Medovik is one of the most recognizable Russian cakes, and also one of the most patience-testing when it comes to timing — a freshly assembled medovik is a noticeably different dessert from one that’s had at least half a day to rest in the fridge. During that time, the cream soaks into the thin layers and turns a stack of separate cake and frosting into one soft, unified texture.

The tricky part of medovik isn’t the dough itself but rolling it out: the layers need to be very thin, just a couple of millimeters, or the finished cake ends up dense once it’s soaked through. It’s easiest to roll each layer out on parchment dusted lightly with flour and transfer it straight to the baking sheet on that same sheet of parchment.

The frosting doesn’t need to be a custard or anything elaborate — plain sour cream whipped with powdered sugar works well as long as the sour cream is thick enough. If it’s on the thin side, straining it through cheesecloth for a few hours helps remove excess liquid, since a runny frosting won’t hold the layers together properly.

Letting the assembled cake rest in the fridge isn’t an optional step — it’s what turns a stack of dry, crisp layers into the soft, cohesive cake medovik is known for.