Easy Homemade Kyiv Cake
If you’ve never tried a homemade Kyiv cake before, you’re in for something truly special 💛This is not your typical soft sponge cake. Kyiv cake is all about contrast - light, crispy nut meringue layers paired with a rich, buttery cream that melts in your mouth. Every bite feels a little indulgent, a little nostalgic, and completely worth it.And the best part? It might look like a bakery-level dessert, but it’s absolutely doable at home. With a bit of patience and good ingredients, you can recreate this classic Ukrainian cake in your own kitchen - and honestly, it tastes even better homemade.Once you try it, you’ll understand why this cake has been loved for generations.
Ingredients
For the Cake Layers
- 220 g egg whites
- 55 g sugar
- 180 g roasted hazelnuts finely ground
- 50 g all-purpose flour
- 200 g sugar
- 5 g vanilla sugar
For the Charlotte Cream
- 480 g butter 82.5% fat, softened
- 3 egg yolks
- 60 ml water
- 300 g sweetened condensed milk
- 5 g vanilla sugar
Optional for Decoration
- Crushed hazelnuts
- Chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Prepare the dry mixture
- Grind the hazelnuts finely, then mix with flour, vanilla sugar, and 200 g sugar.
- Whip the egg whites
- Beat egg whites until foamy, then gradually add 55 g sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.
- Combine
- Gently fold the dry mixture into the egg whites using a spatula.
- Bake the layers
- Divide into 3 pans (16 cm) or 2 pans (21 cm). Bake at 150°C (300°F) for 80–90 minutes.
- Rest the layers
- Leave the baked layers in the pans overnight at room temperature.
Charlotte Cream
- Cook the base
- Mix egg yolks, water, vanilla sugar, and condensed milk. Cook on low heat until slightly thickened. Do not boil.
- Cool
- Strain and let cool completely in the fridge.
- Make the cream
- Beat softened butter until fluffy, then gradually add the cooled mixture.
Assemble
- Layer the cake
- Spread plain cream between layers.
- Decorate
- Use chocolate cream to decorate as desired.
- Chill
- Refrigerate before serving for best texture.
Notes
Nutrition
- Calories: 620 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Fat: 46 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Potassium: 280 mg
- Fiber: 3 g
- Sugar: 35 g
- Vitamin A: 900 IU
- Vitamin C: 1 mg
*Nutrition info is a rough estimate based on the ingredients. Note that values may vary from case to case.
*As with all recipes, there is a number of ways you can get things done. If you believe that some of the instructions can be improved, or have a good alternative solution, feel free to leave a comment.
