“Kyiv” Cake — a classic for the holiday table
One of the few cakes that people recognize without a label. Two crispy meringue layers with hazelnuts, buttercream in between, and nuts around the edge—a recipe that has remained virtually unchanged since its inception.
What Does It Taste Like?
The layers here aren’t sponge cake but meringue: light and airy, with a crisp crust that gradually softens beneath the cream. The hazelnuts provide a rich nutty flavor, while the buttercream offers a thick, creamy sweetness. The cake is rich, so slices are cut small, and that’s enough.
What occasions is it suitable for?
A classic for family gatherings: anniversaries, parents’ birthdays, multi-generational get-togethers, and New Year’s and Christmas dinners. It’s also a common gift and treat—a cake with a recognizable flavor that needs no explanation.
Weight and Servings
A whole cake weighs 1.9 kg and yields 12 servings of approximately 165 g each. One of the largest in our catalog: enough to serve a group of up to twelve guests.
How to Order in Kharkiv
The price for a whole cake is 1620 UAH, and a slice is 135 UAH. The cake is made fresh for your event; orders must be placed at least two days in advance. Delivery within Kharkiv or pickup available.
Note: This cake contains nuts—please let us know if any of your guests have allergies.
The History of the “Kyivsky” Cake
The “Kyiv” cake is a rare example of a cake with a specific place and year of origin: the Kyiv Confectionery Factory, 1956. Today it is the Roshen factory, but back then it was called the Karl Marx Factory.
The Legend of the Forgotten Egg Whites
The most popular story behind the cake’s creation is that it was a production accident. According to legend, workers in the sponge cake department forgot to put a batch of egg whites in the refrigerator, and they sat out in the warmth overnight. Rather than throw them away, they whipped them, baked them into layers, spread buttercream between them, and sprinkled them with nuts. Management approved the result.
It’s a lovely story, and it’s the one most often told, even though there’s no documentary evidence to support it. However, it does explain the process: the egg whites for the “Kyiv” cake are indeed left to rest before being whipped, and that’s precisely why the cake layers turn out so crisp.
The Nut That Changed
Over the decades, the recipe has changed mainly in one respect—the nuts. First, it was cashews; then, when imports became difficult, they switched to hazelnuts and peanuts. The hazelnut version took root most firmly and is considered the classic version today.
The Cake as a Symbol of the City
In the 1970s and 1980s, the “Kyiv” cake became the country’s main edible souvenir: people brought it from Kyiv as a gift, stood in line for it, and production reached tens of thousands of cakes per day. Few desserts have achieved the status of a city symbol—this one did.