circles d=22 cm drawn

in the center. Pour 1/8 of the batter on each sheet (~ 110 g) and
carefully spread it in a thin layer over the entire surface of the drawn
circle using an offset spatula.

7. Bake the layers in the preheated to 180 °C / 356 °F oven for about
4-6 minutes until golden brown.

8. Cool down the ready sponge layers to room temperature and cut
out the circles using a cake ring d=20 cm.

TIP
• If you do not assemble the cake on the same day, store the
layers wrapped in cling film, which will protect them from high
humidity and intaking smells. Don’t forget to interlay each
sponge layer with a sheet of parchment paper.

17
 Blackcurrant Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg, d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm

BLACKCURRANT CONFIT

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 685 g 100%

• Blackcurrants 500 g 76%

• Sugar 180 g 23%
• Pectin NH 5g 1%

1. Put the blackcurrants in a saucepan, add 100 g of sugar and bring

to a boil over medium heat, stirring from time to time.

2. Remove the mixture from heat, pour into a sieve and let it drain for
a while. Then set the juice aside. You will need it later for making soft
pate de fruit.

3. Place the soft currant berries in the bowl of the food processor,
blend them into a puree and then pass through a sieve.

4. Transfer the puree back to the saucepan and heat over low heat,
stirring constantly.

5. When the mixture reaches 35-40 °C / 95-104 °F, add the remaining
sugar mixed with pectin. Stirring actively, bring the puree to a boil.

6. Remove the confit from heat, pour it into a separate container and
cover with cling film in contact.

7. Let it cool to room temperature and then put the confit in the fridge
to stabilize.

SOFT BLACKCURRANT PATE DE FRUIT

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 213 g 100%

• Blackcurrant juice 160-180 g 85%

• Sugar 30 g 14%
• Pectin NH 2-3 g 1%

1. Pour the currant juice remaining after cooking the confit into a
saucepan and heat slightly over low heat.

2. Mix sugar and pectin and add to a saucepan with juice, stirring
actively with a spatula.

3. Bring it to a boil, pour into a separate container and cover with cling
film in contact.

4. Let it cool to room temperature and then put in the fridge to stabilize.
18
 Blackcurrant Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg, d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm

DRAINED SOUR CREAM

1. Prepare the sour cream for draining:

• 650 g of sour cream 30-35% ~ 550 g of drained sour cream

• 950 g of sour cream 20-25% ~ 550 g of drained sour cream

The amount of drained sour cream obtained directly depends

on the quality and fat content of the sour cream that you have.
Therefore, it’s better to make a slightly bigger amount of the drained
sour cream, so that it is enough for making the cake.

2. Place the strainer over a deep bowl and cover it with the
cheesecloth folded 2-3 times.

3. Pour the sour cream on the cheesecloth and put it in the fridge
from 2-3 hours to one night, depending on the fat content of the
sour cream. If the sour cream is high-fat (25-30%) put it in the fridge
for 3-4 hours, and if it is low-fat (15-20%) – overnight.

BLACKCURRANT FROSTING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1200 g 100%

• Drained sour cream 25-30% 550 g 46%

• Cream cheese 250 g 21%
• Whipping cream 33-36% 200 g 17%
• Icing sugar 100 g 8%
• Soft blackcurrant pate de fruit 100 g 8%

1. Put chilled whipping cream, weighed sour cream 25-30%, cream

cheese, icing sugar and soft pate de fruit in the mixer bowl.

2. Whip at medium speed until smooth, thick and fluffy texture.

19
 Blackcurrant Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg, d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Baked sponge layers

• Blackcurrant frosting
• Blackcurrant confit

1. Weigh out the blackcurrant frosting and divide it into 7 equal parts
(~ 170 g), and the blackcurrant confit into 3 parts ~ 110 g each.

2. Apply some frosting over the center of a round cake base, put the
first layer on it. Press it slightly and apply 1/7 of the frosting. Then
spread the frosting evenly over the surface of the layer with the
offset spatula.

3. Cover it with the second sponge layer, press it down slightly and
again apply 1/7 of the frosting on it, forming the borders. Then
apply 1/3 of the blackcurrant confit over the frosting, stepping back
from the edge ~ 2.0-2.5 cm. If the consistency of the confit is thick,
slightly heat it and evenly apply over the frosting using a pastry bag.
The soft confit can be spread using a spoon.

4. Cover it with the third layer and press down lightly. If the frosting
comes out too much on the sides, use an offset spatula and
remove the excess frosting, distributing it evenly everywhere.

5. Assemble the cake by alternating layers with frosting and layers

with frosting and confit.

6. Wrap the assembled cake with the acetate film, put on an

adjustable cake ring and tighten it. Put a matching size thin round
cake base on the top of the cake. Press it very gently until the
frosting comes out. It will mean that you have pressed all the air
bubbles out of the cake, and now it will stabilize well.

TIP
• You may put a weight on the top of the cake and put it in the
fridge for 2-3 hours. After that the weight has to be removed
and the cake should stay in the fridge for another 3-4 hours,
preferably overnight.

20
 Blackcurrant Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg, d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 720 g 100%

• Butter 82.5% 160 g 22%

• Cream cheese 420 g 58%
• Icing sugar 40 g 6%
• Soft blackcurrant pate de fruit 100 g 14%

1. Put the butter of room temperature and the icing sugar in the
mixer bowl.

2. Whip them with the paddle attachment at medium speed until

a fluffy light mass is obtained.

3. Gradually add the cold cream cheese. Whip the buttercream at

low speed to prevent the air bubbles from entering the cream.

4. Once the buttercream is mixed until smooth, add the soft

blackcurrant pate de fruit.

5. Mix the mass until smooth and add the remaining soft pate de fruit.
Mix well again.

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Cooled-down assembled cake

• Cream cheese buttercream
• Fresh black berries

1. Remove the ring and the acetate film from the cake that has spent
a night in the fridge.

2. Place the cake on the turntable and apply some buttercream on it.

3. Spread the buttercream over the surface of the cake by rotating

the turntable and using the offset spatula.

4. Then smooth down the sides of the cake by rotating the turntable
and using the icing scraper.

5. In order to get a perfectly smooth coating, the cake has to be

coated twice. Therefore, having applied the first coating, put
the cake in the fridge for 30-40 minutes so that the first layer of
coating sets.

21
 Blackcurrant Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg, d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

6. Apply the second layer of the buttercream that has been kept at
room temperature (it should be soft) using the spatula. And smooth
it quickly by rotating the turntable and using the icing scraper.

TIP
• For a beautiful final coating, press the icing scraper firmly
against the cake at right angle and quickly rotate the turntable.

7. Put the cake coated with the finishing layer of the buttercream in
the fridge for 30 minutes.

8. Decorate the cake with fresh black berries.

22
 CARAMEL
HONEY CAKE
The weight of the cake – 3.5 kg,
d=20-22 cm, h=12-15 cm
 Caramel Honey Cake
The weight of the cake – 3.5 kg, d=20-22 cm, h=12-15 cm

HONEY SPONGE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 992 g 100%

for 10 layers d=20 cm

• Sugar 150 g 15%

• Honey 130 g 13%
• Butter 82.5% 100 g 10%
• Baking soda 11 g 1%
• Citric acid 2g <1%
• Water 5g <1%
• Salt 4g <1%
• Whole eggs 140 g 14%
• All-purpose flour 450 g 45%

1. To make the caramel, put all the sugar and 60 g of honey in a

saucepan. Do not stir at first, just shake the saucepan from time
to time. When the honey melts and the sugar is partially dissolved,
cook the mixture for another 2-3 minutes until a light amber color,
constantly stirring with the spatula.

2. Cooking the mixture over low heat, add the remaining honey (70 g)
and butter, actively stirring. Then remove it from the stove.

3. Add citric acid dissolved in 1 tsp. of water, baking soda and salt. Stir
well and let the caramel cool down slightly (to about 80-90 °C /
176-194 °F).

4. Whip cold eggs in a separate bowl. Then quickly pour them into the
hot caramel, actively stirring it with a whisk.

TIP
• The eggs should be right out of the fridge (1-4 °С / 34-39 °F),
so that they don’t get cooked in hot caramel.

5. Pour the sifted flour into the caramel and egg mixture and quickly
knead the dough with a spoon. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes. After
that, it will not stick to your hands.

6. Sprinkle the dough with flour, shape it into a ball, then wrap with
cling film and leave for another 10-15 minutes.

7. Using scales, divide the dough into 10 equal parts, forming small
balls. The ready dough should be very soft, but not sticky at all.

8. Roll out each ball on parchment paper into a thin layer about
22-23 cm in diameter, poke with a fork and bake for 5-8 minutes
at 170-180 °C / 338-356 °F until caramel color.

9. Using a cake ring 20 cm in diameter, cut circles out of the very hot
baked layers (immediately after baking).
25
 Caramel Honey Cake
The weight of the cake – 3.5 kg, d=20-22 cm, h=12-15 cm

SALTED BUTTER CARAMEL

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 443 g 100%

• Sugar 200 g 45%

• Glucose and fructose syrup / 20 g 5%
glucose syrup / treacle / honey
• Butter 82.5% 80 g 18%
• Whipping cream 33-36% 140 g 32%
• Salt 3g <1%

1. Pour the sugar into a saucepan and add glucose and fructose or
glucose syrup, treacle or honey. Put the mixture over medium heat.
Do not stir it, just occasionally shake the saucepan.

TIP
• Be careful not to let the caramel burn.

2. Once the sugar has completely dissolved and the caramel has
acquired a pleasant light color, lower the heat and start gradually,
in several stages, adding the butter of room temperature.

3. Pour very hot cream into a saucepan in a thin stream. Stir actively,
but gently to avoid steam burns. The caramel is ready.

TIP
• In order to get thicker caramel, cook it for about a minute over
low heat.

4. Add salt and stir.

5. Cover the caramel with cling film in contact to prevent crust forming
and leave it to cool down at room temperature.

26
 Caramel Honey Cake
The weight of the cake – 3.5 kg, d=20-22 cm, h=12-15 cm

DRAINED SOUR CREAM

1. Prepare the sour cream for draining:

• 700 g of sour cream 30-35% ~ 600 g of drained sour cream

• 1000 g of sour cream 20-25% ~ 600 g of drained sour cream

The amount of drained sour cream obtained directly depends

on the quality and fat content of the sour cream that you have.
Therefore, it’s better to make a slightly bigger amount of the drained
sour cream, so that it is enough for making the cake.

2. Place the strainer over a deep bowl and cover it with the
cheesecloth folded 2-3 times.

3. Pour the sour cream on the cheesecloth and put it in the fridge
from 2-3 hours to one night, depending on the fat content of the
sour cream. If the sour cream is high-fat (25-30%) put it in the fridge
for 3-4 hours, and if it is low-fat (15-20%) – overnight.

CARAMEL CREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 960 g 100%

• Drained sour cream 30-35% 600 g 63%

• Dulce de leche 360 g 38%

TIP
• You may use sour cream with a lower fat content (20-25%).
In such a case, add to it 1-2 packets of the cream thickener.

1. Whip dulce de leche in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment

at medium or maximum speed until the mass acquires a slightly
light color.

2. Add drained sour cream with a high fat content (30-35%) or the
one with lower fat content (20-25%) with 1-2 packets of the cream
thickener added.

3. Continue whipping the mixture until the whisk pattern appears

and the cream is completely stable.

27
 Caramel Honey Cake
The weight of the cake – 3.5 kg, d=20-22 cm, h=12-15 cm

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 2820 g 100%

• Caramel cream 980 g 35%

• Peeled and roasted walnuts 220 g 8%
• Washed, dried and 300 g 10%
chopped prunes
• Salted butter caramel 420 g 15%
• Baked sponge layers, 10 pcs 900 g 32%

1. Slightly roast the walnuts in the oven at 160-170 °C / 320-338 °F

for about 14-18 minutes, until light golden brown color. Let them
cool down, then peel and chop them.

2. Wash the prunes, let them dry and then cut into small pieces.

3. Apply some cream over the center of a round cake base, put the
first layer on it. Press it slightly and apply 1/9 of the cream. Spread
the cream evenly over the surface with the offset spatula. You can
leave a little space at the edges, about 0,5 cm.

4. Then apply the caramel over the cream spiral-wise, leaving 1.5 cm
at the edges.

TIP
• Slightly heat the salted caramel for comfortable application.

5. Cover it with the second sponge layer, press it down slightly and
spread the cream over it again. Sprinkle with walnuts (25 g) and
prunes (45 g) on top. Do this randomly and evenly over the entire
surface of the layer, slightly not reaching the edge, somewhere
around 1-1.5 cm.

6. Assemble the cake by alternating layers with caramel and layers

with prunes and nuts. By doing this, you will use up about a half of
the caramel amount.

7. Wrap the assembled cake with the acetate film, put on an

adjustable cake ring and tighten it. Put a matching size thin round
cake base on the top of the cake. Press it very gently until the
cream comes out. It will mean that you have pressed all the air
bubbles out of the cake, and now it will stabilize well.

TIP
• You may put a weight on the top of the cake and put it in the
fridge for 2-3 hours. After that the weight has to be removed
and the cake should stay in the fridge for another 3-4 hours,
preferably overnight.

28
 Caramel Honey Cake
The weight of the cake – 3.5 kg, d=20-22 cm, h=12-15 cm

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 600 g 100%

• Cream cheese 400 g 67%

• Butter 82.5% 150 g 25%
• Icing sugar 50 g 8%

1. Put the butter of room temperature in the mixer bowl, add icing
sugar and whip with the whisk attachment at medium or maximum
speed until a fluffy light mass is obtained.

2. Switch the speed to medium and gradually add the cold cream
cheese. Do not overbeat the buttercream, it should be smooth and
homogeneous.

3. Before coating the cake, stir the buttercream with a spatula to

remove the excess air and make it smoother.

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Cooled-down assembled cake

• Cream cheese buttercream
• Salted butter caramel
• Chopped nuts and prunes

1. Remove the ring and the acetate film from the cake that has spent
a night in the fridge.

2. Place the cake on the turntable and apply some buttercream on it.

3. Spread the buttercream over the surface of the cake by rotating

the turntable and using the offset spatula.

4. Then smooth down the sides of the cake by rotating the turntable
and using the icing scraper.

5. In order to get a perfectly smooth coating, the cake has to be

coated twice. Therefore, having applied the first coating, put
the cake in the fridge for 30-40 minutes so that the first layer of
coating sets.

6. Apply the second layer of the buttercream that has been kept at
room temperature (it should be soft) using the spatula. And smooth
it quickly by rotating the turntable and using the icing scraper.

