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Russian Honey Cake

by:
March  6, 2021
4.4
11 Ratings
Photo by Mark Weinberg
  • Serves 8 to 12
Author Notes

Russian Honey Cake is light, sweet, and perfectly moist. It’s traditionally baked in a standard round pan, but I always love the way bundt pans make everything just a little fancier. It’s perfect with tea, with coffee, or with a cocktail. —Vicky | Things I Made Today

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: Vicky | Things I Made Today runs a productivity, time management, and process improvement consulting company in Madison, WI.
WHAT: A spongy and fragrant cake for when the 3 PM doldrums set in.
HOW: In one bowl, beat egg whites into stiff peaks. In another, whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Add honey, baking soda, and sour cream, followed by flour and nuts. The last step is to fold in the egg whites and bake the batter in a fancy bundt pan.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Just as morning coffee is better with a bagel or a croissant, afternoon coffee is optimized with a piece of cake. This one looks fancy and sophisticated because of the bundt pan, but it’s made with ingredients you already have in your pantry. —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • Butter for pan
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. Beat egg whites with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until mixture is almost white. Add in honey, baking soda, and sour cream. Mixing at low speed, gradually add flour and nuts, and mix until batter is uniform.
  4. Gently fold in egg whites.
  5. Generously butter a bundt cake pan (or a 9-inch round pan) and pour in batter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.
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35 Reviews

Write a Review
Burton March 29, 2023
Please remove this from the Passover section. While the recipe looks delicious, it contains an ingredient which cannot be eaten on Passover. It's really frustrating for those of us who are using the tags to find recipes that meet our specific dietary restrictions when people spam the tags with stuff that we cannot actually eat.
Nosherium April 5, 2022
Not sure this should be in the Passover section, flour doesn't work for that.
Emily January 5, 2022
I wanted to love this cake, but mine turned out rather sweet and sticky, like angel food cale can be. I expected a different texture. Next time, I may stick to just two eggs and cut back on the sugar a bit. I loved the walnuts in it and will add more when I try again. Lots of potential here!
BSPecherek November 23, 2021
Great Recipe!
I was so pleased with this recipe. Incredibly simple and easy to make. I substituted pecans for walnuts (not a walnut fan).
I actually made this as a compliment to a bourbon or afternoon cocktail. It paired perfectly. I had some with my coffee the next day and it was amazing there too.

I will try to make this with a bourbon glaze (powdered sugar, bourbon, cream) next time. I am hoping it will be equally tasty.

It has been placed into my favorite cakes rotation. Thanks for a great recipe.
Xavier October 29, 2021
Love love love this cake. It’s so moist and delicious. Easy recipe and ingredients. This will definitely be a keeper. Thank you so much for sharing!
lindajean July 18, 2020
This cake is a dream to make, easy enough but elegant for any occasion.
Not too sweet and delightfully moist, the walnuts add another dimension entirely. I am off to the kitchen to bake one right now!
Lisa April 28, 2020
This is a keeper. It is easy to make. It is simple: no complicated ingredients. It is versatile: when I run out of flour, I replace part of the flour with almond flour or mix of rice flour. All came out delicious! Thank you!
Jenny August 20, 2016
Has anyone tried glazing it? or soaking it in some syrup while it was still hot?
naomi W. April 16, 2016
I just made this totally yummy cake with what I had to hand - half yogurt, half creme fraiche, brandy soaked raisins and a bit of the brandy, almonds and walnuts....perfect
Wendall March 6, 2016
Fabulous recipe - I made it using creme fraiche as I couldn't get sour cream and it was perfect. My only complaint? I barely got any, as everyone else went wild for it with cups of tea!
mick November 18, 2015
My coffie tasts fabulous with this cake. Nice recipe.
mick November 18, 2015
I mean my coffee tastes fabulous.
Swetha C. January 4, 2015
Could I substitute the sour cream with something else?
Vicky |. January 5, 2015
You could try Greek Yogurt but it may change the consistency a little as it is thicker, but shouldn't change the flavor drastically.
Swetha C. January 5, 2015
Thank you! Should I use the same quantity as the sour cream?
Vicky |. January 12, 2015
Yes, I would use the same amount.
kzmccaff January 4, 2015
Also--I should say, I sprayed and floured the pan and it came RIGHT out. Quite easily.
kzmccaff January 4, 2015
Just made this cake and it's great! The consistency is a little spongey and it's lightly sweet, but not overpowering. Perfect with tea (and a new episode of Downton... :)) I added about 1/3 C of walnuts and liked having more of them!
Nina January 4, 2015
It has nothing in common with "Russian Honey Cake"!!!!
And with russian backing traditions also. Because adding honey and sauar cream doesn't automatically make cakes "russian".
Kendra February 11, 2016
Doesn't change the fact that it's AMAZING! :)
majority L. November 16, 2014
Just made this and it's my favorite cake of all time. Neither bready like a muffin nor sweet like a birthday cake. Just right. Great consistency. I want to break off pieces and eat it out of my hand. A couple notes - I used Mexican sour cream rather than American because the Mexican is runnier. I am under the impression that most Eastern European/Russian 'sour creams' are much runnier than the thick standard goop. I suspect it really added a lot of moistness and texture to the cake. I also soaked the walnuts in some almond extract for a minute. I bet some brandy or other flavored liqueur would have added a lot too. Next I'm trying it with different fruits and nuts.
Vicky |. January 5, 2015
Lovely! I like the idea of adding some dried fruits to the recipe. Thanks for the comments!
nkem A. October 14, 2014
I love the recipe, its easy to reach with-out any difficulties am preparing it right away.
Tobiwan October 6, 2014
Tasted better today..but probably won't make it again.
Tobiwan October 5, 2014
Just made mine...not super loving it...very moist...but a bit too spongy and bland flavor...?
Markella B. October 6, 2014
I couldn't agree with you more Tobiwan. Made it for Sunday afternoon coffee but I was a bit disappointed with the flavor. Like you said, spongy and bland, eventhough I sprinkled some cinnamon on top.
Awads October 5, 2014
I baked a second one. Still having issues getting the right color. It came out with raw spots on the top and more amber hued on the bottom. I have a convection thermador oven that has never failed me. Having said that, the cake is super moist and not too sweet. It was a crowd-pleaser. I'd make again.