“Anthill” Cake — A Dessert from Childhood
Crumbly shortbread crumbs, boiled condensed milk, and nothing extra. The cake isn’t layered—it’s piled high, which is how it got its name.
What It Tastes Like
The crumbs are crispy and buttery, and the boiled condensed milk is thick, stretchy, and has a deep caramel flavor. The texture is intentionally uneven: in some places the crumbs remain dry, while in others they’re soaked in cream, and that’s exactly what makes this cake so fun to eat.
When to Enjoy It
Birthdays, family tea parties, children’s celebrations, get-togethers with friends, and office breaks. It’s an unpretentious dessert—people reach for it when they want something familiar and comforting, rather than something fancy.
Size and Weight
Sold in slices of approximately 110 g. The price per slice is 75 UAH.
How to Order in Kharkiv
Order online or pick up at our coffee shops. Delivery within Kharkiv and curbside pickup are available.
The History of Boiled Condensed Milk
“Murashnik” has neither a creator nor a specific date of origin—it’s a homemade dessert that has been passed down from person to person. However, its main ingredient does have a story behind it.
An Accidental Invention
No one set out to invent boiled condensed milk on purpose. Housewives discovered the principle on their own: if you boil a can of condensed milk in water for a long time, the sugar and milk proteins undergo the Maillard reaction, and the contents darken, thicken, and take on a caramel flavor.
The same method emerged independently in different countries: in Latin America it’s called dulce de leche, in France—confiture de lait, and there, too, there’s a legend about a pot of milk left on the stove.
Why a Crumb Base?
The combination of a shortbread crumb base with boiled condensed milk has a simple explanation: the cream is very thick and heavy on its own, so it cannot be spread in a thin layer. The crumbly base absorbs the excess and creates a contrast in textures—crunchy versus chewy. That’s why, in home cooking, boiled condensed milk has almost always been paired with either shortbread crumbs or nuts.