Kyiv Cake (Kiev Cake): Classic Ukrainian Cake

Quick Summary: Kyiv cake (also spelled Kiev cake) is a traditional Ukrainian meringue cake with two crunchy hazelnut meringue layers and silky Charlotte cream, finished with chocolate cream and crumbs. It needs 12 to 24 hours of drying time plus chilling, so plan ahead for this special-occasion showstopper.

What is Kyiv cake?

Kyiv cake, or Kiev cake, is a classic Ukrainian cake made of two crunchy hazelnut meringue layers sandwiched with cognac-infused Charlotte cream. Also known as Kievsky cake or Kievsky tort, it is as iconic in Ukraine as tiramisu is in Italy.

Invented in the 1950s, Kyiv cake was initially made with cashew nuts. The modern version now features rich hazelnuts and is my absolute favorite.

Despite many variations in recipes, including sponge cake layers, I offer you the authentic Kievsky cake recipe made at the Karl Marx confectionery factory (now Roshen).

It is prepared with two layers of crunchy hazelnut meringue (with no sponge cake), alternating with layers of cognac-infused buttercream. A special occasion cake is perfect for a birthday or other celebration. 

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

Kyiv cake has a few ingredients, but everything comes together due to a special technique of making nut meringue and Charlotte cream.

• Large eggs at room temperature. You will need to separate the egg whites from the yolks and let the egg whites age. While the original Kiev cake recipe calls for aging egg whites for 12 hours, I do not recommend going over 2 hours following FDA Food Safety handling rules.
• Sugar: Use granulated or caster sugar for the nut meringue, plus some vanilla sugar.
• Flour: Just all-purpose flour, the same as plain flour.
• Roasted hazelnuts, either store-bought or homemade. Follow this recipe for roasting hazelnuts.
• Whole milk with 3.2% milk fat. Please avoid low-fat and skimmed milk.
• Unsalted butter: This recipe requires top-quality European-style butter with an 82% fat content.
• Cognac or dark rum to flavor the butter-based cream.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: I always use

How to make Kyiv cake (step-by-step instructions)

Step 1: Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. Cover the bowl containing the egg yolks with plastic film and refrigerate.

Step 2: Keep the whites at room temperature (uncovered) for 2 hours. Then, warm the mixer bowl by rinsing it with hot water and dry it. Add the egg whites to the bowl and warm them to 75-76°F (23-24°C), checking with a cooking or infrared thermometer.

Pro tip: If you live in Europe, use eggs safely stored at room temperature (not in the fridge). This will not affect the taste of the finished cake.

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Grind the roasted hazelnuts into coarse crumbs in short pulses using a food processor (photo 1). Alternatively, you can utilize a knife to chop hazelnuts.

Step 4: Mix the prepared nuts, 1 ⅛ cup (225 g) of sugar (#1), and sifted all-purpose flour (photo 2).

Step 5: Place the egg whites in the metal bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat at a low speed, gradually increasing it to medium. Once you see the first small bubbles, start adding sugar.

Step 6: Add the remaining sugar #2 (¼ cup or 50 g) in two additions, whisking well for 30 seconds after each addition. Add the vanilla sugar and continue whisking at medium or high speed for 4-5 minutes. The meringue will become glossy with stiff peaks (photo 3) and hold its shape on the beaters with a stable bird's beak.

Step 7: Pour the dry ingredients into the whisked egg whites in 3 additions, and gently mix with a rubber spatula from the bottom to the top (photo 4). Try to work in one direction: from the center of the bowl to the sides, turning the bowl clockwise with the other hand. Do not overmix: mix to combine!

Step 8: Place two cake rings, one 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter and the other 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Do not grease the sides of the rings.

Step 9: Divide the meringue mixture between two cake molds, ensuring the meringue heights are equal. Smooth the meringue's surface with a spatula (photo 5).

Pro tip: Use two clean toothpicks to check the height of the meringue in both rings.

Step 10: Bake in the preheated oven for about 2 hours, until the meringue layers are slightly browned. Do not open the oven door for the first 90 minutes.

Pro tip: If the cakes darken quickly, try to bake the meringue disks with the oven ajar or shorten the baking time.

Step 11: Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool still in the cake rings. Leave them uncovered at room temperature for 12-24 hours (still in the cake rings!)

Step 12: The next day, use a knife to remove the cake layers, then carefully peel off the parchment paper.

Step 13: Place the smaller cake disk on top of the larger cake disk and cut to one size (photo 6). You will have two cake discs with a diameter of 7 inches (18 cm) and a thickness of 1.2 inches (3 cm). Collect the scraps and crush them by hand into crumbs.

Step 14: To make the Charlotte cream, pour milk into a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan and add sugar. Bring it almost to a boil.

Step 15: Remove the remaining yolks from the refrigerator and mix them with a hand whisk. If the yolk surface has dried out, pass them through a fine-mesh sieve.

