Korolevsky (King's Cake) is a three-layer Russian showstopper with cocoa, poppy seed, and walnut layers bound by a fluffy dulce de leche butter frosting. Each sponge layer relies on the chemical reaction of baking soda and vinegar mixed into sour cream for its tender crumb.
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Cake Prep Instructions:
Grease and generously flour a 9" non-stick cake pan.
On a dry skillet, over medium-high heat, toast 1 cup of walnuts until lightly golden then chop into small pieces.
In the bowl of an stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat together 2 eggs and 1 cup sugar until pale yellow (4 minutes on medium/high speed). Reduce the speed to low and add 1 cup flour. Mix until well-blended.
Put 1 cup sour cream in a large measuring cup. In a small ramekin, combine 1 tsp baking soda with 1 tsp vinegar. It will fizz up, then stir it right away into the sour cream.
The sour cream will start to visibly rise. Once you notice it rising, mix it into the cake batter using a spatula.
In the first cake batter, mix in 1 Tbsp cocoa. Repeat steps 1-3 but In the second cake batter, mix in 2 Tbsp poppy seeds and in the third cake batter, mix in 1/2 cup toasted, chopped walnuts.
Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake at 380˚F for 20-22 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cake layers cool to room temperature.
Frost the top of each layer (see frosting instructions below)
Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Using a whisk attachment, beat together on high speed the cooked sweetened condensed milk and 2 sticks of butter for 3 to 4 minutes until fluffy. Frost once the cake is cooled to room temperature.
Store the frosted cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.
stand mixer with whisk attachment · 9-inch non-stick cake pan · dry skillet (for toasting walnuts)
The chemical reaction creates carbonation that leavens the batter, making each cake layer tender and light. Add it to the sour cream just before folding into the batter so it stays active.
Yes. Bake and cool the layers completely, wrap unfrosted layers individually, and refrigerate up to 2 days. Frost with the dulce de leche butter mixture just before serving for best texture.
You can replace cooked condensed milk with dulce de leche (store-bought), but the homemade cooked version in this recipe gives the best flavor. Sour cream frosting is not a substitute for this cake's style.
Bake at 380°F for 20–22 minutes. The top should be golden and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Overbaking will dry out the delicate layers.
This recipe makes three distinct layers in one 9-inch pan. To scale, you'll need to repeat the entire process three times separately (one batch per layer flavor) or use three pans simultaneously.
