Here's another Slavic cake that has as many variations as chocolate chip cookies. The crunchy meringue layers are the main focus of this cake. Sometimes the cake is made with only meringue layers other times the meringue layers are paired with sponge cake layers. This variation is made with a type of sponge cake, although not a biskvit (which is made with only eggs, sugar and flour). I think the addition of butter and sour cream in the cake batter gives it great flavor and I like using up all the egg yolks left over from the egg whites used in the meringue. My cousins have been making this cake for years and it's my favorite variation.
For the frosting, buttercream is often used. Since I don't like buttercream, I decided to go with another tradition Russian frosting, made with condensed milk and butter. The original recipe for this frosting is a can of condensed milk and 2 sticks of butter, but I also added a package of cream cheese. It was a great addition, diluting some of the sweetness and also adding a creaminess and tanginess to the frosting. A thin layer of plum jam in between the meringue layers gives this sweet cake a delightful bit of tartness. All in all, a great cake.
For the Meringue:
Line a half sheet (18 x 13 inches) rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
Whisk the egg whites in a standing mixer with a whisk attachment, starting on medium speed and gradually increasing to medium high, until frothy. 
Gradually add the sugar. Whisk the egg whites for 15 minutes until stiff peaks form. 
Spread out evenly in the prepared baking sheet. 
Bake at 250 degrees for 3 ½ hours. 
You can make the meringue a day or two ahead of time.
For the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a half sheet (18 x 13 inches) rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Grease with baking spray.
Beat the egg yolks until frothy in a standing mixer with a whisk attachment. Gradually add the sugar. Beat for about 10 minutes, until pale yellow and thick. 
Add the softened butter, sour cream and the baking soda dissolved in vinegar. 
Mix until combined. 
Add the flour and mix just until it's incorporated. 
Spread out the batter evenly in the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
For the Frosting:
While the cake is baking, (or while the meringue is baking), make the frosting.
Mix the softened butter, softened cream cheese, condensed milk and vanilla in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix until smooth.
To Assemble:
Cut the meringue layer and the cake layer in half. 
You can either make this cake into a rectangle or a square.
For a square cake, cut off 3 inches more from the long side of each of the four layer. For a slightly larger, rectangular cake, just trim the edges after you cut each layer in half.
Cover the edges of your cake plate with aluminum foil (to keep it clean while you frost and decorate the cake). Start with a layer of cake. Top it with some of the frosting. Place a meringue layer on top of the frosted cake layer. 
Heat the jam in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds, just until it becomes thin enough to spread. If you don't heat it up a bit, it will be very difficult to spread on the meringue layer and you might even break the meringue.
Spread the jam out evenly over the meringue layer. 
Place another layer of meringue over the jam. Spread out more frosting over the second layer of meringue. 
Top with the last cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Cover the sides with the toasted sliced almonds and use some of the cake scraps to make into crumbs and sprinkle over the top of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for at least an hour before serving.
Kiev Cake - Kievski Tort
Ingredients
Meringue:
- 8 egg whites room temperature
- 1 ½ cups sugar
Cake:
- 8 egg yolks room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 stick 8 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 8 oz 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1 ½ cups flour
Frosting:
- 2 sticks 16 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
- 1 can condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Other:
- ½ cup plum jam
- ¾ - 1 cup sliced toasted almonds
Instructions
For the Meringue:
- Line a half sheet (18 x 13 inches) rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
- Whisk the egg whites in a standing mixer with a whisk attachment, starting on medium speed and gradually increasing to medium high, until frothy. Gradually add the sugar. Whisk the egg whites for 15 minutes until stiff peaks form.
- Spread out evenly in the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for 3 ½ hours.
- You can make the meringue a day or two ahead of time.
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a half sheet (18 x 13 inches) rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Grease with baking spray.
- Beat the egg yolks until frothy in a standing mixer with a whisk attachment. Gradually add the sugar. Beat for about 10 minutes, until pale yellow and thick.
- Add the softened butter, sour cream and the baking soda dissolved in vinegar. Mix until combined.
- Add the flour and whisk just until it's incorporated.
- Spread out the batter evenly in the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
For the Frosting:
- While the cake is baking, (or while the meringue is baking), make the frosting.
- Mix the softened butter, softened cream cheese, condensed milk and vanilla in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix until smooth.
To Assemble:
- Cut the meringue layer and the cake layer in half.
- You can either make this cake into a rectangle or a square. For a square cake, cut off 3 inches more from the long side of each of the four layer. For a slightly larger, rectangular cake, just trim the edges after you cut each layer in half.
- Cover the edges of your cake plate with aluminum foil (to keep it clean while you frost and decorate the cake).