29
 Caramel Honey Cake
The weight of the cake – 3.5 kg, d=20-22 cm, h=12-15 cm

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

TIP
• For a beautiful final coating, press the icing scraper firmly
against the cake at right angle and quickly rotate the turntable.

7. Put the cake coated with the finishing layer of the buttercream in
the fridge for 2-3 hours.

8. Slightly heat the salted butter caramel until it is warm and runny,
then transfer it to a piping bag.

9. Pipe the caramel over the edges of the cake to get beautiful drips.

10. Slightly heat the caramel again and spread it over the top of the
cake with the offset spatula. Better to do it quickly because the
caramel sets quickly.

11. Sprinkle the cake with the remaining chopped nuts and prunes
before the caramel thickens completely.

30
CHERRY VELVET VERTICAL
LAYER HONEY CAKE
The weight of the cake ~ 3.4 kg,
d=21 cm, h=13 cm
 Cherry Velvet Vertical Layer Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.4 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

DRAINED SOUR CREAM

1. Prepare the sour cream for draining:

• 600 g of sour cream 30-35% ~ 500 g of drained sour cream

• 900 g of sour cream 20-25% ~ 500 g of drained sour cream

The amount of drained sour cream obtained directly depends

on the quality and fat content of the sour cream that you have.
Therefore, it’s better to make a slightly bigger amount of the drained
sour cream, so that it is enough for making the cake.

2. Place the strainer over a deep bowl and cover it with the
cheesecloth folded 2-3 times.

3. Pour the sour cream on the cheesecloth and put it in the fridge
from 2-3 hours to one night, depending on the fat content of the
sour cream. If the sour cream is high-fat (25-30%) put it in the fridge
for 3-4 hours, and if it is low-fat (15-20%) – overnight.

BURNT HONEY

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 150 g 100%

• Honey 120 g 80%

• Water 30 g 20%

1. Put the honey into a thick-bottomed saucepan, bring it to a boil

over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and cook it until it darkens
in color and its flavor becomes more pronounced.

2. Remove the saucepan from heat, gradually add water and stir until
smooth. Divide the burnt honey into two parts: 60 g for the honey
batter and the rest for the creamy frosting. Pour it into separate
containers and leave to cool down.

33
 Cherry Velvet Vertical Layer Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.4 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

VELVET HONEY CAKE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1021 g 100%

for 6 layers 30х26 см

• Burnt honey 60 g 6%
• Honey 150 g 15%
• Sugar 150 g 15%
• Butter 82.5% 135 g 13%
• Whole eggs 200 g 19%
• Baking soda 12 g 1%
• Lemon juice 10 g 1%
• Sea salt 4g <1%
• All-purpose flour 300 g 29%

1. Combine burnt honey, regular honey, sugar and butter in a large

bowl and place it over a water bath.

2. Once the butter has melted and the mixture has warmed up
slightly, add the lightly whipped eggs, mixing with a whisk. Bring
the mixture to 65 °C / 149 °F, add baking soda, lemon juice or citric
acid, salt and mix thoroughly. The batter should foam well.

3. Remove the bowl from the water bath and add the pre-sifted flour
in 2-3 steps, stirring well each time. The batter should be smooth
and runny.

4. Draw 6 rectangles 30x26 cm on parchment paper sheets. Weigh

the batter and divide it into 6 equal parts. Spread the batter evenly
on the drawn rectangles in a thin layer (~ 165 g each), trying to fill in
the corners. Bake the cake layers for about 5-7 minutes at 170 °C /
338 °F until golden brown. The finished cake layers should be soft
and springy, like a sponge.

5. When the cake layers cool down completely, trim off the edges
to obtain strips with a long side of ~ 28 cm. Divide these strips in
half and trim the sides slightly. As a result you should get 12 strips
measuring 14x24-25 cm.

6. Turn the strips upside down with parchment paper facing up and
peel the parchment paper off, being careful not to ruin the cake
layers. Leave the strips at room temperature until assembly.

34
 Cherry Velvet Vertical Layer Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.4 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

SOUR CHERRY MARMALADE

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1075 g 100%

• Cherry puree 850 g 79%

• Sugar 210 g 20%
• Pectin NH 15 g 1%
• 12 strips of honey layers

1. Pour the cherry puree into a wide-bottomed saucepan (25 cm

in diameter or more) and heat it to a temperature of 30-35 °C /
86-41 °F, stirring constantly.

2. Then drizzle in the sugar premixed with pectin. Continuing to stir,

bring the puree to a boil, cook it for 2-3 minutes and then remove
from heat.

TIP
• If you do not have a saucepan 25-30 cm in diameter, it is better
to divide the marmalade into two batches and prepare them
separately.

3. Arrange the strips of honey layers in one or more rows on

the worktop so that it is convenient to spread the sour cherry
marmalade over their surface.

4. Weigh the hot marmalade, divide it into 12 equal parts (~ 80 g each)

and immediately, using an offset spatula, evenly apply it on 12 strips
of cake layers. Then let it cool down completely. You should work
quickly, as the marmalade will lose its fluidity as it cools down.

5. Leave the honey layers covered with sour cherry marmalade aside
until assembly.

VANILLA SOUR CREAM FROSTING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 840 g 100%

• Drained sour cream 25-30% 500 g 60%

• Whipping cream 33-36 % 260 g 31%
• Icing sugar 20 g 2%
• Burnt honey 60 g 7%
• Vanilla 1 pod

1. Put the chilled sour cream and whipping cream into the mixer bowl.

2. Add the icing sugar, the burnt honey, vanilla seeds or vanilla
paste, and whip them using a whisk attachment until the mass is
completely stable and fluffy, starting with low speed and increasing
it to maximum.
35
 Cherry Velvet Vertical Layer Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.4 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Velvet honey layers covered with marmalade

• Vanilla sour cream frosting

1. Divide the sour cream frosting into 12 equal parts (~ 68 g each).

Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting on top of the sour
cherry marmalade in an even thin layer, paying particular attention
to the edges, as it is very easy to leave them uncoated.

2. Since the honey layers are very soft, you should start assembling
the cake immediately after applying the frosting. Carefully roll the
first strip into a roll, and then wind the next 2-3 cake layers on the
previous one. The first cake layer should be rolled very carefully
and as tightly as possible so that there are no voids in the center
of the cake.

TIP
• It is better to continue assembling the vertical cake on a cake
base. To do this, place 3-4 cake layers rolled into a tight roll in
the center of the cake base and carefully wind all the remaining
strips already in a standing position.

3. Wrap the assembled cake with acetate film, put on an adjustable

cake ring, tighten it and put the cake in the fridge to stabilize for at
least 8-10 hours, preferably overnight.

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 800 g 100%

• Butter 82.5% 200 g 25%

• Cream cheese 535 g 67%
• Icing sugar 65 g 8%

1. Put the room temperature butter in the mixer bowl, add the icing
sugar. Whip them at high speed into a smooth, fluffy mass using
a paddle attachment.

2. Lower the speed to 1-2 and gradually add in the cold cream cheese
(10-12 °C / 50-54 °F). Mix until smooth.

36
 Cherry Velvet Vertical Layer Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.4 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

3. Stop the mixer, mix the buttercream with a silicone spatula, carefully
collecting it from the sides and bottom of the mixer bowl and mix it
again at low speed until a homogeneous mass is obtained.

TIP
• For a thicker layer of coating, increase the amount of all
ingredients by 1.5 times.

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Stabilized assembled cake

• Cream cheese buttercream
• Fresh cherries ~400-500 g
• Fresh cherry leaves Sufficient quantity

1. Remove the ring and the acetate film from the cake that has spent
a night in the fridge.

2. Place the cake on a turntable and apply some buttercream on it.

3. Spread the buttercream over the surface of the cake by rotating

the turntable and using an offset spatula. Try not to touch the cake
layers with the spatula as after a night of stabilization they have
become very fragile.

4. Then smooth down the sides of the cake by rotating the turntable
and using the icing scraper. Level the edges of the cake with the
offset spatula.

5. In order to get a perfectly smooth coating, the cake has to be

coated twice. Therefore, having applied the first coating, put
the cake in the fridge for 30-40 minutes so that the first layer of
coating sets.

6. Apply the second layer of the buttercream that has been kept at
room temperature (it should be soft) using the spatula. Smooth it
quickly by rotating the turntable and using the icing scraper. Put the
cake in the fridge for 15 minutes before decorating it.

7. Decorate the cake with fresh cherries and fresh cherry leaves.

37
 CHIFFON
HONEY CAKE
The weight of the cake ~ 3 kg,
d=20-22 cm, h=12-15 cm
 Chiffon Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3 kg, d=20-22 cm, h=12-15 cm

CHIFFON HONEY SPONGE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 700 g 100%

for 10 layers d=18 cm

• Whole eggs 120 g 17%

• Sugar 100 g 14%
• Honey 60 g 9%
• Refined oil 50 g 7%
• Baking soda 12 g 2%
• Citric acid 3g <1%
• All-purpose flour 300-350 g 50%
• Water 5g 1%

1. Add sugar, refined oil and honey to a bowl. Whisk slightly.

2. Cook the egg and honey mixture over a water bath at medium heat
and for about 3-5 minutes until homogeneous, constantly stirring.

3. Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot, add the
baking soda and citric acid dissolved in 1 tsp. of water. Then mix
well. The baking soda reacts with honey.

4. Reduce heat under the water bath to low. When the reaction of
honey and soda has calmed down a little (it can take from 3 to
8 minutes), add 250 g of sifted flour to the hot mixture, mix well and,
constantly stirring, cook over a water bath for another 1-2 minutes.
Then remove from heat.

5. Sift the rest of the flour (50-100 g), add to the hot mass exactly as
much as the dough intakes. Knead a soft, elastic dough.

6. Quickly divide sill warm dough into 10 pieces ~ 54 g each. Then

roll them out on parchment paper into very thin, almost translucent
layers 19-20 cm in diameter and poke with a fork.

7. Bake the layers for 3-5 minutes at 170 °C / 338 °F until

golden brown.

8. Immediately after baking quickly cut the circles with a diameter of

18 cm out of still very hot layers.

40
 Chiffon Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3 kg, d=20-22 cm, h=12-15 cm

BERRY CONFIT

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 576 g 100%

• Bilberries 320 g 55%

• Blackberries 130 g 23%
• Sugar 120 g 21%
• Pectin NH Sosa 6g 1%

1. Put the bilberries and blackberries (fresh or frozen) in a saucepan

and heat over low heat. If you use fresh berries, then you should
first add 1/2 part of sugar and 1-2 tbsp. of water.

2. Constantly stirring, sprinkle the sugar mixed with pectin over the
mixture. Stirring with a spatula, bring the confit to a boil.

3. Remove from heat, transfer to a separate container and cover with

cling film in contact.

4. Let it cool slightly at room temperature and then put in the fridge
to stabilize for 5-6 hours, preferably overnight.

COCONUT GANACHE

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 350 g 100%

• White chocolate 28% 150 g 43%

• Whipping cream 33-35% 50 g 14%
• Flesh of 1 coconut 100-150 g 43%

1. In a food processor bowl process the flesh of the peeled coconut

to medium-sized shavings, adding some coconut water to it.

2. Put the coconut shavings that you’ve got and the whipping cream
in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until very hot, but do not
bring to a boil.

3. Pour the hot whipping cream with coconut flakes in a bowl with
slightly melted white chocolate, leave for a couple of minutes and
mix thoroughly until homogeneous.

4. Cover the ready ganache with cling film in contact, let it cool slightly
at room temperature and put in the fridge to stabilize for 4-6 hours,
better overnight.

41
 Chiffon Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3 kg, d=20-22 cm, h=12-15 cm

DRAINED SOUR CREAM

1. Prepare the sour cream for draining:

• 700 g of sour cream 30-35% ~ 600 g of drained sour cream

• 1000 g of sour cream 20-25% ~ 600 g of drained sour cream

The amount of drained sour cream obtained directly depends

on the quality and fat content of the sour cream that you have.
Therefore, it’s better to make a slightly bigger amount of the drained
sour cream, so that it is enough for making the cake.

2. Place the strainer over a deep bowl and cover it with the
cheesecloth folded 2-3 times.

3. Pour the sour cream on the cheesecloth and put it in the fridge
from 2-3 hours to one night, depending on the fat content of the
sour cream. If the sour cream is high-fat (25-30%) put it in the fridge
for 3-4 hours, and if it is low-fat (15-20%) – overnight.

SOUR CREAM FROSTING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 670 g 100%

• Drained sour cream 25-30% 600 g 91%

• Icing sugar 60 g 8%
• Vanilla paste / vanilla 10 g / 1 pod 1%

1. Put the drained sour cream in a cold mixer bowl. The sour cream
should be of a high fat content and well chilled (at least after a night
in the fridge).

2. Add icing sugar, seeds of 1 vanilla pod or vanilla paste and whip
until stiff peaks.

42
 Chiffon Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3 kg, d=20-22 cm, h=12-15 cm

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Baked sponge layers

• Sour cream frosting
• Berry confit
• Coconut ganache

1. Divide the sour cream frosting into 9 parts ~ 70-75 g each, the
berry confit - into 5 parts ~ 100-110 g each and the coconut
ganache - into 4 parts ~ 70 g each.

2. Apply some frosting over the center of a round cake base, put the
first layer on it. Press it slightly and apply 1/9 of the frosting. Spread
it evenly over the surface with the offset spatula. Then apply a thin
layer of 1/4 part coconut ganache on its top.

3. Place the second layer on top, press it slightly and again apply 1/9 of
the frosting, forming a small border and not reaching the edge by
0.5 cm. Put 1/5 of the berry confit inside and spread evenly with the
offset spatula over the entire surface of the layer.

4. Place the next layer on top. Thus, alternating layers, assemble the
cake to the end.

5. Wrap the assembled cake with the acetate film, put on an

adjustable cake ring and tighten it. Put a matching size thin round
cake base on the top of the cake. Press it very gently until the
frosting comes out. It will mean that you have pressed all the air
bubbles out of the cake, and now it will stabilize well.

6. Put the assembled cake in the fridge to stabilize for 3-4 hours,
preferably overnight.

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 600 g 100%

• Cream cheese 400 g 67%

• Butter 82.5% 150 g 25%
• Icing sugar 50 g 8%

1. Put the butter of room temperature in the mixer bowl, add icing
sugar and whip with the whisk attachment at medium or maximum
speed until a fluffy light mass is obtained.

