My take on the famous Kyiv Torte – aka, the Hazelnut Meringue Cake. This stunning Ukrainian cake recipe is made with simple sponge cake soaked with hazelnut liqueur, chocolate ganache filling, caramel frosting and crunchy hazelnut meringue! All those incredible layers, textures and flavors come together to create an unforgettable cake! This meringue cake is the ultimate hazelnut treat!
Check out my new cookbook, Beyond Borscht, for a more classic take on this delicious cake!
Watch My Video!
Watch my video recipe for step-by-step instructions to make the perfect ‘Hazelnut Meringue Cake’! Want to receive new recipe notifications? Subscribe to my YouTube channel and turn on notifications!
History of the Kiev Torte
The original, Ukrainian cake ‘Kyiv Torte’ is traditionally made with one tall meringue layer, thin layers of sponge cake on the top and bottom, all covered with a buttercream frosting. It was first created in 1956 and sold in bakery shops across the USSR. It’s still very popular today and available even in the US in Eastern European grocery stores. My recipe is slightly different, incorporating more layers but the flavor is still the same!
How It’s Made
The main star in this meringue cake recipe is the hazelnut meringue! It’s slightly different in texture than the meringue that we are used to in the US. This Eastern European version is baked at a low oven temperature for many hours, until it’s crispy inside and out. When it’s ready, it will sound hollow when tapped on the top. When making the meringue, make sure to wash the mixing bowl very well with degreasing dish soap and white table vinegar, otherwise the egg whites will not mix properly and fall flat. The vinegar will get rid of any stuck on grease.
Frosting & Garnish
Besides the delicate hazelnut meringue layers, this hazelnut meringue cake is made with simple sponge cake, caramel frosting and chocolate ganache filling. I have separate video recipes for each step of this cake, with in-depth instructions. Check out those videos here:
- I absolutely love my ‘Salted Caramel Frosting’ for this recipe and so many others!
- I used my ‘Chocolate Ganache Filling’ for this cake on the inside and as a garnish.
- And my super easy and simply ‘Sponge Cake Recipe’ is perfect for this cake.
I garnished the top of my hazelnut cake with dollops of salted caramel frosting and also piped some of the chocolate ganache.
More Recipes!
Looking for more Ukrainian cake recipes? Check out my dessert book, ‘The European Cake Cookbook’ for more recipes, like this ‘Peach Zefir Torte’!
- And, you can never go wrong with the ‘Classic Napoleon Torte’ – delicate layers filled with custard cream!
- Chocolate Spartak Cake – 8 layers of chocolate cake with whipped cream frosting!
- Korolebsky Torte – alternating layers of chocolate and poppy seed with caramel frosting!
- Golden Key Caramel Cake – the best-ever caramel cake with dulce de leche, sweetened condensed milk, pecans and whipped cream frosting!
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Need some supplies to make this recipe? You can get them here (Amazon affiliate links):
This classic Ateco turntable is a must for cake decorating!
I love these aluminum cake pans for baking all my cake layers.
If you don’t want to use hazelnut liqueur, try adding a bit of hazelnut extract for more flavor.
Hi Tatyana,
Does the meringue layer get soft after it sits for a day? I’m trying to make it for a party. I usually assemble another Kiev cake I make just before gets show up with is stressful but it’s worth it for a crunchy bite into the meringue. I would like to know if it will get really soft if I assemble the night before or will it really crunchy? Hope that makes sense. Thanks for your amazing recipes!
Ira
Hi! The meringue will stay crunchy if you assemble the cake properly 🙂 I know what you mean – my husband likes the meringue crunchy, too. Just spread a thin layer of frosting between the cake and meringue and don’t get any of the syrup on to the meringue. The frosting will seal the meringue and help keep it dry.
Hi Ira, I am baking this cake tomorrow, but if you have s good recipe for a Kiev cake, can you somehow post it to me?
I just made this cake for Easter and everyone loved it!! Love how easy it is to follow your recipes!
Thank you
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I made this cake twice in the last two weeks and everybody loved it. Thank you for such a great recipe!!!! I tried several “kyiv torte” recipes but none of them were nearly as good and as authentic as this one. I moved to the U.S. (from Ukraine) almost twenty years ago and always missed the “kyiv torte”… Not anymore since I can make my own any time I feel in the mood for it. YUM!
That’s wonderful!! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoy this recipe!! 🙂
Hi! I want to make this cake tomorrow. I read the recipe and it calls for 2 layers of meringue. Do i bake two separate batches or do i need to cut the one meringue in half to make enough for 2 layers?
Hi! This cake is so delicious! 🙂 No, you just make 2 layers with the recipe. Check out my video recipe for the details. You can use two, 8-inch pans or a large sheet of parchment paper with 8-inch circles drawn on the back.
Why do you call it Kiev cake? It has nothing to do with original recipe.
Hi Alla! This is just the stacked version of the original cake – all the same flavors in a super tall cake 🙂
Hi, how do you take the meringue out from the pan?
Hi! Make sure to line the pan with parchment paper, at least on the bottom! Once it’s done baking, you can use a knife around the edges to loosen it from the side. Or, just line the sides, too. Enjoy! 🙂