Description
Kiev Cake is a classic Russian dessert featuring layers of delicate yellow sponge cake, crispy hazelnut meringue, tart cherries, and a rich Russian buttercream. This elegant cake is finished with a smooth chocolate ganache and garnished with additional meringue and nuts, making it a perfect celebration centerpiece.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Components
- 1 recipe Yellow Sponge Cake (about 8-inch round cake, cooled)
- 1.5 recipe Russian Buttercream (approximately 3 cups)
- 1 recipe Meringue Cookies (about 8 large cookies)
Additional Ingredients
- 1 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped
- 1/2 cup tart cherries, frozen or canned, juice drained
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Ganache Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons hot heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
Instructions
- Make the Meringue: Whip egg whites and sugar to stiff peaks, then pipe the meringue onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts over half the meringue shapes to add texture and flavor.
- Bake and Cool Meringue: Bake at 225°F (about 107°C) for 2 hours until dry and crisp. Turn off heat and let meringue cool inside the oven for 30 minutes before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack.
- Prepare Cake Base: Carefully slice the cooled yellow sponge cake into two equal layers horizontally. Place the top half of the cake on a serving board with the cut-side up, and apply a small dab of buttercream underneath to anchor it.
- Layer Syrup and Buttercream: Soak the sponge layer lightly with half of the prepared sugar syrup. Spread around 2/3 cup of the Russian buttercream evenly over the soaked sponge. Dip the baked meringue pieces into buttercream and attach them to the cake’s top surface. Fill any gaps with crumbled meringue pieces for texture.
- Add Cherries and Second Layer: Evenly sprinkle tart cherries and chopped hazelnuts over the meringue layer. Soak the second sponge layer with the remaining syrup, spread buttercream over it, and gently place it over the meringue layer. Press down lightly to secure. Chill the cake for 1 hour to set.
- Frost the Cake: Remove any cake rings if used. Using the reserved 1.5 cups buttercream, frost the entire cake smoothly to create an even surface for decoration.
- Make Ganache: Pour hot heavy cream over chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. Let the mixture sit undisturbed for 2 minutes to melt. Stir gently until the ganache is smooth and glossy. Allow it to cool to a pourable consistency.
- Decorate with Ganache: Pour the cooled ganache over the top of the frosted cake, allowing it to drip naturally down the sides for an elegant effect. Decorate with remaining meringue cookies and additional chopped hazelnuts as desired.
- Chill Before Serving: Refrigerate the finished cake for at least 4 hours to allow flavors to meld and the buttercream to firm up. Serve chilled for best taste and texture.
Notes
- Ensure meringue is fully dried out to maintain its crisp texture in the cake.
- Syrup used for soaking can be made by dissolving sugar in water with vanilla extract.
- Use tart cherries to balance the sweetness of the buttercream and meringue.
- For best results, prepare components ahead of time as some require resting or cooling periods.
- You can substitute hazelnuts for walnuts if preferred.