43
 Chiffon Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3 kg, d=20-22 cm, h=12-15 cm

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

2. Switch the speed to medium and gradually add the cold cream
cheese. Do not overbeat the buttercream, it should be smooth and
homogeneous.

3. Before coating the cake, stir the buttercream with a spatula to

remove the excess air and make it smoother.

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Cooled-down assembled cake

• Cream cheese buttercream
• Fresh blueberries and blackberries
• Сoconut flakes for decoration

1. Remove the ring and the acetate film from the cake that has spent
a night in the fridge.

2. Place the cake on the turntable and apply some buttercream on it.

3. Spread the buttercream over the surface of the cake by rotating

the turntable and using the offset spatula.

4. Then smooth down the sides of the cake by rotating the turntable
and using the icing scraper.

5. In order to get a perfectly smooth coating, the cake has to be

coated twice. Therefore, having applied the first coating, put
the cake in the fridge for 30-35 minutes so that the first layer of
coating sets.

6. Apply the second layer of the buttercream that has been kept at
room temperature (it should be soft) using the spatula. And smooth
it quickly by rotating the turntable and using the icing scraper.

TIP
• For a beautiful final coating, press the icing scraper firmly
against the cake at right angle and quickly rotate the turntable.

7. Put the cake coated with the finishing layer of the buttercream in
the fridge for 2-3 hours.

8. Decorate the ready cake with blueberries, blackberries and

coconut flakes.

44
CLASSIC CHOCOLATE
HONEY CAKE
The weight of the cake ~ 2,5 kg,
d= 20-22 cm, h=15 cm
 Classic Chocolate Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 2,5 kg, d= 20-22 cm, h=15 cm

CHOCOLATE HONEY CAKE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1040 g 100%

for 12 layers d=20 cm

• Whole eggs 120 g 11%

• Sugar 150 g 14%
• Honey 150 g 14%
• Butter 82.5% 110 g 10%
• Milk 50 g 4%
• Baking soda 10 g 1%
• Salt 5g <1%
• Cocoa powder 65 g 6%
• All-purpose flour 380 g 39%

1. In a large bowl, slightly whip the eggs with sugar using a whisk.

2. Add honey, diced butter, milk, baking soda and salt. Whip lightly
again with the whisk.

3. Put the bowl over the water bath with simmering water. Stirring
constantly, cook until the butter and honey with sugar are
completely dissolved. A lush foam should form and the mass
should increase 1.5 times. It usually takes about 5-8 minutes.

4. Remove the bowl from the water bath. Prepare dry ingredients:
sift cocoa powder and flour into a separate bowl and mix with
the whisk.

5. Add dry ingredients to the bowl with liquid ingredients and mix
gently with a spatula until homogeneous. Leave the ready dough
for 10-15 minutes so that it stops sticking to your hands.

TIP
• Turn off the mixer, remove the bowl and add the mixture of dry
ingredients to it. Gently fold them in with the whisk and only
then mix in a mixer until a homogeneous texture. The ready
batter should be runny and slightly warm. You should work with
it quickly, because as it cools, the butter hardens and the batter
becomes thicker.

6. The weight of the ready batter is 1580 g and its quantity is enough
for making 16-18 sponge layers 15x30 cm.

7. Pour the batter on the baking tray and spread it in a thin layer with
the offset spatula.

TIP
• If after a few minutes the dough is still very sticky, sift 50 g
of flour and add exactly as much as the dough can easily
incorporate, no more.
47
 Classic Chocolate Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 2,5 kg, d= 20-22 cm, h=15 cm

CHOCOLATE HONEY CAKE LAYERS

8. Sprinkle the working surface with flour and use a scraper to

transfer the dough on it. The dough may still be warm and therefore
slightly sticky.

9. Divide the ready slightly warm dough into 12 equal parts (~ 85-90 g
each). Shape them into balls and set aside.

10. Roll each ball of dough on a parchment paper sheet into a thin layer
22-23 cm in diameter. If the dough sticks to the rolling pin, you can
sprinkle it and the dough with flour.

11. Poke the rolled dough with a fork and bake for about 4-5 minutes in
a preheated oven at 170-180 °C / 338-356 °F.

12. Immediately after baking, quickly cut the circles with a diameter of
20 cm out of the very hot layers. Grind the leftovers into crumbs.
Baked layers can be stored for several days at room temperature,
wrapped in cling film.

DRAINED SOUR CREAM

1. Prepare the sour cream for draining:

• 950 g of sour cream 30-35% ~ 850 g of drained sour cream

• 1250 g of sour cream 20-25% ~ 850 g of drained sour cream

The amount of drained sour cream obtained directly depends

on the quality and fat content of the sour cream that you have.
Therefore, it’s better to make a slightly bigger amount of the drained
sour cream, so that it is enough for making the cake.

2. Place the strainer over a deep bowl and cover it with the
cheesecloth folded 2-3 times.

3. Pour the sour cream on the cheesecloth and put it in the fridge
from 2-3 hours to one night, depending on the fat content of the
sour cream. If the sour cream is high-fat (25-30%) put it in the fridge
for 3-4 hours, and if it is low-fat (15-20%) – overnight.

48
 Classic Chocolate Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 2,5 kg, d= 20-22 cm, h=15 cm

SOUR CREAM FROSTING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1160 g 100%

• Drained sour cream 30% 650 g 56%

• Whipping cream 33-36% 350 g 30%
• Icing sugar 150 g 13%
• Vanilla 1 pod <1%

1. Put the well-chilled whipping cream and drained sour cream into
the mixer bowl.

2. Add the icing sugar, vanilla seeds and whip with the whisk
attachment first at minimum and then at maximum speed until
a fluffy, light and absolutely stable mass is formed.

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Baked sponge layers

• Sour cream frosting

1. Apply some frosting in the center of a round cake base, put the first
layer on it and press slightly.

2. Apply 1/11 of the frosting (~ 105 g) on its top. Spread it evenly over
the entire surface of the layer using an offset spatula, rotating the
turntable. Do not reach the edges of the cake by ~ 0.5-1 cm. Thus,
assemble the cake to the end.

3. Wrap the assembled cake with the acetate film tightly, put on an
adjustable cake ring and tighten it. Put a matching size thin round
cake base on the top of the cake and press it to get rid of the air
bubbles and to level the cake.

TIP
• You may put a weight on the top of the cake and put it in the
fridge for 2-3 hours. After that the weight has to be removed
and the cake should stay in the fridge for another 3-4 hours,
preferably overnight.

49
 Classic Chocolate Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 2,5 kg, d= 20-22 cm, h=15 cm

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 330 g 100%

• Cream cheese 100 g 30%

• Drained sour cream 30% 200 g 61%
• Icing sugar 30 g 9%

1. Put well-chilled drained sour cream, cream cheese or mascarpone

into the mixer bowl and add the icing sugar.

2. Whip at low speed until smooth texture.

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Cooled-down assembled cake

• Cream cheese buttercream
• Chocolate and honey sponge layer crumbs

1. Remove the ring and the acetate film from the cake that has spent
a night in the fridge.

2. Place the cake on the turntable and apply some buttercream on it.
Then spread it over the surface of the cake using the offset spatula.

3. Then smooth down the sides of the cake by rotating the turntable
and using the icing scraper. It is not necessary to smooth the cake
too carefully, one layer of coating is enough.

TIP
• For a beautiful coating, press the icing scraper firmly against
the cake at right angle and quickly rotate the turntable.

4. Decorate the coated cake immediately, while the buttercream is

still soft, applying the chocolate and honey sponge layer crumbs.

5. Decorate the cake with chocolate if desired.

50
 CLASSIC
HONEY CAKE
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg,
d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm
 Classic Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 2.5 kg, d=23-24 cm, h=15 cm

HONEY SPONGE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1128 g 100%

for 10 layers d=22 cm

• Whole eggs 180 g 16%

• Butter 82.5% 120 g 11%
• Sugar 220 g 20%
• Honey 100 g 9%
• Baking soda 8g <1%
• All-purpose flour 500 g 44%

1. In a saucepan, slightly whip the eggs with sugar using a whisk.

2. Add butter, honey and baking soda to the egg and sugar mixture,
slightly stir and cook over medium heat, constantly stirring. The
baking soda will react with honey. The mass will foam and increase
in volume.

3. Remove the foaming mixture from heat and add sifted flour. Knead
the dough with a spoon and set it aside for 10-15 minutes.

4. Shape the slightly cooled honey dough into a ball, wrap it with cling
film and put in the fridge for 15-30 minutes.

TIP
• For faster cooling, transfer the dough into a flat, wide container
and cover it with cling film.

5. Sprinkle the dough with the flour, weigh it and divide into 10 equal
parts (~100-110 g each), shape each of them into a small ball.

6. Roll out each ball of dough on a sheet of parchment paper into a

thin layer about 23-24 cm in diameter. Poke with a fork.

7. Bake for about 5 minutes at 170 °C / 338 °F until golden brown.

8. While the layers are still hot after baking, quickly cut the circles
d=22 cm out of them. Turn the leftovers into crumbs.

53
 Classic Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 2.5 kg, d=23-24 cm, h=15 cm

SOUR CREAM FROSTING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1330 g 100%

• Sour cream 25-35% 800 g 60%

• Whipping cream 33-36% 400 g 30%
• Icing sugar 120 g 9%
• Vanilla extract 9g 1%

1. Pour the sour cream with high fat content (25-35%) and the
whipping cream (33-36%) into the mixer bowl. Add icing sugar
and vanilla extract. Whip at low speed first, to mix powder and liquid
ingredients, and then at high speed until the peaks form.

TIP
• Use cold sour cream and whipping cream that have spent a
night in the refrigerator at ~ 4 °C / 39 °F to get the mixture that
whips well.

2. The ready cream is very stable, but at the same time fluffy and airy.
Transfer it to a separate container. Now you can start assembling
the cake.

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Baked sponge layers

• Sour cream frosting

1. Apply some frosting on the center of the cake base, place the first
sponge layer and press slightly.

2. Then apply 1/9 of the frosting (~ 140 g) on its top. Spread it evenly
over the entire surface of the layer using an offset spatula. You
may leave some space at the edges of the layer, ~ 0.5 cm. Thus,
assemble the cake till the end.

3. Wrap the cake with acetate film tightly. Then put on an adjustable
cake ring for assembling. Press the cake carefully with your hand
to get rid of hollows and air pockets inside the cake, as well as to
flatten it.

TIP
• You may put a weight on the top of the cake and put it in the
fridge for 2-3 hours. After that the weight has to be removed
and the cake should stay in the fridge for another 3-4 hours,
preferably overnight.
54
 Classic Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 2.5 kg, d=23-24 cm, h=15 cm

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 600 g 100%

• Cream cheese 400 g 67%

• Butter 82.5% 150 g 25%
• Icing sugar 50 g 8%

1. Put the butter of room temperature in the mixer bowl, add icing
sugar and whip with the whisk attachment at medium or maximum
speed until a fluffy light mass is obtained.

2. Switch the speed to medium and gradually add the cold cream
cheese. Do not overbeat the buttercream, it should be smooth
and homogeneous.

3. Before coating the cake, stir the buttercream with a spatula to

remove the excess air and make it smoother.

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Cooled-down assembled cake

• Cream cheese buttercream
• Honey sponge layer crumbs

1. Remove the ring and the acetate film from the cake that has spent
a night in the fridge.

2. Place the cake on the turntable and spread the buttercream over
the surface of the cake with the offset spatula.

3. Then smooth down the sides of the cake by rotating the turntable
and using the icing scraper. It is not necessary to smooth down
the cake too carefully, one layer of coating is enough.

TIP
• For a beautiful final coating, press the icing scraper firmly
against the cake at right angle and quickly rotate the turntable.

4. Decorate the coated cake immediately, while the buttercream is

still soft, with honey sponge layer crumbs.

55
COFFEE, TOFFEE AND
PECAN HONEY CAKE
The weight of the cake ~ 3.3 kg,
d=20 cm, h=15 cm
 Coffee, Toffee and Pecan Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.3 kg, d=20 cm, h=15 cm

DRAINED SOUR CREAM

1. Prepare the sour cream for draining:

• 550 g of sour cream 30-35% ~ 435 g of drained sour cream

• 900 g of sour cream 20-25% ~ 435 g of drained sour cream

The amount of drained sour cream obtained directly depends

on the quality and fat content of the sour cream that you have.
Therefore, it’s better to make a slightly bigger amount of the drained
sour cream, so that it is enough for making the cake.

2. Place the strainer over a deep bowl and cover it with the
cheesecloth folded 2-3 times.

3. Pour the sour cream on the cheesecloth and put it in the fridge
from 2-3 hours to one night, depending on the fat content of the
sour cream. If the sour cream is high-fat (25-30%) put it in the fridge
for 3-4 hours, and if it is low-fat (15-20%) – overnight.

CHOCOLATE HONEY CAKE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 988 g 100%

for 10 layers d=20 cm

• Butter 82% 90 g 9%
• Sugar 150 g 15%
• Honey 100 g 10%
• Baking soda 12 g 1%
• Citric acid 2g <1%
• Whole eggs 180 g 18%
• Sea salt 4g <1%
• Cocoa powder 50 g 5%
• Flour 9-10.5% protein 350-400 g 40%

1. Put sugar, honey and butter in a big metal bowl and then slightly
mix the ingredients.

2. Put the bowl over a water bath and cook the mixture until butter
and honey melt and the mixture reaches 65-75 °C / 149-167 °F.

3. Take the bowl off the heat and add the citric acid and baking soda.
The mixture should foam and increase in volume. If it doesn’t foam,
return the bowl back to the water bath and continue heating and
mixing the mass until the foam appears.

4. Slightly beat the eggs with salt and, actively mixing the mixture with
a whisk, add the eggs to the hot mixture.

58
 Coffee, Toffee and Pecan Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.3 kg, d=20 cm, h=15 cm

CHOCOLATE HONEY CAKE LAYERS

5. In a separate bowl mix together the all-purpose flour and the

cocoa powder.

6. Add the dry ingredients into the mixture in a few steps. First, add
approximately 1/3 of the flour and mix it using a whisk. Then add
the second batch of dry ingredients and this time mix the mass
with a spoon. While adding the last portion of dry ingredients, be
very careful, because the dough might take less flour than it is said
in the recipe.

7. Let the finished dough rest for about 15-20 minutes at room
temperature, then shape it into a ball, slightly dusting it with some
flour, if needed.

8. Weigh the dough and divide it into ten even parts (~ 93 g each),
then form balls out of them. Roll each ball on a sheet of parchment
paper into a thin layer d=21-22 cm, prick with a fork and bake in the
oven for about 3-5 minutes at 170-180 °С / 338-356 °F.

9. Cut the circles d=20 cm out of the still warm baked layers using a
cake ring and a sharp knife. The honey layers can be wrapped in
cling film and stored for 3-5 days at room temperature.

TOFFEE FILLING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 617 g 100%

• Sugar 200 g 33%

• Glucose syrup 30 g 2%
• Whipping cream 33-36% 220 g 37%
• Sea salt 0.5-1.5 g <1%
• Butter 82% 165 g 28%

1. Pour the cream into a small saucepan and heat it up to a

temperature of 90 °C / 194 °F, but do not boil it. Then take it off
the heat.

2. Pour the sugar into a big saucepan and add the glucose syrup.
Heat the sugar over high heat until it melts, shaking the saucepan
from time to time, without mixing the sugar.

3. Deglaze the dry caramel by slowly adding the hot cream in,
constantly mixing with a spatula.

4. Take the saucepan off the heat and add salt.

59
 Coffee, Toffee and Pecan Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.3 kg, d=20 cm, h=15 cm

TOFFEE FILLING

5. Set the caramel aside to let it cool down to 60 °C / 140 °F and only
then add the soft butter (14-16 °C / 57-61 °F). Mix the ingredients
until homogeneous.

6. Pour the finished toffee into a separate container, cover it with cling
film touching the surface and put it in the fridge to stabilize.

CARAMELIZED PECANS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 377 g 100%

• Pecan nuts 180 g 48%

• Glucose syrup 75 g 20%
• Butter 82% 75 g 20%
• Sugar 45 g 12%
• Pectin NH 2g <1%

1. Coarsely chop the nuts and slightly roast them in the oven for
3-5 minutes at 150 °C / 302 °F.

2. Add the soft butter into a saucepan together with the glucose
syrup and heat them to 40-45 °C / 104-113 °F over medium heat.

3. Meanwhile, mix the pectin with sugar and then gradually drizzle it
into a saucepan.

4. Add the roasted nuts to the boiling mixture, slightly mix it and take
the saucepan off the heat.

5. Transfer the nuts coated with caramel glaze onto a silicone mat,
spread them in an even layer and bake at 170 °С / 338 °F for
10-15 minutes until golden-brown.

6. Let the roasted caramelized pecans cool down at room

temperature and then break them into separate pieces.

60
 Coffee, Toffee and Pecan Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.3 kg, d=20 cm, h=15 cm

COFFEE SOUR CREAM FROSTING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1402 g 100%

• Whipping cream 33-36% 430 g 31%

• Freshly ground coffee 28 g 2%
• Mascarpone 395 g 28%
• Drained sour cream 30% 435 g 31%
• Icing sugar 110 g 8%
• Vanilla extract 4g <1%

1. Pour the cream in a saucepan, add freshly ground coffee and put it
over medium heat. While stirring occasionally, heat up the mixture,
but do not boil it.

2. Pour the cream into a separate container, then cover it with cling
film touching the surface and put it in the fridge overnight to infuse.

3. Strain the coffee infused cream through a few layers of

cheesecloth to get rid of the coffee particles.

4. Add the drained sour cream, Mascarpone and coffee infused

cream into a mixer bowl. Add the icing sugar and vanilla paste,
then whip them with a whisk attachment first at slow speed, slowly
increasing it to maximum, until a very fluffy and completely stable
mass is formed.

TIP
• If you didn’t infuse the cream with coffee overnight, use the
regular whipping cream and add 5-6 g of instant coffee to it.

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Baked chocolate honey cake layers

• Coffee sour cream frosting
• Toffee filling
• Caramelized pecans

1. Transfer the toffee filling into a piping bag. Then put 200 g of
frosting into another piping bag and make a cut 1-1.5 cm in width.

2. Apply some frosting to the center of a round cake base and put the
first honey layer on it. Press it slightly and apply 120 g of coffee sour
cream frosting on top. Spread the frosting evenly over the surface
of the honey layer with the offset spatula, creating an even layer.

61
 Coffee, Toffee and Pecan Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.3 kg, d=20 cm, h=15 cm

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

3. Cover it with the second sponge layer, press it down slightly and
pipe a border of frosting over it using a piping bag. Put 1/4 part of
caramelized pecans inside. Then pipe 1/4 part of the toffee filling
(~125 g) over the nuts spiral-wise. Cover it with 100 g of frosting.
Spread the frosting in an even layer over the toffee filling using an
offset spatula.

4. In such a way, assemble the cake until the end, alternating layers
with frosting and layers with caramelized pecans, toffee filling
and frosting.

5. Put the last cake layer on top and check the edges: they should be
at the same level.

6. Wrap the assembled cake with the acetate film, put on an

adjustable cake ring h=15 cm and tighten it.

7. Put a matching size thin round cake base on the top of the cake.
Press it very gently to get rid of the air bubbles inside the cake.

8. Put the assembled cake for 10-12 hours in the fridge to stabilize.

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 841 g 100%

• Butter 82% 200 g 24%

• Cream cheese 560 g 66%
• Icing sugar 75 g 9%
• Instant espresso 6g 1%

1. Put the room temperature butter in the mixer bowl, add the icing
sugar. Whip at high speed until smooth and fluffy.

2. Reduce speed to medium and gradually introduce cold cream

cheese (10-12 °C / 50-54 °F). Whip until smooth at 2-3 speed.

3. Stop the mixer, mix the buttercream with silicone spatula, carefully
collecting it from the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add instant
coffee and whip again at medium or low speed for a few minutes
until smooth.

62
 Coffee, Toffee and Pecan Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.3 kg, d=20 cm, h=15 cm

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Stabilized assembled cake

• Cream cheese buttercream
• Grapeseed oil 15 g
• Dark chocolate Valrhona Equatoriale Noire 55% 80 g
• Caramelized pecans 150 g

1. Remove the ring and the acetate film from the cake that has spent
a night in the fridge.

2. Place the cake on a turntable and apply some cream cheese

buttercream on it.

3. Spread the buttercream over the surface of the cake by rotating

the turntable and using an offset spatula. Try not to touch the cake
layers with the spatula as after a night of stabilization they have
become very fragile. While covering the top of the cake make sure
that you put enough buttercream on the edges, otherwise the
coating might not look uniform after smoothing.

4. Then smooth down the sides of the cake by rotating the turntable
and using the icing scraper. Level the edges of the cake with the
offset spatula.

5. In order to get a perfectly smooth coating, the cake has to be

coated twice. Therefore, having applied the first layer of coating,
put the cake in the fridge for 30-40 minutes so that the first layer
of coating sets.

6. Apply the second layer of the buttercream that has been kept
at room temperature (it should be soft) using the offset spatula.
And smooth it quickly by rotating the turntable and using the
icing scraper. Put the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes before
decorating it.

7. Combine melted dark chocolate and grapeseed oil. The

temperature of the chocolate glaze should be 27-30 °C / 81-86 °F.
Pour the glaze into a pastry bag and make chocolate drips along
the edge of the cake. While applying the chocolate glaze make sure
that the drips are made with different pressure so at the end you
receive a beautiful rhythmic décor.

8. Then cover the top of the cake with the rest of the glaze.

9. Decorate the cake with caramelized pecans, arranging them in

a circle.

63
MILK SLICE HONEY CAKE
The weight of the cake ~ 2.6 kg.
The size of the cake - 30х20х7-8 cm
 Milk Slice Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 2.6 kg. The size of the cake - 30х20х7-8 cm

DRAINED SOUR CREAM

1. Prepare the sour cream for draining:

• 400 g of sour cream 30-35% ~ 300 g of drained sour cream

• 700 g of sour cream 20-25% ~ 300 g of drained sour cream

The amount of drained sour cream obtained directly depends

on the quality and fat content of the sour cream that you have.
Therefore, it’s better to make a slightly bigger amount of the drained
sour cream, so that it is enough for making the cake.

2. Place the strainer over a deep bowl and cover it with the
cheesecloth folded 2-3 times.

3. Pour the sour cream on the cheesecloth and put it in the fridge
from 2-3 hours to one night, depending on the fat content of the
sour cream. If the sour cream is high-fat (25-30%) put it in the fridge
for 3-4 hours, and if it is low-fat (15-20%) – overnight.

CHOCOLATE HONEY CAKE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1142 g 100%

for 5 layers 30х20 cm

• Honey 160 g 15%

• Sugar 200 g 18%
• Whole eggs 60 g 5%
• Butter 82.5% 100 g 9%
• Milk 60 g 5%
• Sea salt 4g <1%
• Baking soda 8g 1%
• Cocoa powder 50 g 4%
• All-purpose flour 450-500 g 43%

1. Combine honey, sugar, eggs and butter in a large bowl, then stir.

2. Pour in milk and put the bowl over a water bath. Cook the mass,
stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved and
the mixture reaches 65-70 °C / 149-158 °F.

3. Remove the bowl from the water bath, add salt and stir the mixture.

4. Sift the flour with the cocoa powder and soda, and gradually
add to liquid ingredients. Mix well with a spoon until you get an
elastic dough.

5. Let the finished dough rest for about 5-10 minutes at room
temperature, then shape it into a ball.

66
 Milk Slice Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 2.6 kg. The size of the cake - 30х20х7-8 cm

CHOCOLATE HONEY CAKE LAYERS

6. Weigh the dough and divide it into 4 equal pieces (~275 g

each). Roll out each piece on a sheet of parchment paper into a
rectangular layer 2-3 mm thick, measuring approximately 32x22 cm,
but bear in mind that you should have some leftovers to roll the fifth
cake layer out of them. When four layers have been rolled out, check
their size with the help of a ruler and trimm the leftovers with a knife.
Then use the leftovers to shape and roll out the last, fifth, cake layer
measuring 32x22 cm.

7. Prick the honey layers with a fork and bake them in the oven
preheated to 170 °C / 338 °F for about 5-7 minutes.

8. Cut out the rectangles measuring 30x20 cm from the still warm
honey layers and cool them down at room temperature. The
finished cake layers can be stored either at room temperature or in
the fridge for a few days if wrapped in cling film. The shelf life in the
freezer is about 2 months.

MASCARPONE SOUR CREAM FROSTING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1402 g 100%

• Whipping cream 33-36% 450 g 32%

• Mascarpone cheese 400 g 28%
• Drained sour cream 30% 300 g 21%
• Cream cheese 200 g 14%
• Icing sugar 50 g 4%
• Vanilla paste 1-2 g 1%

1. Put the well-chilled whipping cream, mascarpone, cream cheese

and drained sour cream in the mixer bowl.

2. Add the icing sugar and vanilla paste (vanilla extract or vanilla
seeds) and whip with a whisk attachment until smooth and thick,
first at low speed, gradually increasing it to maximum.

67
 Milk Slice Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 2.6 kg. The size of the cake - 30х20х7-8 cm

CHOCOLATE ICING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 192 g 100%

• Milk chocolate 120 g 63%

Valrhona Jivara 40%
• Butter 82.5% 60 g 31%
• Grapeseed oil 12 g 6%

1. Thoroughly mix together the melted milk chocolate, the melted

butter and the grapeseed oil with a silicone spatula.

2. Before use, heat the icing to 40 °C / 104 °F.

ASSEMBLING AND COATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Baked honey layers

• Mascarpone sour cream frosting
• Chocolate icing

1. Place a cake base measuring 40x30 cm on a turntable. Apply

some frosting on the center of the cake base with the help of an
offset spatula. Put the first cake layer, press lightly and apply 1/4 of
the frosting (about ~350 g) on top.

2. Cover with the second cake layer, press lightly and apply the
second portion of the frosting on top, spreading it evenly over the
entire surface of the cake layer. Then cover it with the third layer,
and, in such a way, assemble the cake to the end. Using the offset
spatula, smooth the sides of the cake.

3. Wrap the cake with the acetate film 10 cm wide. Make sure that
the bottom line of the acetate film touches the cake board, not
the bottom layer of the cake. Put on an adjustable cake frame, use
binders to fix the position of the adjustable cake frame, and gently
press down on top of the cake with your hand, removing excess air.

4. Put the assembled cake in the fridge for 10-12 hours, better
overnight, to stabilize.

5. When the cake has stabilized, heat the chocolate icing to 40 °C /

104 °F and pour it on top of the cake without unmolding it.

6. Leave the coated cake at room temperature until the surface of

chocolate icing turns matt. After that, put the cake in the fridge so
that the chocolate icing sets completely.
68
 Milk Slice Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 2.6 kg. The size of the cake - 30х20х7-8 cm

DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Stabilized, assembled and coated cake

• Dark chocolate Valrhona Caraibe 66% 200 g

1. Take the finished cake out of the fridge and remove the binders.

2. Melt the dark chocolate, transfer it into a piping bag and apply a
criss-cross pattern over the chocolate icing. Then put the cake
into the fridge to let the chocolate décor set.

3. Unmold the cake and peel off the acetate film. Trim the edges of
the cake and then cut it into six individual cakes 6x13 cm using a
warm knife.

69
 MINT AND LIME
HONEY CAKE
The weight of the cake ~4-4,2 kg,
d=20-21 cm, h=15 cm
 Mint and Lime Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~4-4,2 kg, d=20-21 cm, h=15 cm

MINT PASTE

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 200 g 100%

• Lime or lemon juice 45 g 23%

• Sugar 35 g 18%
• Glucose syrup 20 g 10%
• Mint leaves 100 g 50%

1. Put mint leaves, lime or lemon juice, sugar and glucose syrup in the
food processor bowl. Process them with pulses until you have a
texture of the paste.

2. Then rub the paste through a sieve. Store it in a jar in the fridge for
about 5-6 days. If you need a longer storage period, it is better to
freeze it.

MINT POWDER

Ingredients

• Dried mint

1. Tear off the leaves from the mint sprigs, put them in a coffee grinder
and process thoroughly.

2. Sift the powder you obtained through a very fine sieve. Store it in a
hermetic bag in a cool dry place.

HONEY AND MINT CAKE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1130 g 100%

for 13 layers d=20 cm

• Honey 130 g 12%

• Sugar 150 g 13%
• Butter 82.5% 100 g 9%
• Baking soda 12 g 1%
• Whole eggs 180 g 16%
• All-purpose flour 500-550 g 48%
• Mint powder / mint paste 8g <1%

1. Combine sugar, butter and honey in a saucepan. Put over low heat
and, stirring constantly, wait until the sugar completely dissolves.

2. Meanwhile, whisk the very cold eggs in a separate container.

72
 Mint and Lime Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~4-4,2 kg, d=20-21 cm, h=15 cm

HONEY AND MINT CAKE LAYERS

3. As soon as the butter and honey have melted and the sugar has
dissolved, add baking soda to the saucepan and mix well. When
the mass has foamed, remove it from heat and let it cool slightly.

