If you’ve ever tried to explain Eastern European baking to someone who grew up on Victoria sponge, you’ll know where to start: the layer cakes. Not three layers. Not four. Dozens. Built up with patience and precision, rested overnight, and served cold from the fridge. These are cakes that take time — and reward it.
Two cakes define this tradition above all others: Medovik, the honey cake, and Napoleon, the puff pastry classic. Both are beloved across Ukraine and the wider Eastern European diaspora. Both appear at birthdays, New Year’s tables, and family gatherings. Both are almost impossible to find made properly in London. But they are completely different cakes. Here’s how to tell them apart — and why it matters.
What is Medovik?
Medovik — known in Ukrainian as “медовик” — is a honey cake made from thin layers of honey-infused sponge, stacked with a light, tangy soured cream filling. The honey gives it warmth and depth. The soured cream keeps it from feeling heavy. And after a night in the fridge, the two come together into something extraordinary: soft, yielding layers that hold their shape but melt on the tongue.
The taste is subtle and complex — sweet but not cloying, warm but not rich. It is the kind of cake that reminds you of a grandmother’s kitchen, even if you’ve never been to Ukraine. Medovik is, above all else, a patient cake. It cannot be rushed. The layers must be baked individually. And the whole thing must rest — at least overnight — before it reaches its full potential.
What is Napoleon Cake?
Napoleon is a different proposition entirely. Where Medovik is soft and yielding, Napoleon is structured and dramatic. Dozens of paper-thin puff pastry sheets — each one rolled, cut, and baked individually — are stacked with a rich vanilla custard cream. The result is a cake of extraordinary visual impact: tall, layered, and showing every sheet when sliced at the table.
The texture of a well-made Napoleon is one of the most satisfying things in baking: crisp and melting at the same time. And like Medovik, it improves with time — as the cream slowly softens the pastry layers into something silky and unified. Napoleon has a more formal quality. It is the showstopper cake — the one that silences the room when it arrives at the table.
How Are They Different?
| Medovik (Honey Cake) | Napoleon | |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Honey sponge | Puff pastry |
| Filling | Soured cream | Vanilla custard cream |
| Texture | Soft, yielding | Structured, layered |
| Flavour | Warm, subtly sweet | Rich, buttery |
| Occasion | Family gatherings, everyday celebrations | Milestone birthdays, dinner parties |
| Best served | Day after collection | Chilled, straight from the fridge |
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose Medovik (Honey Cake) if you want something warm and familiar — a cake for a family birthday, a weekend gathering, or anyone who appreciates understated flavour over visual drama. Choose Napoleon Cake if you want a showstopper — a cake for milestone occasions that announces itself when it arrives at the table. Or order both and decide for yourself. We’d recommend it.
Where to Order Medovik and Napoleon Cake in London
Both are made to order in our Richmond kitchen at WOLK Cakes — entirely from scratch, by our Ukrainian pastry chef. Our Honey Cake serves 10–12 and is priced at £55. Our Napoleon Cake is available in two sizes — 6–8 servings (£55) or 12–14 servings (£95). Order online and collect from 16 Hill Rise, Richmond TW10 6UA, Monday to Sunday, 07:30am – 5:30pm.