- Start with a layer of cake. Top it with some of the frosting.
- Place a meringue layer on top of the frosted cake layer.
- Heat the jam in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds, just until it becomes thin enough to spread. If you don't heat it up a bit, it will be very difficult to spread on the meringue layer and you might even break the meringue.
- Spread the jam out evenly over the meringue layer.
- Place another layer of meringue over the jam. Spread out more frosting over the second layer of meringue.
- Top with the last cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
- Cover the sides with the toasted sliced almonds and use some of the cake scraps to make into crumbs and sprinkle over the top of the cake.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least an hour before serving.
Just made this cake and it turned out soooo good!!!!!!! One thing I regret is that I didnt have the proper size baking dish so everything is double the size, and its extra tall. Thank you !
Yay! Glad you enjoyed it, Lidiya.
Hi Olga. Do you think it would be a good idea to use apricot jam?
I answered your question on Facebook, Lidiya, but for others on here who may wonder the same thing - use any jam that you like.
I like to use a jam that has some tartness to it, since I like the combination of the sweet cake and the tart jam. I'm sure apricot would work here too.
olga thank you so much for your wonderful website. i made this cake for the first time 2 months ago and again today. it came out perfect both times. i did use parchment paper this time instead of the aluminum foil and everything peeled off easily. this cake is so good and i have been looking around for the recipe. again thanks for sharing and many blessings to you.
I'm so glad it turned out great for you! Thanks for letting me know, Tanya655.
What is the reason that the meringue caramelized on the bottom and stuck to the foil?
Usually that means that the temperature is too high, lana. Try to decrease the temperature of the oven about 25 degrees. Some ovens are hotter than others, so that might be a problem.
Hi:) So I am not going to lie but I totally messed up the meringue layer. I never greased the foil since it didn't say to and it did say to grease the cake layer part. Also, I didn't take it out of the pan until the next day. Which step did I do incorrectly so I do it right the next time? Thanks 🙂
Hi Liliya. I never grease the pan for the meringue layers, only the cake layers. I do take usually take it off the cake pan pretty soon, maybe that?
Thank you for posting such clear instructions. I'm gonna make it and I really hope it works my merengue never turns out. I'm really hoping I can make it work with your recipe. Thanks for posting 🙂
Ok, so i made it a while ago already, and meringue turned out perfect, and my husband said it was the best cake he ever ate.. and everyone just loved it. I wanna say thank you olga for such a clear instructions on how to make it. thanks a lot!!!!
That's great! Thanks for letting me know, Olga. I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
I just love your website. Thank you for all the good recipes that you are posting. God Bless you and your whole family with lots of love and happiness in your life!
Thanks for your kind words, Violet! It means a lot to hear that. I am so honored that you are finding this website useful.
Olya do you toast the sliced almonds separately?
Yes, Tania, I toast the almonds separately in a small skillet until they are golden and aromatic. They taste so much better when toasted!
This looks delish! Have you ever tried putting roasted almonds into the meringue? It adds a whole boost of crunchiness!
Hi Snezhana! I haven't done it personally, since I prefer the meringue without nuts, but I know many people do.
Thanks so much! I was looking for a recipe for this cake recently 🙂
For some reason I also remember some people adding 'Dulce de Leche' frosting (cooked condensed milk) on some of the layers. Is that an option? Or is that some totally different cake and not in fact Kievski..
Hi Anna,
For this cake, I've never seen Dulce de Leche used, but you can certainly use it:).
You need to get the pin it button on each recipe page so I can pin these to my pinterest 🙂
Hi Olya! I'm so glad you like the recipes. I actually do have a Pinterest button. You can find it at the bottom of each recipe. There is a Share/Save button; if you click on it, Pinterest is one of the options:). I'll try to get a Pin It button that will be much easier to see sometime soon.
Thank you!!!! This is my husbents favorite cake and I can not get it right(the way he ate it in ukraine) I'll try ur version for sure and let u know how it turns out.
Oh, wow! I really hope he likes it:).
this made my mouth water 🙂
Thanks, Mom's Dish!
can i use any jam or only plum jam?
Nata,
Of course you can use any jam. I would recommend using something that has some tartness, such as raspberry or plum. The cake itself is on the sweeter side, so using a tart jam gives a nice touch and contrast in flavor.
Hi Olga,
If I was to bake the cake and meringue in a round pan, what size would I need to use?
Tania,
I have never made this cake in a round pan, so I don't know. I would probably use a 10 inch round cake pan and use 2 cake pan for the meringue layers and 2 pans for the cake layers. However, I don't know for sure, since I always make this cake either into a rectangle or a square.