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Kyiv Cake (aka Kiev) is light and airy in the center, with a bit of a crunch, sandwiched by soft sponge layers. It’s a true Ukrainian Classic cake. It takes an effort of love, but the outcome will have you come for seconds!
What is Kyiv Cake
Kyiv Cake originated in Kyiv, Ukraine, back in the 1950’s. It was such a big deal, that it was almost a crime if you visited Kyiv and didn’t bring the cake back as a souvenir to your friends. Over the years it has gotten popular and now boasts a top choice among the favorite dishes of Ukraine, just like its few other siblings, Pelmeni (technically Russian) and Poppy Seed Buns.
This Kyiv cake has light sponge layers, followed with a crunchy layer of meringue with hazelnuts, and then filled with jam and a rich buttercream-like frosting. For this recipe, you’ll need to prepare a Sponge Cake, which can be prepared a day in advance.
How to Make Kyiv Cake
There are several different layers involved in making the Kyiv Cake. To make your life easier, some of the layers can be done over a few days.
Making Sponge Cake
To make the sponge cake, beat eggs with sugar until fluffy. Gently fold in the flour, pour the batter into cake pans and bake for 30 minutes.
Making Meringue
To make the meringue layer, beat room temperature egg whites until increased in volume. Gradually add sugar until fully incorporated. Stir in the hazelnuts and spread onto parchment-lined pans. Bake at 250°F for 6 hours. Avoid opening the oven door to prevent extra moisture from going in. You want to dry the meringue out completely.
Hot Tip: If you have leftover meringue, make meringue cookies and use them to decorate the top of the cake.
Making Cake Cream
To make the cake cream, beat the egg yolks (left from the meringue above), then add water and condensed milk. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly until thick and creamy. Turn off the heat, add chocolate chips, then stir until melted. Set aside to cool off. In a separate bowl, beat butter, adding the cream mixture a few spoonfuls at a time until combined.
Finalizing the Cake
To assemble the entire cake, first slice through the sponge cake layers. Cover each layer with jam, except for the top one. Frost the bottom layer of the sponge cake with cream, place a layer of meringue, followed by more cream. Then repeat the steps until the cake is finalized. Frost the sides and top with cream and decorate!
Making Kyiv Cake in Advance
You can make the Sponge Cake days in advance. It can be stored in an airtight container for a few days on the counter or kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.
You can put the cake together 2-3 days in advance. In fact, Kyiv cake will be best when you make it at least 24 hours before serving. This will allow for the flavors to soak up and give you the best results.
FAQ
How can I tell if meringue is done?
The meringue is done when it is dry and hollow. It comes off easily when you lift it off the parchment paper. The thicker the layer, the longer it takes to dry.
How do I keep my sponge cake from deflating?
To keep the sponge cake from deflating, slowly and carefully fold the flour into the egg mixture. Don’t use all the flour at once, sprinkle the flour at the top and mix it in, a portion at a time.
What is the best jam to use in Kyiv cake?
The jam to use in Kyiv cake is anything without chunks of fruit. The best flavors would be peach, apricot, raspberry or plum, as they all add a nice tart flavor.
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- Honey Cake – Cream cheese and honey cake
Recipe
Kyiv Cake (Ukrainian Classic)
Print Pin
Servings
12 serving
Prep Time 50 minutes mins
Cook Time 6 hours hrs
Total Time 6 hours hrs 50 minutes mins
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
Kiyv Cake is light and airy in the center, with a bit of a crunch, sandwiched by soft sponge layers. It’s a true Ukrainian Classic cake. It takes an effort of love, but the outcome will have you come for seconds!
Ingredients
Cream
- 6 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup water
- 8 tbsp condensed milk
- 4 oz chocolate chips
- 400 g Unsalted Butter room temperature
US Units – Metric
Instructions
Sponge Cake
Prepare an 11 inch sponge cake. Refer to our famous Sponge Cake recipe.
Meringue
Whip egg whites on high speed until they are doubled in volume.
Gradually add sugar until well combined.
Using a spatula, stir in a circular motion while gently mixing in the hazelnuts.
