My dear friend Gayane kindly gave me this recipe. It's a special cake made of several thin cake layers. The layers are made in a pan on the stove! In between each honey-flavored layer you add Russian frosting. You will love this cake as much as I do. Its not terribly sweet like other popular recipe out there yet the honey flavour is pronounced.
Ingredients
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
pinch salt
2 1/2 - 3 cups all-purpose flour, DIVIDED
Russian frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
pinch salt
14 oz sweetened condensed milk, NOT evaporated
Instructions
Read Susie's Tips and Tricks below
1. In the top portion of a double-boiler place butter, honey, baking soda, sugar, eggs, and salt. Let melt and blend together. It will get frothy. Remove from heat.
2. Blend in 1 1/2 cup of flour, then add another 1 cup of flour and mix in. Dump on to a clean board and knead the dough so that all the flour is mixed in. It should be pretty firm and not too sticky. Divide the dough evenly into 8 pieces.
3. Measure out 1/2- 1 cup flour and sprinkle 2-4 tbsp of flour for each cake. (You may not use it all.) Roll each piece and shape into an 8" circle. It will be thin; approximately 1/16" to 1/8''. Roll on lightly floured plastic wrap and flour top to make it easy to roll and then tip out on wide skillet.
4. Heat a large skillet (or crepe pan) to medium low heat. Gently place the 'pan'cake in the skillet and let caramelize until medium brown. This will take a few minutes. Then flip and caramelize the other side; (this should happen quite quickly). Remove and place on a paper towel; stacking each as they are cook.
5. Place butter and salt in a KitchenAid mixing bowl and cream until light and fluffy. Be sure and scrape the bottom so there aren't any chunks of butter. Now add sweetened condensed milk, a few tablespoons at a time; mixing well after each addition. It should resemble traditional frosting. (It will thicken.) Set aside.
6. Now confirm the size you can utilize for making each layer. Test with your preferred circle. Your cakes may be 7-8" wide. With the cake pan or a pot lid place on top of 'pan'cake and trim the excess cake. Save these scraps.
7. Place the scraps in a food processor and pulse until crumbled. Then set aside.
8. Secure the first cake piece by adding a few spots of frosting to secure it in place. Now lay down the first 'pan'cake layer on an attractive cake platter or plate and place approximately 3 tbsp of Russian frosting on the cake and spread evenly. Traditionally, these frosting layers are thin.
9. Continue until all layers are added with (3 tbsp) frosting in between each.
10. Now spread frosting generously around the side and top. Place in fridge for 20 minutes.
11. Place the cake platter on top of a sheet pan so that you can collect and use the crumbs that fall and don't adhere immediately. In your hand scoop up a large amount of crumbs and gently press against the sides. Be sure and rotate the cake and work evenly. Now sprinkle the top evenly.
12. This cake can be stored at room temperature. The layers will soften over time.
Susie's Tips and Tricks
Avoid mild honey and use one with medium or dark grade to intensify the flavour.
You can also caramelize the honey for a more pronounced flavour and colour.
This version of Karinka cake is made differently than others, some bake the cake layers in the oven.
Its not easy to create perfect circular shapes, it takes practice. If your need to 'puzzle" a few of the layers, just be sure and layer them between your 'best' circles. I did! No one knew.
Save the excess crumbs in the freezer; use on ice cream if desired.
Be sure that your butter is soft, around room-temperature so that it easily becomes light and fluffy.
Add vanilla extract to the frosting if desired. We like the sweet milk flavour.
Use a pastry brush to get rid of excess crumbs.
If you like nuts you could toast some and finely chop and add to the cake crumbs.
I used a pot lid that gave me 7 1/2" cakes.
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