Kyivskyi Cake (Kyiv Cake)

User Reviews

4.9

162 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    30 mins

  • Cook Time

    8 hrs

  • Additional Time

    5 hrs

  • Total Time

    13 hrs 30 mins

  • Servings

    12 servings

  • Course

    Dessert

  • Cuisine

    Ukrainian

Kyivskyi Cake (Kyiv Cake)

Kyivskyi Cake is a layered dessert featuring a light cake base, crisp meringue layers, and a rich buttercream made with dulce de leche and cocoa. The assembly integrates chopped hazelnuts for added texture and flavor, resulting in a cake with a combination of airy, creamy, and nutty elements.

Description

This recipe for Kyivskyi Cake starts with a cake batter of eggs, sugar, flour, and baking powder as the foundation. The meringue layers, made from egg whites and sugar whipped to stiff peaks, are baked slowly at a low temperature for several hours to produce a dry, crisp texture. This careful process ensures a stable meringue layer that contrasts with the softness of the cake and buttercream. The buttercream blends softened unsalted butter, dulce de leche, and cocoa powder into a smooth frosting that provides sweetness and depth. Finely diced unsalted hazelnuts are incorporated as filling, imparting a nutty crunch to the layered cake.

Though complex in preparation, the Kyivskyi Cake showcases the interplay of textures: tender cake, crackly meringue, creamy buttercream, and crunchy nuts. It is typically assembled by layering cake, meringue, hazelnut filling, and buttercream to achieve a balanced dessert.

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Ingredients

Servings

For the cake:

  • 6 egg large
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar white
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • tbsp baking powder

For the meringue:

  • 6 egg large, whites
  • ¾  cup granulated sugar white

For the buttercream:

  • 8 oz butter softened at room temperature, unsalted
  • 14 oz dulce de leche
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder

For the filling:

  • 1 cup hazelnuts finely diced, unsalted

Instructions

How to Make the Meringue

  1. Tip: Prepare the meringue a day ahead of time. Let it dry and cool in the oven. Store the meringue covered well, away from moisture.
  2. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw 2 circles on it. Use an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake tin. Set the pan aside and preheat the oven to 175 ℉/ 80° C.
  3. Separate the egg whites from egg yolks. Place the egg whites in a stand mixer bowl. Whisk them with the sugar on high speed until they make stiff peaks. 
  4. Divide the meringue evenly and spread on the parchment paper, using the circles as guides. Use a flat spatula to ensure that the top and sides are even.
  5. Place the meringue in the oven and bake for 8 hours at 175 ℉ / 80° C, until completely dried and crisp. To check, tap lightly on the top in the center of meringue – you should hear a hollow sound. 
  6. Turn the oven off and leave the door ajar, letting the meringue cool slowly inside. Only remove it when you are ready to assemble the cake.

How to Make the Sponge Cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 ℉/ 175° C. Line 2, 8-inch (20 cm) round cake tins with parchment paper and set aside
  2. Sift the flour and baking powder together. 
  3. Whisk the eggs and sugar on high speed until the eggs become pale and thick. 
  4. Slowly dust the flour over the eggs and fold it in. Immediately pour the cake batter into the prepared cake tins, dividing the batter evenly. 
  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the cake is golden on top. Remove the hot cake layers from the oven and turn them onto a cooling rack, removing the parchment paper.

How to Make the Frosting and Flling

  1. First, cook the dulce de leche (condensed milk). Remove any labels from the can. Place the can into a large pot of water.
  2. Bring it to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
  3. Make sure the can is constantly immersed in water.
  4. Add water from time to time if needed. Cook for 2.5-3 hours. Let it cool and remove from the can.
  5. Chop the hazelnuts.
  6. Place the softened butter into a large bowl and whisk it until light and fluffy (approx. 8 minutes).
  7. Add the cooked dulce de leche and continue whisking until light and fluffy (approx. 2 minutes). 
  8. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until well blended.
  9. To assemble the cake, spread the frosting between alternating layers of sponge cake and meringue, placing diced hazelnuts between the layers.
  10. The Kyivskyi Tort is finished with (chocolate) custard buttercream mixed with cocoa powder.
  11. Let the cake sit in the fridge for 5-6 hours before serving. Enjoy!
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4.9

162 reviews
Excellent

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