Spread the mixture onto 11 inch baking pan, lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake it at 250°F for 6 hours.
Cream
In a small pot, beat egg yolks. Add water and condensed milk, and stir until smooth.
Cook all ingredients on very low heat. Continue mixing the cream the entire time to prevent the cream from sticking to corners. Slowly increase the heat, but do not bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until the mixture attains the texture of condensed milk, about 5-10 minutes.
Remove the mixture from the heat and add chocolate chips. Allow a few minutes for the mixture to melt, before mixing it through. Let the mixture cool off to room temperature.
In a separate bowl, beat butter. Once the butter is fluffy, add the cream mixture to the butter, a few spoonfuls at a time, until fully blended.
Finalizing
Using a serrated knife, slice the sponge cake horizontally in half. Cover each layer with jam, excluding the top layer.
Place the first layer of sponge cake and cover it with cream, followed by meringue, then again, a layer of cream.
Once the cake is put together, frost the sides, then top with the remaining cream and your choice of decoration.
Nutrition Facts
Kyiv Cake (Ukrainian Classic)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 745 Calories from Fat 360
% Daily Value*
Fat 40g62%
Saturated Fat 21g105%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 201mg67%
Sodium 443mg18%
Potassium 229mg7%
Carbohydrates 92g31%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 73g81%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 1060IU21%
Vitamin C 6mg7%
Calcium 110mg11%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Posted April 14, 2021
About Author
AnnaApr 11, 2024 When starting to beat egg white do you add sugar right away and beat it together with sugar for 10 minutes, or add sugar at the end of 10
Minutes?Natalya DrozhzhinApr 11, 2024 Hey Anna, If you're referring to the sponge cake then beat the eggs and sugar together for about ten minutes or until three times in volume.
BrittanyApr 10, 2024 What is the preferred flavor of jam? You suggest several but what do you think would pair best?
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 11, 2024 I would recommend apricot or peach. I can't wait for you to try this cake Brittany!
Arabella WestgateFeb 20, 2024 My dad and I want to bake this. But we don't have 7 hours to spare on any given day. We were hoping to do it over two or three days. Will the cream and meringue keep well for a few days if put it in the fridge ?
Thank you - the recipe looks great.
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 20, 2024 Hey Arabella, How sweet to bake with your dad! I would recommend making the sponge cake first- it can be stored in an airtight container for a few days on the counter or kept in fridge up to a week. The meringue I'd make the night before or so and store at room temp. in an airtight container. I would make the cream the same day of assembly. I hope you enjoy this cake!
SlavaJan 4, 2024 Made Kiev Cake for Christmas.
It was easy to follow the recipe and it came out great! Everyone loved the cake. My family asked me to bake this cake again:)
Thank you for sharingNatalya DrozhzhinJan 4, 2024 Hi Slava, -so glad the entire family enjoyed it. Cheers!
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 31, 2023 Hey Alla, So it would be sponge cake, jam, cream, meringue, cream, jam and sponge cake. If you can slip the sponge cake into more pieces, you can add more cream and jam. Enjoy it!
AllaDec 30, 2023 Hello
I followed directions to a "t"
Everything is good.
The only question and concern I have is my meringue when I attempted to get it out of the pan, the top and bottom separated and I saw that inside it is wet. Not super wet but more like moist. Isn't it suppose to be dry and crunchy throughout.Maybe I should have created a two meringues (split in two) instead of one large one?
I placed them back in the oven hoping they could dry
But how could I prevent it? Or this is normal?
Thank you
AllaNatalya DrozhzhinDec 30, 2023 Hi Alla, having two pieces would probably speed up the process but holding it in the oven a bit longer will solve the issue. Every oven runs a little different, I noticed it with a move that it's always an issue.
AllaDec 30, 2023 Thank you. I left two separated pieces of meringue in the oven for 30 more min and it dried it up very nicely.
Thank you for such a fast reply!Natalya DrozhzhinDec 31, 2023 I am so glad that it worked out. Enjoy it!
bakingdancerAug 24, 2023 First off, the cake tasked amazing even though the Ukrainian person I made it for said that it should only have meringues and no sponge. If you want a crunchier cake that could work.
