In Russian, “Tort Smetannik” means a cake made with sour cream. This traditional layered Russian cake is celebrated for its incredible moisture and tender texture, achieved through the generous use of sour cream in both the cake layers and the rich, creamy frosting. It’s surprisingly easy to make and often serves as a quick, reliable recipe for impressive homemade desserts.

Absolutely not! Despite being the star ingredient, the sour cream in both the cake layers and the frosting is designed to be completely undetectable in flavor. Its role is primarily to provide unparalleled moisture, tenderness, and a rich mouthfeel, rather than a tangy taste. It’s truly a hidden hero that enhances the cake’s overall deliciousness.

Smetana is the Russian word for sour cream. While readily available in stores, you can also make a homemade version from scratch using buttermilk (or kefir) and heavy whipping cream (slevka). Here’s how:

1. Mix 1 liter of heavy cream with a heaping 3/4 cup of thick buttermilk (or natural yogurt with live cultures).
2. Leave the mixture at room temperature for at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours, until it reaches a thick consistency.
3. Once fermented, stir the smetana and refrigerate it before serving or using in your Smetannik recipe.

To create the wonderfully moist Smetannik cake layers, you will need:

• Eggs: 4 eggs, beaten until they are thick and pale, forming the foundation of the cake’s structure.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar, providing sweetness and contributing to the cake’s tender crumb.
• Sour Cream: Approximately 1 1/3 cups, the star ingredient responsible for the cake’s signature moisture and tenderness.
• Baking Soda (dissolved in vinegar or lemon juice): A heaping tablespoon of baking soda, activated by 2 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice. This ensures even leavening and prevents any bitter soda taste, as the acid helps it dissolve thoroughly.
• Flour: All-purpose flour or bread flour, providing the main structure of the cake.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Used for half of the cake batter to create the delightful chocolate layers, offering a pleasant contrast in flavor.
• Condensed Milk: This sweet and rich ingredient is partially used in the cake batter, adding moisture and depth of flavor. The other half is reserved for the frosting.

Ingredients for the Sour Cream Frosting:

• Sour Cream: Dairy sour cream forms the creamy base of this delightful frosting.
• Cream Cheese: An 8 oz package of softened cream cheese adds richness and stability. To soften quickly, unwrap and microwave for about 30 seconds.
• Condensed Milk: The remaining 7 oz (or half a can) of condensed milk is perfectly incorporated into the frosting, providing sweetness and an incredibly smooth texture.
• Cool Whip: Thawed Cool Whip (or freshly whipped heavy cream) adds lightness and volume to the frosting, making it irresistibly fluffy.

NOTE: While the original Smetannik recipe often included a quick syrup for moistening, this recipe omits it because the cake is inherently moist enough on its own. However, if you desire an *even more* moist cake, you can prepare the syrup using:

• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 3 tbsp sugar

Follow these steps to create your delicious Russian Sour Cream Cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line and lightly grease two 9-inch springform pans with aluminum foil to prevent sticking. Set them aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the eggs and sugar. Beat on high speed for an impressive 15-20 minutes until the mixture is thick, pale, and significantly increased in volume. This step is crucial for a light cake.
3. Next, add the baking soda mixture (baking soda dissolved in sour cream) and condensed milk. Mix until all ingredients are well combined, being careful not to overmix.
4. Gradually whisk in the flour, stirring gently in one direction until just combined. Overmixing can lead to a tough cake.
5. Evenly divide the batter into two portions (approximately 3 cups each). Leave one portion plain for the classic layers. To the other half, whisk in the unsweetened cocoa powder to create the chocolate layers.
6. Pour the batters into the prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Allow the cakes to cool completely in their pans on a wire rack before attempting to handle them. This prevents crumbling.
8. Once cooled, carefully cut each cake layer horizontally in half, yielding a total of four cake layers. Stack them gently.
9. Trim the sides of the cake layers to create uniform edges. Finely crumble these trimmings with your hands; they will be used later for garnish.
10. TO MAKE THE CREAM: In a clean mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until it is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed (about 2-3 minutes).
11. Add the condensed milk and beat until the mixture is smooth.
12. Gradually mix in the sour cream and then the Cool Whip (or whipped heavy cream). Continue mixing until all ingredients are well combined. The frosting will have a slightly thinner consistency, which is intentional as it helps it soak into the cake layers, but it will set beautifully once chilled.
13. ASSEMBLY: Generously frost each cake layer and stack them, alternating between plain and chocolate layers if desired. Once the cake is fully assembled and frosted, garnish the sides and top with the finely crumbled cake trimmings. For an extra touch of flavor and elegance, you can drizzle Dulce de Leche over the top (optional).
14. Refrigerate the cake for at least an hour to allow the frosting to set and the flavors to meld, or for best results, chill overnight.

(Note: If you don’t want to trim cake, you can use crushed chocolate cookie crumbs instead for garnishing.)

One of the fantastic qualities of this Smetannik recipe is its relatively quick turnaround time. While many layered cakes benefit from an overnight chill, this sour cream cake can be served just a couple of hours after preparation. Once the cake layers have completely cooled and you’ve frosted the cake, letting it sit for as little as an hour will allow the creamy frosting to begin melding with the cake layers, ensuring a delightfully moist slice. However, for peak flavor development and a firmer frosting, chilling it overnight is always recommended.

A single Smetannik cake can generously serve 8 large slices, making it perfect for intimate gatherings. Alternatively, if you’re feeding a larger crowd or prefer more moderate portions, it can easily yield 14 smaller slices. The smaller pieces are ideal for ensuring everyone gets a taste without feeling overly full.

While the traditional Smetannik recipe often called for a quick 2-ingredient syrup, we’ve intentionally omitted it from this version. This cake is inherently so moist on its own, thanks to the sour cream and condensed milk, that an extra syrup isn’t necessary for an incredibly tender result. However, if you desire an *even greater* level of moisture, or simply prefer the traditional method, here is the original syrup recipe:

Syrup:

• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 3 tbsp sugar

Smetannik Cake:

Sour Cream Frosting:

How to make Smetannik Cake:

• Preheat oven 350°F. Line and lightly grease two 9-inch springform pans with aluminum foil. Set aside.
• Beat eggs and sugar in a stand mixer over high speed for 15 minutes. Add the diluted baking soda in sour cream and condensed milk.
• Beat in the flour. Evenly divide the batter and leave one plain and whisk in cocoa powder to the other half. (about 3 cups of batter for each.)
• Bake 30-35 minutes or until done. Cool completely.
• Cut both cake layers in half making 4 layers in total. Stack and trim the sides. Finely crumble the trimmings and set aside for garnish later.
• TO MAKE CREAM: Beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add in the condensed milk and gradually mix in the sour cream and Cool whip. Mix well. (Frosting will be on the runny side this soaks the layers.)
• Frost the cake and garish with cake crumbs. Let sit at least an hour before serving or refrigerate overnight.

Nutrition per serving