Step 16: Pour the hot milk syrup over the egg yolks in a thin stream, stirring constantly to prevent the yolks from curdling.

Step 17: Return the mixture to the saucepan and heat over medium. Cook until thickened, constantly stirring vigorously. You should get the cooked mixture with the consistency of thin condensed milk.

Step 18: Remove it from the heat and transfer it to a shallow enough plate to prevent the cream from continuing to cook. Cover the cream with plastic wrap, leaving it in contact, and leave to cool at room temperature (photo 7).

Step 19: Beat the softened butter with vanilla sugar until it is whitish. Add the cooled custard to the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time (photo 8).

Pro tip: Make sure that the butter and custard base are at the same temperature. Otherwise, the cream risks stratifying.

Step 20: To assemble the cake, divide the cream into two equal parts. Add cognac to one part of the cream and whisk again with a mixer. Take about 3 tablespoons of the cream for the decoration. Sift cocoa powder over the remaining cream and mix with an electric mixer.

Step 21: Apply about a teaspoon of the white cream to a cake board or a serving plate to prevent the cake from slipping. Place the first cake layer, smooth side down (the bottom of the cake on the cake board).

Step 22: Spread the white cream over the cake surface (photo 9). Do not use the cream left for garnish!

Pro tip: Optionally, use an adjustable cake ring lined with an acetate collar to assemble the cake.

Step 23: Put the top layer, smooth side up, and press slightly. If using a cake ring, refrigerate the cake for about 30 minutes to stabilize the cream. Otherwise, proceed.

Step 24: Remove the cake ring if used. Cover the cake with chocolate cream. Apply a fairly thin layer of the cream to the sides of the cake and sprinkle with the prepared crumbs (photo 10).

Step 25: To decorate the cake, transfer the chocolate cream to a piping bag with a Wilton open star tip M1. Pipe the cream around the edge of the cake.

Step 26: Transfer the white cream to a pastry bag with a tip M1. Pipe two to three cream swirls or other floral designs with chocolate or white cream. Sprinkle half the cake with crumbs. Refrigerate the cake for at least 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.

Expert tips

• Replace hazelnuts with cashews if desired.
• Bake the meringue cake layers immediately after making the nut meringue mixture. Do not delay baking; otherwise, the meringue may collapse.
• Respect the drying time for the nut meringue layers: 12-24 hours.
• If the egg yolks slightly dry out the next day, pass them through a fine mesh sieve.
• Omit cognac if serving the cake to kids and pregnant women.

How to serve Kyiv cake

Kyiv cake is best served chilled, straight from the refrigerator, so the buttercream stays firm and the hazelnut meringue layers keep their delicate crunch. For the cleanest slices, use a long, sharp knife and wipe the blade between cuts. Because the cake is rich, cut it into thin slices rather than thick wedges.

Serve this classic Ukrainian cake as a dessert with coffee or black tea, which beautifully balances its sweetness. It is a showstopping centerpiece for birthdays, holidays, and celebrations, and it tastes even better a day after assembly, once the layers have had time to soften and the flavors have melded.

Let it stand at room temperature for about ten minutes before serving to bring out the aroma of the toasted hazelnuts.

Storing & freezing

Kyiv cake should be stored in the refrigerator under a glass dome for 72 hours, just like the original Roshen Kyivskiy cake.

Freeze the Kyiv cake for up to 3 months. To thaw, refrigerate the cake overnight.

Recipe FAQ

What is Kyiv cake made of?
Kyiv cake (Kievsky tort) is made of two crunchy hazelnut meringue layers filled with butter-based Charlotte cream flavored with cognac, then coated with chocolate cream and meringue crumbs. The authentic Roshen version uses no sponge cake.

How do you pronounce Kyiv cake?
Kyiv is pronounced roughly like "keev." The dessert is known internationally as both Kyiv cake and Kiev cake, and in Ukrainian as Kievsky cake or Kievsky tort.

Does Kyiv cake have a sponge layer?
No. The authentic Roshen Kyiv cake is made only with hazelnut meringue layers, which gives it its signature crunch. Some modern versions add a sponge layer, but the classic recipe does not.

How do you know when the meringue layers are done?
The hazelnut meringue layers are done when they are lightly browned, dry, and crisp, and lift cleanly from the parchment. They then need 12 to 24 hours of drying at room temperature to reach the right texture.

Can you make Kyiv cake without aging egg whites?
Yes, you can still make Kyiv cake without aging egg whites, but it will affect the stability of the meringue. Aging the egg whites reduces their water content by evaporation, which strengthens the egg albumen.

Is Kyiv cake made with Russian buttercream?
No, Kyiv cake is made with a butter-based Charlotte cream, not the classic Russian buttercream made with butter and sweetened condensed milk.

Love meringue desserts? Try these next!

• Vanilla meringue cake
• Pavlova roll (Meringue roulade)
• French meringue Merveilleux
• Large meringue

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The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.