I did have a few issues with the recipe:
1) I think an 11-inch sponge is too big if you don't have a lot of people. Next time I would make a 9-inch sponge.
2) I too found that the sponge shrank slightly and had to cut off part of the meringue to fit.
3) My sponge was only about 1 1/2 inches high. I thought slicing it in half would make it too thin, so I made a second sponge. It too didn't rise more that 1 1/2 inches. I didn't slice them - used them as is.
4) I couldn't understand the instruction regarding adding jam. It says "Using a serrated knife, slice the sponge cake horizontally in half. Cover each layer with jam, excluding the top layer." If you cut it in half you have 2 layers, but the top layer isn't covered in jam so why doesn't it just say "cover the bottom layer in jam". I ended up covering the bottom sponge and the meringue with jam and that seemed to work.Natalya DrozhzhinAug 25, 2023 Hi Bakingdancer, I appreciate you taking the time to provide such great feedback. It sounds like you were able to improvise and create a delicious cake! The cake layers are thinner in this cake, so slicing your first sponge cake would've worked. In regards to the jam, if you look at the photos in the blog, you'll see how I have the cake slices layered with the jam. Then one layer gets flipped over so the jam covered side is down and the top is without jam. I hope this helps!
Lida GicAug 18, 2023 You called pelmeni russian. They are in fact Siberian. Siberians are colonized by russia.
Natalya DrozhzhinAug 21, 2023 Hi Lida, I appreciate your insight. Thanks for sharing.
LauAug 6, 2023 Hi, how long can the cake stay in the fridge? If I make the cake 2 days in advance, is the meringue will melt? and if there is leftover, is the meringue can because too soft/melt?
Thank you!!
Natalya DrozhzhinAug 7, 2023 Hi Lau, The cake can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. It will taste great if you make it two days in advance - the meringue will not melt. It will soften over time, but the meringue won't melt - just won't be as crunchy. I hope this helps. 🙂
AnnMay 15, 2023 I made this to celebrate Eurovision this year and it was delicious. I did it in 8inch tins but reduced the ingredients. The only problem I had was that when it rose, the sponge cake shrank away from the edge of the tin so much that it ended up more like a 7 inch cake. So my edges were not straight (7 inch cake, 8 inch meringue, 7 inch cake. Any tips for how to stop that happening? Thanks!
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 15, 2023 Hi Ann, I feel like it could be because the cake wasn't fully baked? But I am totally guessing. Baking is a little tricky, it can be weather and oven temperatures too. Otherwise, I am happy that it came out still wonderful. What an amazing cake to make for Eurovision. Thank you for sharing your feedback.
Simon ThomasMay 13, 2023 Hi! Thanks for the recipe. My cake cream doesn't seem to be thick enough - it did thicken when heating, but maybe I didn't heat for long enough. Is there anything I can do now??
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 13, 2023 Simon, if it was thick when heating it would only get thicker as it sits. Did you add something else to it?
Simon ThomasMay 14, 2023 Thanks for your reply! I didn't do anything different, so maybe I just wasn't thick enough. BUT I put it in the fridge for a while and that solved my issues. Thank you! You can see the result at my instagram @simondavidthomas - it went down well at the Eurovision party, thank you Natalya!
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 15, 2023 Simon, it looks incredible. Just saw it 🙂
See AlsoVegan Mushroom Wellington recipe
AnnaMay 7, 2023 Amazing cake!
God bless Ukraine and Kyiv.Natalya DrozhzhinMay 8, 2023 Hi Anna, I am thrilled that you loved this recipe so much! Thank you for sharing your feedback with me. Enjoy!
IrinaMay 4, 2023 Amazing cake!!!!!
Natalya DrozhzhinMay 4, 2023 I am thrilled to hear that you loved it, Irina! Thank you for sharing your feedback with me. Enjoy!
ken de guzmanApr 10, 2023 what can i use instead of condensed milk? does sugar will do?
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 11, 2023 Hi there! I think sugar would work but the cream texture is going to be different. Also, condensed milk adds incredible flavor.