4. Mixing actively and quickly with the whisk, add the very cold eggs
to the slightly cooled mixture.

5. Add the mint powder or the mint paste and stir until homogeneous.

6. Add 500 g of sifted flour, mix with the spatula and leave the dough
to rest for 15-20 minutes.

7. Then shape the cooled dough into a ball using a scraper and
divide it into 13 equal parts (~ 80 g each). Add another 50 g flour
if necessary.

8. Roll each part of dough on parchment paper into a circle

d=22-23 cm. Constantly rotate the parchment in different directions
in order to get an even circle.

9. Poke the layers with a fork and bake for 3-5 minutes at a
temperature of 170-180 °C / 338-356 °F until light golden brown.

10. While the layers are still hot, right after baking cut out the circles
20 cm in diameter with a cake ring.

TIP
• If you do not assemble the cake on the same day, store the
layers wrapped in cling film, which will protect them from high
humidity and intaking smells. Before wrapping the layers in
plastic, make sure they are completely cool and absolutely
not sticky.

73
 Mint and Lime Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~4-4,2 kg, d=20-21 cm, h=15 cm

MINT AND LIME CURD

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 746 g 100%

• Sugar 195 g 26%

• Water 50 g 7%
• Mint leaves 150 g 20%
• Lime juice 70 g 9%
• Egg yolks 85 g 11%
• Butter 82.5% 180 g 24%
• Corn starch 10 g 1%
• Zest of 2 limes 6g <1%

1. Slightly chop the mint leaves with the knife. Then transfer them to
the food processor bowl and process with impulses well until the
state of the puree.

2. Meanwhile, pour the sugar into a saucepan, add the water, add
50 g of lime juice and put the mixture over medium heat, stirring
from time to time until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove
the saucepan from heat.

3. Add chopped mint leaves, butter, zest of two limes and yolks to hot
syrup. Mix slightly with a spatula or a whisk.

4. Dissolve the starch in the remaining lime juice and add it to the rest
of the ingredients in a saucepan, stir with a spatula.

5. Then put the mixture over low heat and, stirring constantly, cook
until it thickens.

6. Rub the ready hot curd through a sieve and then cover it with cling
film in contact.

7. Cool it down to room temperature and then put in the fridge

overnight to stabilize.

74
 Mint and Lime Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~4-4,2 kg, d=20-21 cm, h=15 cm

DRAINED SOUR CREAM

1. Prepare the sour cream for draining:

• 550 g of sour cream 30-35% ~ 450 g of drained sour cream

• 850 g of sour cream 20-25% ~ 450 g of drained sour cream

The amount of drained sour cream obtained directly depends

on the quality and fat content of the sour cream that you have.
Therefore, it’s better to make a slightly bigger amount of the drained
sour cream, so that it is enough for making the cake.

2. Place the strainer over a deep bowl and cover it with the
cheesecloth folded 2-3 times.

3. Pour the sour cream on the cheesecloth and put it in the fridge
from 2-3 hours to one night, depending on the fat content of the
sour cream. If the sour cream is high-fat (25-30%) put it in the fridge
for 3-4 hours, and if it is low-fat (15-20%) – overnight.

MINT FROSTING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1305 g 100%

• Drained sour cream 30% 450 g 34%

• Whipping cream 33-36% 400 g 31%
• Cream cheese 350 g 27%
• Icing sugar 100 g 7%
• Mint powder / mint paste 4g <1%
• Food colorant Mint Green 2-3 drops

1. Put the drained sour cream, cream cheese and whipping cream
into the mixer bowl. Add icing sugar, mint powder or mint paste.
If desired, add a few drops of Mint Green or any green colorant.

TIP
• Use well-chilled sour cream and whipping cream that have
spent a night in the fridge at ~ 4 °C / 39 °F, so that the mixture
whipps well.

2. In the beginning whip the frosting at low, and then at maximum

speed until a fluffy homogeneous thick and stable mass is formed.

75
 Mint and Lime Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~4-4,2 kg, d=20-21 cm, h=15 cm

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Baked sponge layers

• Mint frosting
• Mint and lime curd

1. Weigh the mint-lime curd and divide it into 6 equal portions (~ 70 g

each). Transfer the first portion into a small pastry bag and tip it off
by ~ 0.5 cm.

2. Weigh the mint frosting and divide it into 12 portions ~ 100 g each.

3. Apply some frosting over the center of a round cake base, put the
first layer on it. Press it slightly and apply 1/12 of the frosting. Spread
the frosting evenly over the surface of the sponge layer with the
offset spatula.

4. Cover it with the second sponge layer, press it down slightly and
again apply a portion of the frosting on it, forming the borders.

5. Then, using a pastry bag, apply 1/6 of the curd on the frosting spiral-
wise, stepping back from the edge by ~ 2.0-2.5 cm.

6. Cover it with the third layer and press down lightly. If the frosting
comes out too much on the sides, use an offset spatula and
remove the excess frosting, distributing it evenly everywhere.

7. Thus, alternating the layers with frosting and frosting with curd,
assemble the cake to the end.

8. Wrap the assembled cake with the acetate film, put on an

adjustable cake ring and tighten it. Put a matching size thin round
cake base on the top of the cake. Press it very gently until the
frosting comes out. It will mean that you have pressed all the air
bubbles out of the cake, and now it will stabilize well.

TIP
• You may put a weight on the top of the cake and put it in the
fridge for 2-3 hours. After that the weight has to be removed
and the cake should stay in the fridge for another 3-4 hours,
preferably overnight.

76
 Mint and Lime Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~4-4,2 kg, d=20-21 cm, h=15 cm

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 678 g 100%

• Butter 82.5% 170 g 25%

• Cream cheese 450 g 66%
• Icing sugar 50 g 8%
• Mint powder / mint paste 8g 1%
• Food colorants Mint Green and 2 drops + 1 drop
Leaf green, Americolor (optional)

1. Put the butter of room temperature and the icing sugar in the
mixer bowl.

2. Whip them with the paddle attachment at medium speed until a

fluffy light mass is obtained.

3. Gradually add the cold cream cheese. Whip the buttercream at

low speed to prevent the air bubbles from entering the cream.

4. Once the buttercream is whipped until smooth, add the mint

powder or mint paste. You may add a few drops of green colorant
if desired.

5. Mix the buttercream until homogeneous.

COATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Cooled-down assembled cake

• Cream cheese buttercream

1. Remove the ring and the acetate film from the cake that has spent
a night in the fridge.

2. Place the cake on the turntable and apply some buttercream on it.

3. Spread the buttercream over the surface of the cake by rotating

the turntable and using the offset spatula.

4. Then smooth down the sides of the cake by rotating the turntable
and using the icing scraper.

5. In order to get a perfectly smooth coating, the cake has to be

coated twice. Therefore, having applied the first coating, put
the cake in the fridge for 30-40 minutes so that the first layer of
coating sets.
77
 Mint and Lime Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~4-4,2 kg, d=20-21 cm, h=15 cm

COATING THE CAKE

6. Apply the second layer of the buttercream that has been kept at
room temperature (it should be soft) using the spatula. And smooth
it quickly by rotating the turntable and using the icing scraper.

TIP
• For a beautiful final coating, press the icing scraper firmly
against the cake at right angle and quickly rotate the turntable.

7. Put the ready cake in the fridge for 30 minutes.

DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 90 g 100%

• Dark chocolate 75 g 83%

• Odorless vegetable oil 10-15 g 17%
• Limes
• Mint leaves

1. Melt the chocolate over a water bath and add the vegetable oil
to the desired runny consistency.

2. Mix thoroughly until smooth and let it cool slightly.

3. Pour the chocolate into a pastry bag, make a small hole in it and
decorate the cake with chocolate drips, lime slices and fresh
mint leaves.

78
ORANGE HONEY CAKE
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg,
d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm
 Orange Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg, d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm

HONEY SPONGE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 970 g 100%

for 8 layers d=20 cm

• Whole eggs 115 g 12%

• Sugar 150 g 15%
• Butter 82.5% 100 g 10%
• Honey 120 g 12%
• Baking soda 9g 1%
• Orange juice 15 g 2%
• All-purpose flour 450 g 46%
• Zest of 2 oranges 11 g 1%

1. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar thoroughly.

2. Add honey to this mixture and mix with a whisk. Then add butter,
orange juice, orange zest and baking soda and mix gently again.

3. Place the bowl over a water bath over medium heat and, stirring
from time to time, allow the butter and honey to dissolve completely
(it takes about 7-10 minutes).

4. Meanwhile, sift 150 g of flour and add it to the mixture over a water
bath as soon as the butter and honey have completely melted and
the sugar has dissolved.

5. Reduce the heat so that the water doesn’t boil, but simmers. Mix
well and cook, stirring constantly, until a smooth mass is formed (it
takes about 8-10 minutes).

6. Remove the bowl from the water bath and let it cool slightly (for
10-15 minutes).

7. Next, add 300 g of the remaining sifted flour and knead soft, pliable
dough. If you don’t have enough flour, add some more. Let the
dough rest for 15-20 minutes.

8. Divide the dough into 8 pieces (~ 115-120 g each), roll out each
piece on parchment paper into a circle ~ 22 cm in diameter.
Poke the layers with a fork and bake for about 5-7 minutes at a
temeperature of 190-200 ˚C / 374-392 °F until light caramel color.

9. While the layers are still very hot after baking, quickly cut out the
circles with a cake ring d=20 cm.

81
 Orange Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg, d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm

ORANGE CONFIT WITH RUM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 555 g 100%

• Orange juice 200 g 36%

• Orange pulp 200 g 36%
• Dark rum 60 g 11%
• Turmeric 1g <1%
• Sugar 80 g 14%
• Pectin NH 8g 1%
• Zest of 1 orange 6g 1%

1. Pour the orange juice into a saucepan, add chopped orange pulp,
turmeric and orange zest. Mix slightly with a spatula and add 30 g
of rum.

2. Put the mixture over low heat to heat it to 30-40 ˚C / 86-104 °F.
Then, stirring constantly, add the sugar that was previously mixed
with the pectin.

3. Bring the confit to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook it for

1-2 minutes, not more. Then, remove it from heat and cool down
to room temperature.

4. Add the remaining 30g of rum and mix with a spatula until
homogeneous mass.

5. Transfer the confit to a separate container, cover it with cling film

in contact and put in the fridge overnight to stabilize.

ORANGE CURD

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 343 g 100%

• Orange juice (1) 130 g 38%

• Egg yolks 75 g 22%
• Butter 82,5% 60 g 17%
• Sugar 40 g 12%
• Turmeric 1g <1%
• Corn starch 4g 1%
• Orange juice (2) 15 g 4%
• Zest of 3-4 oranges 18 g 5%

1. Pour the orange juice (1) into a saucepan, add egg yolks, diced
butter, orange zest, sugar and a few pinches of turmeric. Mix well
with a spatula.

2. Mix the starch with the orange juice (2) and pour it into a saucepan,
stirring constantly.
82
 Orange Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg, d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm

ORANGE CURD

3. Put the saucepan over medium heat and, stirring thoroughly,

cook the curd until it thickens.

4. Pass the curd through a fine sieve into a separate container to

make its texture smoother and get rid of the excess zest.

5. Cover the curd with cling film in contact. Cool it to room

temperature and then put in the fridge overnight to stabilize.

ORANGE PASTE

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 93 g 100%

• Sugar 30 g 32%
• Honey 60 g 65%
• Salt 3g 3%
• Orange 1 pc

1. Wash the not-peeled orange thoroughly and put in a saucepan

with water. Add 0.5 tsp of salt to make the orange less bitter.

2. Bring the water to a boil over maximum heat. Then reduce the
heat to medium and cook the orange in simmering water for
~30-40 minutes.

3. Take the orange out of the water, cool it down and dice, removing
the seeds from it, but leaving the peel.

4. Put the diced orange with sugar and honey in the bowl of the food
processor and process them until you obtain paste.

5. Pour the paste into a sieve and pass it through it to have a

homogeneous and smooth consistency.

6. The paste can be stored for about 2-3 days in the fridge in a closed
container or for about a month in the freezer.

83
 Orange Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg, d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm

DRAINED SOUR CREAM

1. Prepare the sour cream for draining:

• 400 g of sour cream 30-35% ~ 300 g of drained sour cream

• 700 g of sour cream 20-25% ~ 300 g of drained sour cream

The amount of drained sour cream obtained directly depends

on the quality and fat content of the sour cream that you have.
Therefore, it’s better to make a slightly bigger amount of the drained
sour cream, so that it is enough for making the cake.

2. Place the strainer over a deep bowl and cover it with the
cheesecloth folded 2-3 times.

3. Pour the sour cream on the cheesecloth and put it in the fridge
from 2-3 hours to one night, depending on the fat content of the
sour cream. If the sour cream is high-fat (25-30%) put it in the fridge
for 3-4 hours, and if it is low-fat (15-20%) – overnight.

ORANGE FROSTING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1040 g 100%

• Drained sour cream 30% 300 g 29%

• Whipping cream 33-36% 300 g 29%
• Cream cheese 300 g 29%
• Icing sugar 100 g 9%
• Orange paste 40 g 4%

1. Put the well chilled drained sour cream and the whipping cream
into the mixer bowl. Add the cream cheese (you may substitute it
with mascarpone or simply use more sour cream and whipping
cream). Add the icing sugar and orange paste.

2. Whip the mass with the whisk attachment, first at minimum

and then at maximum speed, until the frosting is completely
homogeneous and stable.

84
 Orange Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg, d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Baked sponge layers

• Orange frosting
• Orange confit with rum
• Orange curd

1. Put ~ 180-200 g of frosting into a pastry bag and tip it off, making
a hole of about 1-1.5 cm in diameter. With the help of the piping bag,
you will be able to make small borders on the layers with the filling.

2. Take the curd and the confit out of the fridge and use scales to
divide them into two equal portions (~ 150 g of curd and ~ 240 g of
confit each). If the confit has thickened in the fridge, heat it up a little
in the microwave oven or over a warm water bath.

3. Apply some frosting over the center of a round cake base, put
the first layer on it. Press it slightly and apply 1/7 of the frosting
(~110 – 120 g). Spread the frosting evenly over the surface of the
layer with the offset spatula.

4. Then cover it with the second sponge layer, press it down slightly
and apply the next portion of frosting on it. Use the pastry bag
to form the borders along the edges of the layer, rotating the
cake turntable.

5. Apply the first portion of the confit to the center and carefully
distribute it with the offset spatula over the entire surface of the
layer. The confit should not be runny, but soft and stable.

6. Cover it with the third sponge layer and again apply some frosting
on it. Again make a border of frosting and apply the first portion of
curd. Spread it with the offset spatula and cover with the next layer.

7. In such a way assemble the cake and wrap it with the acetate film.
Put on an adjustable cake ring and tighten it. Put a matching size
thin round cake base on the top of the cake. Press it very gently
until the frosting comes out. It will mean that you have pressed all
the air bubbles out of the cake, and now it will stabilize well.

TIP
• You may put a weight on the top of the cake and put it in the
fridge for 2-3 hours. After that the weight has to be removed
and the cake should stay in the fridge for another 3-4 hours,
preferably overnight.

85
 Orange Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg, d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 840 g 100%

• Cream cheese 520 g 62%

• Butter 82,5% 200 g 24%
• Icing sugar 70 g 8%
• Orange paste 50 g 6%

1. Put the butter of room temperature and the icing sugar in the
mixer bowl.

2. Whip them with the paddle attachment first at low speed, then
at maximum until a fluffy light mass is obtained.

3. Gradually add the cold cream cheese. Whip the buttercream at

low speed until smooth and homogeneous texture.

TIP
• If you use thick butter that hardens in the fridge, then at this
stage do not add the cream cheese right from the fridge. Leave
it for 15-20 minutes at room temperature. Then the buttercream
will be softer and more pliable.

4. Add the orange paste and whip at medium or low speed until
smooth texture.

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Cooled-down assembled cake

• Cream cheese buttercream
• Oranges and kumquats for decoration
• Orange food colorant (2-4 drops)

1. Remove the ring and the acetate film from the cake that has spent
a night in the fridge.

2. Place the cake on the turntable and apply some buttercream on it.

3. Spread the buttercream over the surface of the cake by rotating

the turntable and using the offset spatula.

4. Then smooth down the sides of the cake by rotating the turntable
and using the icing scraper.

5. In order to get a perfectly smooth coating, the cake has to be

86
 Orange Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~3,5-4 kg, d= 20 cm, h=12-14 cm

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

coated twice. Therefore, having applied the first coating, put the
cake in the fridge so that the first layer of coating sets.

6. Add a few drops of orange colorant into the buttercream that has
been kept at room temperature (it should be soft). Apply this cream
as a final layer using a spatula. And smooth it quickly by rotating the
turntable and using the icing scraper.

TIP
• For a beautiful final coating, press the icing scraper firmly
against the cake at right angle and quickly rotate the turntable.

7. Put the cake coated with the finishing layer of the buttercream in
the fridge for 30 minutes.

8. Decorate the cake with orange segments and kumquats.

87
PEAR, GORGONZOLA AND
PINE NUT HONEY CAKE
The weight of the cake ~ 3.5 kg,
d=21 cm, h=13 cm
 Pear, Gorgonzola and Pine Nut Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.5 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

DRAINED SOUR CREAM

1. Prepare the sour cream for draining:

• 400 g of sour cream 30-35% ~ 300 g of drained sour cream

• 700 g of sour cream 20-25% ~ 300 g of drained sour cream

The amount of drained sour cream obtained directly depends

on the quality and fat content of the sour cream that you have.
Therefore, it’s better to make a slightly bigger amount of the drained
sour cream, so that it is enough for making the cake.

2. Place the strainer over a deep bowl and cover it with the
cheesecloth folded 2-3 times.

3. Pour the sour cream on the cheesecloth and put it in the fridge
from 2-3 hours to one night, depending on the fat content of the
sour cream. If the sour cream is high-fat (25-30%) put it in the fridge
for 3-4 hours, and if it is low-fat (15-20%) – overnight.

BLUE CHEESE INFUSED CREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 300 g 100%

• Gorgonzola or Dorblu cheese 100 g 33%

• Whipping cream 33-36% 200 g 67%

1. Pour the cream into a saucepan, add the diced blue cheese.

2. While stirring, heat the cream and cheese mixture over medium
heat to 80-85 °C / 176-185 °F, but do not boil it.

3. Take the mixture off the heat, pour it into a separate bowl and
cover with cling film touching the surface. Put it in the fridge for
10-12 hours to stabilize.

90
 Pear, Gorgonzola and Pine Nut Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.5 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

STEWED SPICY PEAR

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 850 g 100%

• Peeled and diced pears 800 g 94%

• Butter 82.5% 40-50 g 6%
• Whole saffron threads 2-3 pinches <1%
or ground saffron

1. Dice the pears into cubes 1x1 cm. For this recipe try to choose
green and firm pears, preferably Conference variety, so that they
remain crispy inside after cooking.

2. Melt the butter in a large skillet, add the diced pears and a few
pinches of saffron.

3. Stirring occasionally, stew the pears over medium heat for about
3 minutes, depending on how soft they are. The pear pieces should
soften on the outside while remaining firm on the inside.

4. Leave the stewed pears to stabilize in the fridge overnight.

HONEY SPONGE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1060 g 100%

for 8 layers d=20 cm

• Sugar 160 g 16%

• Butter 82.5% 100 g 10%
• Honey 160 g 16%
• Baking soda 12 g 1%
• Lemon juice 10-15 g <1%
• Sea salt 3g <1%
• Whole eggs 130 g 13%
• All-purpose flour 450-480 g 44%

1. Put half of the sugar (80 g), butter and honey in a large saucepan.
Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat,
then add the lemon juice, baking soda and salt, mix thoroughly
and remove from heat. Let the mass cool down slightly for
approximately 5-7 min.

2. In a mixer bowl at medium speed, whip the eggs with the remaining
sugar using a whisk attachment until fluffy foam appears. Then pour
the egg mixture into the saucepan, constantly stirring the slightly
cooled honey and butter mass.

91
 Pear, Gorgonzola and Pine Nut Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.5 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

HONEY SPONGE LAYERS

3. Put the saucepan back to low heat and gradually add in 300 g
of sifted flour (in 2-3 batches), stirring thoroughly. Remove
the saucepan from heat, let the mass cool down slightly for
approximately 5-7 minutes and add the rest of the flour, mix again.

TIP
• It’s better not to add more than 150 g of flour, even if the dough
is still a little sticky. Let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes and use
the remaining 30 g of flour to dust the rolling pin while rolling
the dough. The finished dough should be very soft and elastic.

4. Then divide the dough into 10 pieces (~ 100 g each), forming balls
from them. If the dough is too sticky, dust it with flour. Then roll
each piece on a sheet of parchment paper into a 2 mm thick layer
d=22 cm. Prick the layers with a fork and bake in a preheated
to 170-180 °C / 338-356 °F oven for about 5-6 minutes until
golden brown.

5. Immediately after baking, cut the circles d=20 cm out of the still hot
layers. The honey layers can be wrapped in cling film and stored for
3-5 days at room temperature.

BLUE CHEESE SOUR CREAM FROSTING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1170 g 100%

• Drained sour cream 25-30% 285 g 24%

• Blue cheese infused cream 280 g 24%
• Whipping cream 33-36% 215 g 18%
• Cream cheese 320 g 28%
• Icing sugar 70 g 6%

1. Put the well-chilled sour cream, the whipping cream, the blue
cheese infused cream and the cream cheese in the mixer bowl.

2. Add the icing sugar and whip using a whisk attachment until
a smooth, thick and fluffy mass is formed.

92
 Pear, Gorgonzola and Pine Nut Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.5 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Gorgonzola or Dorblu cheese 200 g

• Pine nuts 75 g
• Baked honey layers
• Stabilized stewed spicy pear
• Blue cheese sour cream frosting

1. Drain the stabilized stewed spicy pear for a few minutes to get rid of
the extra juice. The extra juice can be added to sour cream frosting
or cream cheese buttercream, but no more than 1-2 tbsp.

2. Lightly roast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat for a
couple of minutes, constantly stirring. Then transfer them into a
separate container.

3. Apply some frosting to the center of a round cake base, put the first
layer on it. Press it slightly and apply 1/9 of the blue cheese frosting
(~130 g). Spread the cream evenly over the surface with the offset
spatula. Scatter 40 g of blue cheese pieces and 15 g of pine nuts
over it.

4. Cover it with the second sponge layer, press it down slightly and
spread 1/9 of the frosting over it again, forming small borders.
Put 125-130 g of stewed spicy pear filling inside. Put on the third
layer and lightly press on it.

5. Assemble the cake by alternating layers with blue cheese pieces

and pine nuts and layers with stewed spicy pear.

6. Wrap the assembled cake with the acetate film, put on an

adjustable cake ring and tighten it. Put a matching size thin round
cake base on the top of the cake. Press it very gently until the
cream comes out. It will mean that you have pressed all the air
bubbles out of the cake, and now it will stabilize well.

7. Put the assembled cake for 10-12 hours in the fridge to stabilize.

93
 Pear, Gorgonzola and Pine Nut Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.5 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 845 g 100%

• Butter 82.5% 225 g 27%

• Cream cheese 580 g 68%
• Icing sugar 40 g 5%
• Ground saffron 2-3 pinches <1%

1. Put the room temperature butter in the mixer bowl, add the icing
sugar. Whip the ingredients at a low speed at first, gradually
increasing it to maximum, into a smooth and fluffy mass using
a paddle attachment.

2. Lower the speed to 1-2 and gradually introduce the cold cream
cheese, softened with a spatula. Whip until smooth.

3. Add saffron and whip the cream cheese buttercream again at

low speed until smooth.

TIP
• For a thick coating, increase the amount of all ingredients by
1.5 times.

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Stabilized assembled cake

• Cream cheese buttercream
• Stewed pears 140 g
• Diced Gorgonzola cheese 50 g
• Pine nuts 10 g

1. Remove the ring and the acetate film from the cake that has spent
a night in the fridge.

2. Place the cake on a turntable and apply some buttercream on it.

3. Spread the buttercream over the surface of the cake by rotating

the turntable and using an offset spatula. Try not to touch the cake
layers with the spatula as after a night of stabilization they have
become very fragile.

4. Then smooth down the sides of the cake by rotating the turntable
and using the icing scraper. Level the edges of the cake with the
offset spatula.

94
 Pear, Gorgonzola and Pine Nut Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3.5 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

5. In order to get a perfectly smooth coating, the cake has to be

coated twice. Therefore, having applied the first coating, put
the cake in the fridge for 30-40 minutes so that the first layer of
coating sets.

6. Apply the second layer of the buttercream that has been kept at
room temperature (it should be soft) using the spatula. And smooth
it quickly by rotating the turntable and using the icing scraper.
Put the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes before decorating it.

7. Decorate the cake with stewed pears, Gorgonzola pieces and

pine nuts.

95
PISTACHIO RASPBERRY
HONEY CAKE
The weight of the cake ~4-4,2 kg,
d=20-21 cm, h=15 cm
 Pistachio Raspberry Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

DRAINED SOUR CREAM

1. Prepare the sour cream for draining:

• 300 g of sour cream 30-35% ~ 175 g of drained sour cream

• 600 g of sour cream 20-25% ~ 175 g of drained sour cream

The amount of drained sour cream obtained directly depends

on the quality and fat content of the sour cream that you have.
Therefore, it’s better to make a slightly bigger amount of the drained
sour cream, so that it is enough for making the cake.

2. Place the strainer over a deep bowl and cover it with the
cheesecloth folded 2-3 times.

3. Pour the sour cream on the cheesecloth and put it in the fridge
from 2-3 hours to one night, depending on the fat content of the
sour cream. If the sour cream is high-fat (25-30%) put it in the fridge
for 3-4 hours, and if it is low-fat (15-20%) – overnight.

RASPBERRY SAUCE

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 426 g 100%

• Seedless raspberry puree 360 g 85%

• Sugar 60 g 14%
• Pectin NH 6g 1%

1. Pour the raspberry puree into a thick-bottomed saucepan and heat

it to 35-40 °С / 95-104 °F, constantly stirring.

2. Drizzle in the sugar, previously mixed with pectin, stirring actively.

Bring the puree to a boil and cook it for about 2-3 minutes over
low heat.

3. Take it off the heat, pour into a separate bowl, cover with cling film
touching the surface and cool down to room temperature. Then put
the sauce in the fridge to stabilize overnight.

98
 Pistachio Raspberry Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

PISTACHIO HONEY CAKE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 914 g 100%

for 8 layers d=20 cm

• Butter 82.5% 120 g 13%

• Sugar 80 g 9%
• Honey 140 g 15%
• Baking soda 8g 1%
• Citric acid 2g <1%
• Whole eggs 110 g 12%
• Sea salt 4g <1%
• Pistachio paste 50 g 6%
• Pistachio powder 50 g 6%
• All-purpose flour 350 g 38%

1. Put butter, sugar and honey in a thick-bottomed saucepan. Bring

the mixture to a boil over low heat, but do not cook it further.

2. Take the saucepan off the heat, add the baking soda and the citric
acid, and stir well.

3. Let the mass cool down for a few minutes and then, stirring actively
with a whisk, add the eggs one at a time. Add salt and pistachio
paste and mix thoroughly.

4. Combine the all-purpose flour with the pistachio powder,

sift through a sieve and add to the warm mass. Mix carefully
with a spoon until combined and let the dough rest for about
15-25 minutes.

5. Shape the dough into a ball, divide it into 8 equal parts (~108 g
each) and form balls out of them. If the dough is too sticky, dust it
with flour.

6. Then roll each ball on a sheet of parchment paper into a thin layer
d=22-23 cm. Prick the layers with a fork and bake in a preheated to
170 °C / 338 °F oven for about 5 minutes until golden brown.

7. Immediately after baking, cut the circles d=20 cm out of the still hot
layers. The honey layers can be wrapped in cling film and stored for
5-7 days in the fridge or for 1 month in the freezer.

99
 Pistachio Raspberry Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

PISTACHIO SOUR CREAM FROSTING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1100 g 100%

• Mascarpone 500 g 45%

• Drained sour cream 30% 175 g 16%
• Whipping cream 33-36% 250 g 23%
• Icing sugar 75 g 7%
• Delipaste pistachio paste 50 g 4%
• Pure pistachio paste 50 g 4%

1. Put the well-chilled Mascarpone, the drained sour cream and the
whipping cream in a mixer bowl.

2. Add the icing sugar and 2 types of pistachio paste, then whip with
a whisk attachment, first at low and then at high mixer speed until
a smooth, thick and creamy mass is formed.

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Baked pistachio honey layers

• Pistachio sour cream frosting
• Stabilized raspberry sauce
• Raw pistachios ~140 g

1. Mix the stabilized raspberry sauce with spatula so that it becomes

much softer and easier to spread over honey layers.

