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    Home » European Vegetarian Desserts

    Published: May, 2018. Updated: Aug, 2022 by Iryna Bychkiv | This post may contain affiliate links. Read more here

    Vanilla Sour Cream Cake (Tort Smetannik)

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    Soft, moist and healthy, this Vanilla Sour Cream Cake brings back the childhood memories. So popular in post-Soviet countries, this easy cake recipe will make a beautiful summer/spring dessert your loved ones will like. 

    Vanilla Sour Cream Cake topped with fresh berriesTort Smetannik

    Growing up in Ukraine, I wouldn't say that Ukrainian/Russian cuisines are abundant in healthy recipes.

    Nevertheless, there's one famous dessert that is considered healthier and better for you.

    Tort Smetannik or Vanilla Sour Cream Cake is so popular in post-Soviet countries. Growing up, I saw this beautiful dessert in almost every street cafe. People love it, because it combines affordable ingredients and it's easy to put together. Just like my Sticky Toffee Pudding, that I shared with you some time ago, Smetannik is one of those desserts that always goes fast.

    Thanks to thin cake layers and delicious sour cream frosting, the cake comes out incredibly moist. It's a dessert that doesn't feel heavy so you'll be tempted to have more than one piece:)

    Even my husband, who told me to stop making desserts (apparently we had lots of them lately), noted how delicious it was.

    As you guessed from the title, the main ingredient is sour cream. It goes into the batter and the frosting. That way, the layers come out super fluffy and soft. The beauty of this Russian Sour Cream Cake is that the longer it sits, the better it gets.

    Make it the night before and let the sour cream frosting soak into the cake. Or if you're in a hurry, assemble the cake and allow it 4 to 6 hours to firm up. Beautiful, soft and moist cake is guaranteed.

    I made my Vanilla Sour Cream Cake in the 6-inch round baking pan. I also added cocoa powder to a half of the cake batter to have a beautiful contrast between layers. You can skip the cocoa if you want.

    The key to the best most delicious cake is a quality of sour cream. I recommend using the freshest sour cream. It will really make the difference in the end result.

    I had only one pan so I baked the cake in two steps. Each layer of cake rises just slightly in the oven, but not to much. So don't panic. You're doing everything right.

    Since the layers will not rise much, make sure to take your time to evenly cut them in half. I found this tutorial to be very helpful.

    The cake will feed up to 8 people, so it's perfect for small parties and special family celebrations.

    This easy Smetannik goes great with your morning coffee or Earl Grey Tea Latte. You can also enjoy it anytime during the day when you need a little sweet treat:)

    I hope you'll like this super delicious Russian Sour Cream Cake and make it for your next special occasion or just because;)

    Recipe

    Vanilla Sour Cream Cake topped with fresh berries

    Vanilla Sour Cream Cake (Tort Smetannik)

    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Ukraininan
    Servings: 8
    Author: Iryna
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    Ingredients

    For the batter

    • 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sour cream
    • ¾ cup icing sugar
    • 1 ½ cup sifted flour
    • 1 /2 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in ¼ teaspoons lemon juice
    • 2 eggs
    • 4 tablespoons melted butter
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

    For sour cream frosting

    • ¾ cup confectioners sugar
    • 1 ½ cup sour cream
    • a handful of fresh berries blueberries, raspberries

    Instructions

    For the batter

    • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line the 6-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and spray the sides with cooking spray.
    • In a large bowl whisk together eggs, sugar and melted butter.
    • Add sifted flour, baking soda and vanilla.
    • Divide the batter in half and add cocoa powder into one portion of the batter. Mix well. At this point the batter will be rather dense and that's all right.
    • Spread one portion of the batter evenly in the baking pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.*
    • Once baked, carefully remove from the pan, spray the sides of the pan with a cooking spray and repeat with the rest of the batter.
    • Let the cake layers cool completely on the wire rack.
    • Using a long serrated knife, carefully divide each layer in half.

    For The Sour Cream Frosting

    • In a medium bowl whisk together sour cream and confectioners sugar until smooth.

    To assemble

    • Line a cake stand with a parchment paper.
    • Place the cocoa flavored cake layer on the cake stand and generously spread sour cream frosting on top of it.
    • Top it with white cake layer and spread the frosting again.
    • Repeat with remaining layers and finish with the generous layer of sour cream frosting on top and sides of the cake.
    • Chill the cake for 4-6 hours or overnight.
    • When ready to serve, carefully remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake and top the cake with fresh berries.
    • Enjoy!

    Notes

    *The baking time may vary depending on your oven. Sometimes it may take up to an hour for one cake layer to be completely ready.
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @Lavender.And.Macarons or tag #lavenderandmacarons!

    Let me know in the comments below if you tried Vanilla Sour Cream Cake before and how did you like it?

    If you make this Tort Smetannik, don't forget to snap a picture and post it on Instagram with a hashtag #lavenderandmacarons. I'd love to see your creations.

    I'd love to connect with you on social media. Follow me on:

    Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, Bloglovin, Twitter

     

    Russian Spring Sour Cream Cake

    Iryna Bychkiv
    Website

    Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
    Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.

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    Comments

    1. Priya @currynation says

      June 14, 2018 at 12:40 pm

      This is a perfect summer cake 🙂

      Reply
      • Iryna says

        June 14, 2018 at 9:31 pm

        Thank you Priya!

        Reply
    2. Mashka says

      May 18, 2018 at 12:34 pm

      I think it's very very tasty! Looks amazing!

      Reply
      • Iryna says

        May 19, 2018 at 7:48 pm

        Thank you:)

        Reply
    3. camila hurst says

      May 17, 2018 at 11:25 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, this looks really impressive!! Raising the bar for the other cakes!!! Beautiful pics!

      Reply
      • Iryna says

        May 18, 2018 at 12:23 pm

        Thank you Camila!!!

        Reply
    4. Lisa says

      May 17, 2018 at 10:50 pm

      5 stars
      Just a beautiful cake and sounds delicious! Love all those berries and flowers!

      Reply
      • Iryna says

        May 19, 2018 at 7:48 pm

        Thank you Lisa!

        Reply
    5. Jessica Levinson says

      May 17, 2018 at 10:40 pm

      5 stars
      What a beautiful dessert! This is sure to disappear fast!

      Reply
      • Iryna says

        May 19, 2018 at 7:48 pm

        Thanks Jessica!

        Reply
    6. Jamie says

      May 17, 2018 at 9:13 pm

      5 stars
      So beautiful and colorful! Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂

      Reply
      • Iryna says

        May 19, 2018 at 7:48 pm

        Thank you Jamie!

        Reply
    7. Roxana says

      May 17, 2018 at 9:09 pm

      5 stars
      This cake truly looks gorgeous. And like that it uses sour cream in the cake and frosting. A must try.

      Reply
      • Iryna says

        May 19, 2018 at 7:49 pm

        Thank you Roxana! It's really delicious:)

        Reply
    5 from 5 votes

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    I'm Iryna - a healthy food writer, photographer, and taster behind Lavender & Macarons. Here, you'll find healthy, clean recipes that are easy to prepare, made with wholesome ingredients, and approved by picky eaters. More about Iryna...

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