KenApr 11, 2023 Ill try to substitute cremcheese frosting then. Thankyou! Its for my chief mate here in ship 😊
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 11, 2023 That is so sweet of you! Wishing you the best of luck!
JulieApr 9, 2023 Can the cream be made without the condensed milk?
Can I cut through the mirangue in half to spread cream between them?
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 11, 2023 Hi Julie, You can make cream without condensed milk but you would need to add another form of sweetness. I wouldn't recommend cutting mirangue because it would crumble but if you can do it, you can. Let me know how you like it. Enjoy
Kristi HuininkApr 5, 2023 Made this for a co-worker with gluten free flour and it was amazing! Everyone loved it! I'm making it this weekend for Easter. I substituted the hazelnuts for pistachios, jam for lemon curd and chocolate chips for white cream chips! Can't wait!
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 5, 2023 Hi Kristi- This is great feedback, thank you! Those substitutions sound delicious, I'm glad you gave this recipe a go! 🙂
CMar 14, 2023 Help my meringues stick to paper 😞 made twice now and no joy. Got to try again any tips please as I’ve tried
Natalya DrozhzhinMar 14, 2023 Hi There, The only thing I can think of is that the meringue was not baked long enough. It needs to completely dry out in the oven. You will know when the meringue is baked when it can easily be lifted off a piece of parchment and the bottoms are nice and dry. I hope this helps clear things up.
orenJan 25, 2023 im in the middle of making it! so far it looks great and from the light snacking i did it also taste great. my meringue turned out pretty tall, so i think im going to cut it. before i do, what ratio of sponge cake/meringue do you reccomend?
Natalya DrozhzhinJan 25, 2023 Hi Oren, we usually follow this recipe with one sponge cake and meringue in the center. It will be pretty tall but that's they way it should be. It's the perfect airy center. Enjoy
JorgeJan 14, 2023 Hi Natalya,
My sponge cake just came out of the oven and it is only an inch thick, not 2-3 inches like in your pictures. This will be very difficult to cut in half. I am wondering if you know why my cake is so "short"?
Detials:
I was planning to beat my eggs for 10 minutes per the instructions with a handheld mixer, however at 8 minutes it looked thicker than in your video, so I stopped beating them. Do they "fluff" up before thinning out? The beaten eggs also looked a bit more yellow than in your video. When I put the batter in the 11-inch pan, it appeared to be a very thin layer.Natalya DrozhzhinJan 14, 2023 Hi Jorge, The main problem is, you under beat the eggs. Even if they look like they are done, it's important to beat the eggs for the full 10 minutes otherwise the cake doesn't rise properly in the oven. I hope this helps for the next time you make the cake. Thank you for reaching out!
SteveNov 26, 2022 Hi Natalya, it’s Saturday morning; I’ve already made the pound cake & the meringue for the Kyiv Cake, but the event I’m bringing it to isn’t until Monday. Will both the cake & the meringue keep fresh in the fridge if l assemble everything on Sunday evening or Monday morning?
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 26, 2022 Hi Steve, Yes they should both be just fine in the fridge in an air tight container. Thanks for reaching out, Happy holidays!
JulieNov 22, 2022 Hello, can I substitute jam for carmel?
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 22, 2022 Hi Julie, You can! Good luck and happy holidays!
LizNov 6, 2022 Can you clarify if this requires one or two sponge cakes? And does it make one or two meringues ? Not sure about the layers.
Liz ENov 14, 2022 I made an 11 inch cake, it was delicious, next time I would double the frosting, you can never have too much.
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 14, 2022 Hi Liz, Glad to hear the recipe was a success! Thanks for sharing! As for frosting, yes some people prefer more, others less. Enjoy!
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 7, 2022 Hi Liz, This recipe requires one sponge cake and one meringue. The sponge cake is cut in half and the meringue is put in the center of the 2 halves of the sponge cake. Hope this makes sense.
AmeliaSep 25, 2022 Hi. My daughter is making this for European day at school. We are making it today to take to school first thing on Tuesday. Do we store the finished cake in the fridge or at room temperature. Also what sort of container should we store it in please?