2. Preheat the oven to 170 °C / 338 °F and roast the pistachios for
approximately 7-10 minutes. Crush them using a piping bag and
a rolling pin, and then sift to get rid of powder and receive only
medium-size pieces. Transfer them into a separate bowl.

3. Apply some frosting to the center of a round cake base, put the first
honey layer on it. Press it slightly and apply 1/7 of the pistachio sour
cream frosting (~150 g). Spread the frosting evenly over the surface
of the honey layer with the offset spatula. Scatter 30 g of crushed
pistachios over it.

4. Cover it with the second sponge layer, press it down slightly and
spread 1/7 of the frosting over it again, forming small borders. Put
1/3 (~130 g) of the raspberry sauce inside and spread it over the
layer with the offset spatula. Put on the third honey layer and lightly
press on it.

100
 Pistachio Raspberry Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

5. Assemble the cake by alternating layers with crushed pistachios

and raspberry sauce.

6. Wrap the assembled cake with the acetate film, put on an

adjustable cake ring and tighten it. Put a matching size thin round
cake base on the top of the cake. Press it very gently to get rid of
the air bubbles inside the cake.

7. Put the assembled cake for 10-12 hours in the fridge to stabilize.

PISTACHIO CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 840 g 100%

• Butter 82.5% 195 g 23%

• Cream cheese 515 g 61%
• Icing sugar 65 g 8%
• Delipaste pistachio paste 65 g 8%
• Ground saffron 2 pinches <1%

1. Put the room temperature butter in the mixer bowl, add the icing
sugar. Whip the ingredients at a low speed at first, gradually
increasing it to maximum, into a smooth and fluffy mass using
a paddle attachment.

2. Lower the speed to 1-2 and gradually introduce the cold cream
cheese, softened with a spatula. Whip until smooth.

3. Add a few pinches of saffron and the pistachio paste to give the
buttercream natural color and flavor. Whip the buttercream for
a few minutes more at low speed until smooth.

101
 Pistachio Raspberry Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 3 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Stabilized assembled cake

• Pistachio cream cheese buttercream
• Fresh raspberries 400 g
• Chopped roasted pistachios 40 g

1. Remove the ring and the acetate film from the cake that has spent
a night in the fridge.

2. Place the cake on a turntable and apply some pistachio cream

cheese buttercream on it.

3. Spread the buttercream over the surface of the cake by rotating

the turntable and using an offset spatula. Try not to touch the cake
layers with the spatula as after a night of stabilization they have
become very fragile.

4. Then smooth down the sides of the cake by rotating the turntable
and using the icing scraper. Level the edges of the cake with the
offset spatula.

5. In order to get a perfectly smooth coating, the cake has to be

coated twice. Therefore, having applied the first layer of coating,
put the cake in the fridge for 30-40 minutes so that the first layer
of coating sets.

6. Apply the second layer of the buttercream that has been kept
at room temperature (it should be soft) using the offset spatula.
And smooth it quickly by rotating the turntable and using the
icing scraper. Put the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes before
decorating it.

7. Decorate the cake with fresh raspberries and chopped pistachios.

TIP
• If you’re going to transport the cake, fix the berries to the cake
with the help of melted white chocolate.

102
PISTACHIO, WILD STRAWBERRY
AND CAMEMBERT HONEY СAKE
The weight of the cake ~ 4.5 kg,
d=21 cm, h=13 cm
 Pistachio and Wild Strawberry Honey Сake
The weight of the cake ~ 4.5 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

DRAINED SOUR CREAM

1. Prepare the sour cream for draining:

• 400 g of sour cream 30-35% ~ 300 g of drained sour cream

• 700 g of sour cream 20-25% ~ 300 g of drained sour cream

The amount of drained sour cream obtained directly depends

on the quality and fat content of the sour cream that you have.
Therefore, it’s better to make a slightly bigger amount of the drained
sour cream, so that it is enough for making the cake.

2. Place the strainer over a deep bowl and cover it with the
cheesecloth folded 2-3 times.

3. Pour the sour cream on the cheesecloth and put it in the fridge
from 2-3 hours to one night, depending on the fat content of the
sour cream. If the sour cream is high-fat (25-30%) put it in the fridge
for 3-4 hours, and if it is low-fat (15-20%) – overnight.

PISTACHIO HONEY CAKE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 849 g 100%

for 8 layers d=20 cm

• Butter 82% 70 g 8%
• Sugar 80 g 9%
• Honey 170 g 20%
• Whole eggs 120 g 14%
• Baking soda 6g 1%
• Sea salt 3g <1%
• All-purpose flour 250-300 g 35%
• Pistachio powder 100 g 12%

1. Put a medium-size saucepan with water on induction and bring

the water to a boil.

2. While the water is heating up, in a metal bowl mix together butter,
sugar and honey. Then put this bowl over a water bath.

3. When the honey and butter are completely melted, add slightly
beaten eggs into the mixture, stirring it constantly with a whisk.

4. Heat the mass up for approximately 2 minutes, bringing it to

55-70 °C / 131-158 °F and then add the baking soda.

5. After adding the baking soda, keep the mixture over the water
bath for a few minutes more and then take it off. The mass should
increase in volume by two times and become lighter in color.

105
 Pistachio and Wild Strawberry Honey Сake
The weight of the cake ~ 4.5 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

PISTACHIO HONEY CAKE LAYERS

6. Remove the hot mixture from heat, add salt and part of the sifted
flour. Mix it thoroughly and let it cool down slightly for 5-7 minutes.

7. While the mixture is warm, add the pistachio powder and then
fold in the rest of the all-purpose flour in a few steps as the honey
dough might take more or less flour. Mix the mass carefully with
a spoon and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

8. Shape the dough into a ball, divide it into 8 equal parts (~100 g
each) and form balls out of them. If the dough is too sticky, dust
your hands and a rolling pin with flour.

9. Then roll each ball on a sheet of parchment paper into a thin layer
d=22 cm. Prick the layers with a fork and bake in a preheated to
180 °C / 356 °F oven for 3-5 minutes until golden brown.

10. Immediately after baking, cut the circles d=20 cm out of the still hot
layers. The honey layers can be wrapped in cling film and stored for
3-5 days at room temperature.

PISTACHIO CRÉMEUX

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 801 g 100%

for 3 cake rings d=18 cm

• Powdered gelatine 220 Bloom 8g 1%

• Water 50 g 6%
• White chocolate 30% 200 g 25%
• Pistachio paste 100% 75 g 9%
• Pistachio delipaste Fabbri 100 g 12%
• Sea salt 3g <1%
• Whipping cream 33-36% 285 g 36%
• Milk 3.2 % 80 g 10%

1. Soak the gelatine in cold water and let it swell.

2. In a saucepan combine milk with cream and bring them to a boil

over medium heat. Then let the mixture cool down to 85 °C / 185 °F.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the cake rings d=18 cm by covering their

bottom with cling film.

4. Put the chocolate and pistachio paste into a measuring cup. To get
a beautiful color and at the same time a pronounced and natural
pistachio flavor, use two types of pistachio paste.

5. When the mixture of cream and mild has cooled down to 85 °C

/ 185 °F, add the soaked gelatine in and mix very thoroughly until
gelatine dissolves. 106
 Pistachio and Wild Strawberry Honey Сake
The weight of the cake ~ 4.5 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

PISTACHIO CRÉMEUX

6. Pour the hot mixture of milk, cream and gelatine into the measuring
cup over the chocolate with pistachio paste. Add salt and process
the mixture with an emulsion blender until smooth.

7. Divide the pistachio crémeux into 3 equal parts (~ 250 g each) and
pour it into the prepared cake rings placed on cake boards. Put the
crémeux in the chiller for a complete stabilisation.

8. After that, cut the crémeux out of the cake rings by running a knife
along the ring side, wrap it in cling film and transfer it in the freezer,
so that it is easier to work with during the cake assembling.

WILD STRAWBERRY COULIS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 702 g 100%

• Wild strawberry puree 600 g 85%

• Pectin NH 10 g 1%
• Sugar 90 g 13%
• Citric acid 2g <1%

1. In a large saucepan d=28-30 cm, heat the puree to a temperature

of 30-35 °C / 86-95 °F. Stirring constantly, gradually drizzle in the
sugar, premixed with pectin NH and citric acid.

2. Bring the puree to a boil, actively stirring all the time.

TIP
• If you do not have a large saucepan, divide the coulis into two
portions and cook them separately.

3. Pour the finished coulis into a bowl, cover it with cling film touching
the surface and then put it in the fridge overnight to stabilize.

107
 Pistachio and Wild Strawberry Honey Сake
The weight of the cake ~ 4.5 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

PISTACHIO SOUR CREAM FROSTING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1200 g 100%

• Cream cheese 450 g 37%

• Drained sour cream 30% 300 g 25%
• Whipping cream 36% 250 g 21%
• Icing sugar 120 g 10%
• Delipaste pistachio paste 40 g 3%
• Pistachio paste 100% 40 g 3%

1. Put the well-chilled cream cheese, the drained sour cream and the
whipping cream in a mixer bowl.

2. Add the icing sugar and the pistachio paste, then whip with a whisk
attachment, first at low and then at high mixer speed until a smooth,
thick and creamy mass is formed.

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Raw peeled pistachios 120 g

• Camembert cheese 120 g
• Baked pistachio honey layers
• Frozen pistachio crémeux layers
• Stabilized wild strawberry coulis
• Pistachio sour cream frosting

1. Preheat the oven to 170 °C / 338 °F and roast the pistachios for
approximately 7-10 minutes. Crush them using a piping bag and
a rolling pin, and then sift to get rid of powder and receive only
medium-size pieces. Transfer them into a separate bowl.

2. Dice the Camembert cheese into cubes 1x1 cm.

3. Apply some frosting to the center of a round cake base, put the first
honey layer on it. Press it slightly and apply 1/7 of the pistachio sour
cream frosting (~150 g). Spread the frosting evenly over the surface
of the honey layer with the offset spatula, creating a small border.

4. The wild strawberry coulis has completely set in the fridge

overnight, so to use it, mix it with a silicone spatula first. Then
apply 1/4 of it (~150 g) over the frosting and spread it with the
offset spatula. Scatter 30 g of diced cheese and 40 g of crushed
pistachios over it.

5. Cover it with the second sponge layer, press it down slightly and
spread 100 g of the frosting over it again, forming small borders.
108
 Pistachio and Wild Strawberry Honey Сake
The weight of the cake ~ 4.5 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

6. Peel off the cling film from the frozen pistachio crémeux layer and
put it over the frosting. Then top it with another 100 g of frosting.
Spread it over the crémeux with the offset spatula. Put on the third
honey layer and lightly press on it.

7. In such a way, assemble the cake until the end, alternating layers
with strawberry coulis, pistachio nuts and Camembert cheese and
pistachio crémeux.

8. Put the last cake layer on top and check the edges: they should be
at the same level.

9. Wrap the assembled cake with the acetate film, put on an

adjustable cake ring h=15 cm and tighten it.

TIP
• If you don’t have such an adjustable cake ring, you can also use
two adjustable cake rings of approximately 7-8 cm high and put
them on top of each other.

10. Put a matching size thin round cake base on the top of the cake.
Press it very gently to get rid of the air bubbles inside the cake.

11. Put the assembled cake for 10-12 hours in the fridge to stabilize.

PISTACHIO CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 700 g 100%

• Butter 82% 200 g 28%

• Cream cheese 400 g 57%
• Icing sugar 50 g 7%
• Delipaste pistachio paste 25 g 4%
• Pistachio paste 100% 25 g 4%

1. Put the room temperature butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, add
the icing sugar. Whip the ingredients at low speed first, gradually
increasing it to maximum, into a smooth and fluffy mass using a
paddle attachment.

2. Lower the speed to 1-2 and gradually introduce the cold cream
cheese, softened with a spatula. Whip until smooth.

3. Add two types of the pistachio paste to give the buttercream

natural color and flavor. Whip the buttercream for a few minutes
more at low speed until smooth.

109
 Pistachio and Wild Strawberry Honey Сake
The weight of the cake ~ 4.5 kg, d=21 cm, h=13 cm

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Stabilized assembled cake

• Pistachio cream cheese buttercream
• Fresh strawberries 300 g
• Pistachio leaves Sufficient quantity
• Chopped pistachios Sufficient quantity

1. Remove the ring and the acetate film from the cake that has spent
a night in the fridge.

2. Place the cake on a turntable and apply some pistachio cream

cheese buttercream on it.

3. Spread the buttercream over the surface of the cake by rotating the
turntable and using an offset spatula. Try not to touch the cake layers
with the spatula as after a night of stabilization they have become
very fragile.

4. Then smooth down the sides of the cake by rotating the turntable
and using the icing scraper. Level the edges of the cake with the
offset spatula.

5. In order to get a perfectly smooth coating, the cake has to be coated

twice. Therefore, having applied the first layer of coating, put the cake
in the fridge for 30-40 minutes so that the first layer of coating sets.

6. Apply the second layer of the buttercream that has been kept
at room temperature (it should be soft) using the offset spatula.
And smooth it quickly by rotating the turntable and using the icing
scraper. Put the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes before decorating it.

7. Decorate the cake with fresh strawberries, pistachio leaves and

sprinkle some chopped pistachios on top.

TIP
• If you’re going to transport the cake, fix the strawberries to the
cake with the help of melted white chocolate.

110
 RASPBERRY ROSE
HONEY CAKE
The weight of the cake ~ 4.4 kg,
d=21 cm, h=16 cm
 Raspberry Rose Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 4.4 kg, d=21 cm, h=16 cm

DRAINED SOUR CREAM

1. Prepare the sour cream for draining:

• 850 g of sour cream 30-35% ~ 750 g of drained sour cream

• 1600 g of sour cream 20-25% ~ 750 g of drained sour cream

The amount of drained sour cream obtained directly depends

on the quality and fat content of the sour cream that you have.
Therefore, it’s better to make a slightly bigger amount of the drained
sour cream, so that it is enough for making the cake.

2. Place the strainer over a deep bowl and cover it with the
cheesecloth folded 2-3 times.

3. Pour the sour cream on the cheesecloth and put it in the fridge
from 2-3 hours to one night, depending on the fat content of the
sour cream. If the sour cream is high-fat (25-30%) put it in the fridge
for 3-4 hours, and if it is low-fat (15-20%) – overnight.

