Smetannik: A Family-Favorite Sour Cream Walnut Cake
I’m excited to share one of my family’s heirloom cake recipes—Smetannik, a playful sour cream walnut cake. This dessert features four layers of pastry sheets soaked in a nutty, creamy frosting that strikes the perfect balance: creamy enough to hold its shape without making the layers soggy, yet flavorful enough to gently infuse the pastry. To top it off, decorating this layered cake is both fun and versatile, making it a joy to create and share.
Table of Contents
Chronicles of Smetannik
Do you have a family cake recipe that has been passed down through generations? Smetannik [smeh-tah-nik] is one of ours! The name comes from the Russian word for sour cream which is a common cake name in Russia, but this version is very unique, unlike any I have seen. It was first created by my maternal grandmother, and now, three to four generations later, it remains a treasured part of our family’s culinary history. Despite the countless cakes and pastries in my baking arsenal, this is the one we always return to for milestones and celebrations.
What’s Great About This Cake
Grocery and Pantry List
Time Required:
Bake in a 400°F(200°C) preheated oven.
Special Tools to Use:
Recipe Steps at a Glance
This Sour Cream Cake recipe can be broken down into the following steps:
Step-by-step: How to Make
Step 1: Preparing the dough
Mixing sour cream and sugar Adding baking soda Adding flour
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, sugar, and baking soda. The sour cream will start to bubble and expand.
Using a hand-held mixer or whisk, whip the sour cream mixture until the sugar begins to dissolve.
Add 2/3 of the flour to the sour cream mixture and fold it in gently with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining flour onto your work surface and transfer the dough onto it.
Gradually incorporate the flour into the dough until it becomes thick and slightly oily.
- Tip: You can also prepare the dough entirely in a food processor for convenience.
Step 2: Rolling out the dough
Rolling the dough
Divide the dough into four equal portions. Roll each portion into a thin rectangle, generously dusting with flour to prevent sticking. For easier handling, roll the dough directly onto a sheet of baking paper, or stretch it with your hands into a rectangular shape. Use one of the following methods for baking the layers:
- Bake four separate layers in a quarter-sheet baking pan.
- Alternatively, use a half-sheet pan to bake two larger layers and cut them in half to create four layers.
- Customize the layer shapes to fit your desired dimensions, ensuring you have four layers total.
Step 3: Baking the layers
Pricking the dough
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake the layers individually, and be sure to prick the dough with a fork to prevent it from rising too much or developing air bubbles while baking.
Bake for 7-10 minutes and let cool on a wire rack.
Step 4: Making the frosting
Mixing sugar and sour cream Mixing sugar and sour cream Mixing the walnuts.
Place the sour cream and sugar in the bowl and mix well until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pulse the walnuts in the food processor until the walnuts are coarsely chopped.
Add the walnuts to the sour cream and mix well.
Step 5: Assembling the cake
Once the layers have cooled enough to handle, you can cut them into the desired size using a cake form for uniform layers. If you prefer not to precut the sheets, you can always trim the edges after applying the frosting and letting the cake soak a bit.
Set aside half a cup of frosting for the final touch.
Cutting the layers Spreading sour cream frosting Layering the cake sheet
Place the first pastry layer on a serving board. Spread about a quarter of the frosting evenly over the layer, then place the second pastry sheet on top. Repeat this process for all the layers.
If you didn’t precut the pastry sheets, use a serrated knife to trim the edges of the assembled cake. The off-cuts might not be picture-perfect, but they’re just as delicious—save them as a baker’s treat!
Frosting the cake
Finish the cake by spreading the reserved frosting evenly around the top and sides for a polished look.
How to Decorate the Cake?
Tips and Wisdom from Cafe Osharak
More Recipes to Try From Cafe Osharak
Have you tried this recipe? I’d love to hear your thoughts! If you found it delicious and easy to make, let me know in the comments below. Your feedback means the world to me, and I’m always here to answer your questions or take your suggestions.
Hungry for more? Dive into these delightful dessert recipes from Café Osharak:
Don’t miss out—bookmark your favorites and share them with your friends. Let’s celebrate the joy of cooking together!
Smetannik: Sour Cream Walnut Cake
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 4 cups all-purpose flour plus more if needed
Frosting
- 2 cups sour cream
- 2 cup sugar
- 2 cups walnuts
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sour cream, sugar, and baking soda. The sour cream will bubble and expand.2 cups sour cream, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking soda
- Whip the mixture with a hand-held mixer or whisk until the sugar dissolves.
- Add 2/3 of the flour and gently fold in with a spatula.4 cups all-purpose flour
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and gradually work in the remaining flour until the dough is thick and slightly oily.
- Tip: Use a food processor for quicker preparation.
Roll Out the Dough
- Divide the dough into four equal portions.
- Roll each portion into thin rectangles, dusting generously with flour to prevent sticking.
- Roll directly on baking paper for easy handling or stretch by hand into rectangles.
- For baking, choose one of the following:
- Bake four layers in a quarter-sheet pan.
- Bake two larger layers in a half-sheet pan and cut in half.
- Adjust dimensions to fit your needs, ensuring you have four layers total.
Bake the Layers
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Prick the dough with a fork to prevent air bubbles and bake each layer for 7-10 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Frosting
- Mix sour cream and sugar in a bowl until the sugar dissolves completely.2 cups sour cream, 2 cup sugar
- Pulse walnuts in a food processor until coarsely chopped.
- Stir the walnuts into the sour cream mixture.2 cups walnuts
Assemble the Cake
- Once the layers are cool, cut them to the desired size using a cake form for uniformity or trim the edges after frosting.
- Set aside ½ cup of frosting for the final coat.