Natalya DrozhzhinSep 26, 2022 Hello Amelia, that sounds so lovely, I hope the cake is enjoyed by all! The finished cake can be stored in an airtight container for a few days on the counter or kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.
DianaAug 1, 2022 The only part of this cake that turned out well was the cream. I had to make the sponge cake twice because the first one didn’t rise, and the second one didn’t either. The meringue was all burnt.
I was planning to make this cake for my birthday this year and I’m happy that I tried experimenting and trying it beforehand so I don’t spoil my birthday with this.Natalya DrozhzhinAug 1, 2022 Hi Diana- I'm so sorry this cake didn't work out for you. Sometimes meringue can be tricky, if your oven runs hot you may need to lower the temperature when baking the meringue so it doesn't burn. As for the sponge cake- if it doesn't rise it could be that it's over beat or under beat. It needs to be 3x the size in volume, in the video I show you what the batter looks like (beat for 4-5 minutes on high). I hope these tips help if you decide to give it another go. If not, I hope you find the perfect cake recipe and have a happy birthday!
ClareApr 15, 2022 I lived in Kyiv many years ago & still have many Ukrainian friends who are now refugees. I love the city & culture & always loved this cake. I'm so excited to make it in support of my friends.
I've slowly been making the various parts of the cake & will finally assemble it all tomorrow using strawberry jam. The directions & comments have been very helpful. I used a 10" springform pan for the sponge cake & meringue & they both turned out perfect. Using room temperature eggs, butter, & water I believe helped.
Thank you for this recipe.
We'll enjoy it wih a large crowd on EasterNatalya DrozhzhinApr 15, 2022 Hi Clare- thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I'm so glad your cake is coming along nicely! Enjoy!
Seth ThayerApr 13, 2022 This cake is amazing...so I am told. I have made it four times and gotten raves every time. I ordered raw hazelnuts from Oregon and roasted them. Also used a homemade orange marmalade for the spread. Found that you can make the meringue in an air fryer in about half the time. I am going to try a lemon version of the frosting for a friends birthday. May use less butter, for sure.
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 13, 2022 Hi Seth- an orange marmalade spread sounds amazing! It sounds like you're a pro at making this cake now. 🙂 Also- please do share more about the merengue layer being made in an air fryer- I'm so intrigued!!
ReginaApr 12, 2022 I am planning to make this lovely cake for the weekend, but was wondering what, if any, changes I would need to make for my altitude of 7300 feet? Thank you!
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 13, 2022 Ohh I'm honestly not sure, Regina. I haven't tested this recipe at higher elevation so I don't have any tips for you. Wish I could be of more help!
LaurenApr 10, 2022 Loved the cake but the frosting/cream calls for so much butter (400 g) and it really tasted like eating chocolate butter. Just curious if this is a traditional frosting?
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 11, 2022 Hi Lauren- yes, it is. The frosting in this recipe is a pretty rich one, it certainly does use a lot of butter!
CaitlinApr 10, 2022 I was given Ukraine as our dinner club cuisine to cook. The only thing I’d ever heard of before that was Ukrainian was Chicken Kiev 🥴. So glad I found this recipe for dessert - Nice recipe to follow and I found the quantities accurate. I didn’t have hazelnuts so used pecan nuts instead - they worked very well! I had a lot of merengue break off while taking it out the tin - This worked out well for garnish. I got a lot of ‘oooooohhhs’ when I brought the cake out. All in all a really nice recipe that has obviously been used many times before to get the instructions right for novices like me! Wish I could post a pic of my creation 🤤😄
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 11, 2022 Hi Caitlin- your dinner club sounds like an awesome time! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, it really is a Ukrainian classic. I'm glad you found it easy to follow and I wish we could see a picture of it as well! I hope you try some more slavic recipes, there are so many delicious ones that you'll love. 🙂
TerriApr 9, 2022 How long in advance can the meringue be made?
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 9, 2022 Hi Terri- the meringue layer can be baked a few days in advance, just make sure its well wrapped/covered or in an air tight container so that it stays fresh!
TerriApr 10, 2022 Perfect, thanks!!!