CHOCOLATE HONEY CAKE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1081 g 100%

for 10 layers d=20 cm

• Whole eggs 195 g 17%

• Sugar 150 g 14%
• Honey 110 g 10%
• Butter 82% 110 g 10%
• Baking soda 12 g 1%
• Sea salt 4g <1%
• Flour 9-10.5% protein 450 g 43%
• Cocoa powder 50 g 5%

1. In a large metal bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar lightly. Add honey,
butter and place the bowl over a water bath. Stir occasionally and
cook the mixture until it melts.

2. Pour in baking soda, mix well and, constantly stirring, wait until the
mass increases in volume by 2-3 times. Remove the bowl from the
water bath, add salt, stir it and put the bowl aside.

3. In a separate bowl combine sifted flour and cocoa powder using

a whisk, then gradually add dry ingredients to the honey and egg
mixture. Mix thoroughly with a spoon and let the dough rest for
10-15 minutes.

4. Shape the dough into a ball, divide it into 10 equal parts (~100 g
each) and form balls out of them. If the dough is too sticky, dust
your hands and a rolling pin with some flour.
113
 Raspberry Rose Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 4.4 kg, d=21 cm, h=16 cm

CHOCOLATE HONEY CAKE LAYERS

5. Then roll each ball on a sheet of parchment paper into a thin layer
d=22 cm. Prick the layers with a fork and bake in a preheated to
170 °C / 338 °F oven for 4-6 minutes until golden brown.

6. Immediately after baking, cut the circles d=20 cm out of the still hot
layers. The honey layers can be wrapped in cling film and stored for
3-5 days at room temperature, for about 1 week in the fridge or for
2-3 months in the freezer.

RASPBERRY COULIS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 447 g 100%

• Raspberry puree 330 g 74%

• Sugar 110 g 25%
• Pectin NH 7g 1%

1. To prepare the raspberry coulis, use 4 cake rings d=18 cm and

cover their bottom tightly with cling film. Place each cake ring on
a thick cake base.

2. Pour the puree into a saucepan and warm it up to 35 °C / 95 °F.

3. Meanwhile, mix the sugar with pectin using a spoon.

4. Drizzle in the pectin and sugar mixture into the puree, actively
stirring it with a spatula. Bring the mixture to a boil and then take it
off the heat.

5. Weigh the finished coulis and divide it into four even parts.
Immediately pour 105 g of the coulis into each cake ring. In a
circular motion at an angle, spread the coulis evenly in a thin layer
over the entire mold.

6. Place the cake rings in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

114
 Raspberry Rose Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 4.4 kg, d=21 cm, h=16 cm

RASPBERRY SOUFFLÉ

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 351 g 100%

• Raspberry puree 200 g 56%

• Gelatine powder 220 Bloom 11 g 3%
• Icing sugar 120 g 33%
• Lemon juice 20 g 8%
• Stabilized raspberry coulis

1. Pour the raspberry puree in a saucepan, add powdered gelatine,

stir and leave it to swell for 4-6 minutes.

2. Then add icing sugar and lemon juice, stir and put the saucepan
over low heat. While stirring, bring the mixture to 60-65 °C /
140-149 °F, remove it from heat, pour into the mixer bowl and leave
it to cool down to 28-30 °C / 82-86 °F.

3. Whip the mixture at maximum speed with a whisk attachment for

8-12 minutes until it becomes very fluffy and light in color.

4. Weigh the finished soufflé, divide it into 4 equal parts (~ 85 g each)

and distribute each part evenly over the stabilized coulis in the
cake rings using an offset spatula.

5. Put the cake rings with the coulis and soufflé in the fridge for about
2-3 hours to set.

6. Carefully unmold the frozen coulis and soufflé, and wrap them in
cling film. Then place them in the freezer to freeze completely.

ROSE SOUR CREAM FROSTING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1800 g 100%

• Drained sour cream 30% 750 g 42%

• Whipping cream 33-36% 450 g 25%
• Cream cheese 450 g 25%
• Icing sugar 100 g 5%
• Rose paste Sosa 50 g 3%

1. Put the well-chilled drained sour cream, whipping cream and cream
cheese into the mixer bowl.

2. Add the icing sugar and a few tablespoons of rose paste. Whip the
frosting using a whisk attachment at low speed, gradually increasing
it to maximum until a smooth, thick and fluffy mass is formed.

115
 Raspberry Rose Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 4.4 kg, d=21 cm, h=16 cm

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Chilled chocolate honey cake layers

• Rose sour cream frosting
• Frozen layers of raspberry coulis and soufflé

1. Apply some frosting to the center of a round cake base d=25 cm,
put the first honey layer on it. Press it slightly and apply 150 g of
rose sour cream frosting on it. Spread the frosting evenly over the
surface of the honey layer with the offset spatula.

2. Take the second honey layer and put it on top, also covering it with
150 g of frosting.

3. Take one frozen layer of raspberry coulis and soufflé out of the
fridge. Carefully peel off the cling film and place the layer over the
frosting so that the soufflé is facing up.

4. Cover the top layer of the filling (soufflé) with a thin layer of frosting
and top it with a third cake layer.

5. In this way, alternating the layers with frosting and layers with
frosting and raspberry filling, assemble the cake till the end. Use
the rest of the frosting to fill in the gaps in the layers with filling.

6. Wrap the assembled cake with the acetate film, put on an

adjustable cake ring and tighten it.

7. Put a matching size thin round cake base on top of the cake.
Press it very gently to get rid of the air bubbles inside the cake.

8. Put the assembled cake for 10-12 hours in the fridge to stabilize.

116
 Raspberry Rose Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 4.4 kg, d=21 cm, h=16 cm

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1255 g 100%

• Butter 82% 310 g 25%

• Cream cheese 830 g 66%
• Icing sugar 100 g 8%
• Rose paste Sosa 15 g 1%

1. Put the room temperature butter in the mixer bowl, add the
icing sugar. Whip the ingredients at low speed at first, gradually
increasing it to maximum, into a smooth and fluffy mass using a
paddle attachment.

2. Lower the speed to 1-2 and gradually introduce the cold cream
cheese, softened with a spatula. Whip until smooth.

3. Add the rose paste to give the buttercream a natural beautiful color
and flavor and whip it again at low speed until smooth.

117
 Raspberry Rose Honey Cake
The weight of the cake ~ 4.4 kg, d=21 cm, h=16 cm

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Stabilized assembled cake

• Cream cheese buttercream
• Fresh raspberries 150 g
• Rosebuds 7 pcs
• Freeze-dried raspberries Sosa 10 g

1. Remove the ring and the acetate film from the cake that has spent
a night in the fridge.

2. Place the cake on a turntable and apply some buttercream on it.

3. Spread the buttercream over the surface of the cake by rotating

the turntable and using an offset spatula. Try not to touch the cake
layers with the spatula as after a night of stabilization they have
become very fragile.

4. Then smooth down the sides of the cake by rotating the turntable
and using the icing scraper w=20 cm. Level the edges of the cake
with the offset spatula.

5. In order to get a perfectly smooth coating, the cake has to be

coated twice. Therefore, having applied the first coating, put
the cake in the fridge for 30-40 minutes so that the first layer of
coating sets.

6. Apply the second layer of the buttercream that has been kept at
room temperature (it should be soft) using the spatula. And smooth
it quickly by rotating the turntable and using the icing scraper.
Put the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes before decorating it.

7. Then decorate the cake with rosebuds, fresh raspberries and

dried raspberries.

118
SPARTAK VERTICAL LAYERED
HONEY CAKE
For 1 cake d=20-22 cm and h=15 cm
 Spartak Vertical Layered Honey Cake
For 1 cake d=20-22 cm and h=15 cm

CHOCOLATE AND HONEY SPONGE LAYERS

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1575 g 100%

• Honey 480 g 30%

• Sugar 90 g 6%
• Butter 82% 115 g 7%
• Sour cream 15-20% 165 g 10%
• Baking soda 12 g <1%
• Whole eggs 260 g 17%
• Salt 2.8 g <1%
• All purpose flour 400 g 25%
• Cocoa powder 22-24% 50 g 3%

1. Put the honey, sugar and butter in the saucepan. The butter can be
either at room temperature or right from the fridge.

2. Heat over low heat constantly stirring, until the sugar dissolves.

3. Add the sour cream combined with soda to the honey mixture. Stir
well to prevent the mixture from burning. When a very foamy mass
has formed in the saucepan, it means that the soda has reacted
with honey. You can remove the honey mixture from the heat and
proceed to the next step.

4. Pour the honey and sour cream mixture into the mixer bowl and
whip with the whisk attachment at medium speed, gradually adding
eggs, until you obtain a homogeneous mass.

5. In a separate bowl mix the sifted flour, cocoa-powder and salt with
the whisk.

6. Add dry ingredients mixed together to the honey, sour cream and
egg mixture.

TIP
• Turn off the mixer, remove the bowl and add the mixture of dry
ingredients to it. Gently fold them in with the whisk and only
then mix in a mixer until a homogeneous texture. The ready
batter should be runny and slightly warm. You should work with
it quickly, because as it cools, the butter hardens and the batter
becomes thicker.

7. The weight of the ready batter is 1580 g and its quantity is enough
for making 16-18 sponge layers 15x30 cm.

8. Pour the batter on the baking tray and spread it in a thin layer with
the offset spatula.

121
 Spartak Vertical Layered Honey Cake
For 1 cake d=20-22 cm and h=15 cm

CHOCOLATE AND HONEY SPONGE LAYERS

TIP
• Try to spread the batter in an even layer so that you do not have
too thin areas, otherwise the sponge layers will overbake and it
won’t be comfortable to work with them.

9. Bake the sponges for 5-8 minutes at 180 ˚С / 356 °F (but mind the
peculiarities of your own oven).

CHOCOLATE CUSTARD

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 1500 g 100%

• Whole eggs 120 g 8%

• Egg yolks 40 g 7%
• Corn starch 30 g 2%
• Sugar 150 g 10%
• Milk 600 g 40%
• Dark chocolate 60-70% 150 g 10%
• Butter 82% 100 g 7%
• Whipping cream 33-36% 300 g 20%
• Vanilla 1 pod <1%

1. Pour the milk into the saucepan and add seeds of 1 vanilla pod
(you may also add the pod itself for a better aroma).

2. Bring the milk to a boil and take it off the heat. Then cover it with the
lid or cling film in contact and leave to infuse and to cool down for
15-20 minutes.

3. In a separate bowl mix the whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar and
cornstarch with the whisk until homogeneous texture.

4. Constantly stirring, in a thin stream pour the warm milk into the egg
mixture. Then transfer it back to the saucepan and put at low heat.
While constantly stirring, cook the custard until it thickens.

5. Take the ready custard off the heat and pour into a low and wide
container to cool down faster.

6. Once the custard reaches the room temperature, add softened

butter and stir it with spatula.

7. Add the dark chocolate into the custard and butter mixture and stir
with the spatula.

8. Pour the mixture into the measuring cup and process it with the
hand blender until smooth, shiny and homogeneous texture.
Then pour it into a separate bowl.
122
 Spartak Vertical Layered Honey Cake
For 1 cake d=20-22 cm and h=15 cm

CHOCOLATE CUSTARD

9. Pour the cold cream into the mixer bowl and whip it with the whisk
attachment until medium stiff peaks.

10. Combine the whipped cream with the chocolate custard in several
stages with the help of the spatula.

11. Cover the chocolate custard with the cling film in contact and put it
in the fridge at 4 °С / 39 °F until it is completely cold.

CHERRY FILLING

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 516 g 100%

• Pitted cherries 450 g 87%

• Sugar 60 g 12%
• Pectin NH Sosa 6g 1%

1. Put the pitted cherries into the saucepan and place it over low heat.

2. Add the pectin NH combined with sugar and constantly stirring,

bring the mixture to a boil.

3. Once the cherry sauce has boiled, pour it into a separate container
and cover with cling film in contact.

4. Cool down the cherry filling at room temperature and put it in the
fridge for 12 hours to set.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 600 g 100%

• Dark chocolate 60-70% 300 g 50%

• Whipping cream 33-36% 300 g 50%

1. Bring the cream almost to a boil.

TIP
• Shake the saucepan from time to time not to miss the moment
when the cream is hot.

2. Remove the hot cream from the stove. Add dark chocolate in
callets and set aside for a couple of minutes.

3. Thoroughly stir the mixture until homogeneous texture with the

silicone spatula.
123
 Spartak Vertical Layered Honey Cake
For 1 cake d=20-22 cm and h=15 cm

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

4. Pour it in a separate container and cover with cling film in contact.

5. Put the ganache in the fridge for 12 hours to set.

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Baked chocolate and honey sponge layers

• Chocolate custard
• Cherry filling

1. Turn the sponge layers over and carefully remove the parchment
paper. Then arrange them in one or more rows on the table so that
it is convenient to cover the sponges with the custard.

2. In a thin layer apply the chocolate custard on the chocolate and

honey sponge layers with the offset spatula.

TIPS
• In order to distribute the custard between the sponges evenly,
you need to divide its weight (~ 1490 g) by the total number
of the layers: 1490 g of custard / 16-18 layers = ~ 80-90 g of
custard per sponge layer.
• Attentively apply the custard on the edges, as they are
usually dry.

3. Stir the cherry filling well and scatter it over the custard. Since
the sponges are very soft, you can start assembling the cake
immediately after applying the custard and the filling. It is better
to start with the layer that was the first to be covered with custard
and end with the layer that was covered last.

4. Gently roll the first sponge layer. The first layer should be rolled up
very carefully and as tightly as possible so that there is no hollow
in the center of the cake later. At the same time, it may crack a little,
but you shouldn’t worry, since after the assembling and soaking it
won’t be visible.

5. Tightly wrap another 3-4 sponge layers around the roll. After that,
place it in the center of the cake base and carefully wrap all the
remaining sponge layers around the cake in a standing position.

6. Wrap the assembled cake with the acetate film, put an adjustable
cake ring on it and place it in the fridge to stabilize for at least
4-6 hours, preferably overnight.

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 Spartak Vertical Layered Honey Cake
For 1 cake d=20-22 cm and h=15 cm

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Chocolate ganache
• Amarena cherries in heavy syrup or fresh cherries or chocolate décor (optional)

1. Take the assembled cake out of the fridge, unmold it and remove
the acetate film.

2. Apply the first layer of the ganache, smooth it out and put the cake
in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

TIP
• Before using the ganache, which has stabilized in the fridge for
12 hours, leave it at room temperature for a few hours so that it
acquires a soft consistency.

3. Cover the cake with the second layer of the ganache and smooth it
out well on the turntable with the icing scraper.

4. Decorate the cake with fresh cherries and/or chocolate décor.

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