:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/ukrainian-christmas-honey-cake-medivnyk-recipe-1136417-hero-01-10c465913b1d452bab262c82397e0f25.jpg)
The Spruce / Katarina Zunic
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving) | |
---|---|
285 | Calories |
11g | Fat |
47g | Carbs |
4g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings: 16 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 285 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 11g | 14% |
Saturated Fat 2g | 9% |
Cholesterol 57mg | 19% |
Sodium 351mg | 15% |
Total Carbohydrate 47g | 17% |
Dietary Fiber 2g | 7% |
Protein 4g | |
Calcium 67mg | 5% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
This recipe for Ukrainian Christmas honey cake or medivnyk and other honey pastries are traditional for Christmas, New Year's, and Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah).
The scarcity of sugar in the old days inspired Ukraine bakers to experiment with honey in baked goods and to good effect. There are as many versions of medivnyk as there are families. Some are made with sour cream, some with almonds or other nuts, and others with chocolate. Some are even yeast-raised.
What remains constant is the use of honey, preferably buckwheat honey. Honey pastries need a few days to ripen for flavors to be at their best, so be patient.
Ingredients
- 1 cup honey (preferably buckwheat honey)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup dark raisins
- 1/2 cup currants
- 1/2 cup dates (chopped)
- 1 cup walnuts (chopped or nuts of choice like almonds or pecans)
- 3 cups cake flour (divided)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick/4 ounces softened butter (or parve margarine)
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 4 large eggs (room temperature and separated)
- 1/4 cup strong coffee
Steps to Make It
-
Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce / Katarina Zunic -
In a small saucepan, mix together honey, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.
The Spruce / Katarina Zunic -
Heat oven to 300 F. Lightly coat two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.
The Spruce / Katarina Zunic -
In a medium bowl, combine raisins, currants, dates, nuts of choice, and 2 tablespoons of the flour. Mix well and set aside.
The Spruce / Katarina Zunic -
In a separate medium bowl, mix together remaining flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
The Spruce / Katarina Zunic -
In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter or parve margarine and brown sugar.
The Spruce / Katarina Zunic -
Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
The Spruce / Katarina Zunic -
Mix in the lukewarm honey mixture.
The Spruce / Katarina Zunic -
Add flour and coffee alternately until well mixed.
The Spruce / Katarina Zunic -
Stir in fruit-nut mixture.
The Spruce / Katarina Zunic -
Beat the egg whites until stiff.
The Spruce / Katarina Zunic -
Fold into the batter.
The Spruce / Katarina Zunic -
Bake about 1 1/2 hours or until toothpick tests clean.
The Spruce / Katarina Zunic -
Allow to stand at room temperature, covered, a few days before serving.
The Spruce / Katarina Zunic
Tip
Replacing sugar with honey in recipes is not a one-to-one conversion. When baking, use pure honey for up to half the granulated sugar in a recipe. Additionally, for each 1 cup of honey used:
- Reduce any liquid by 1/4 cup
- Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees
Recipe Tags: