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Cakes and Pastries

Honey Layer Cake: Medena Pita with Creamy Filling

A traditional layered honey cake with tender spiced dough and silky vanilla cream, a true nostalgic dessert.

  • Prep. time 40 min
  • Cooking time 20 min
  • Overall time 60 min
  • Calories/serv 380 kcal
  • Complexity
  • Price

Classic Balkan honey cake with that cozy sweet-cream balance

Medena pita is one of those cakes that pretty much tastes like childhood. Warm honey in the dough, soft layers with a tiny bit of chew, and a smooth, creamy filling that evens everything out. Nothing flashy, honestly. Just the kind of slice that makes the table go quiet for a second.

I make it for Sundays or when family’s coming over, because it looks rustic but still a little elegant—like it tried, but not too hard. The best part? It’s even better tomorrow. The layers relax, the cream settles, and suddenly it slices like a dream. You know that moment when the knife goes through and the stripes look perfect? Yeah, that.

The dough is quick to roll (a touch sticky, don’t panic), bakes fast, and smells like honey the second it hits the heat. The filling’s silky, not heavy—vanilla helps, a spoon of sour cream if you like a little tang. Stack while the layers are still just warm, tuck it in the fridge, and let time do the work. I’d say make it the night before if you can—trust me, you’ll want a second slice.

Ingredients

Portions
-
12
+
For the dough layers
  • 100 g
    butter
  • 150 g
    sugar
  • 2
    eggs
  • 4 tbsp
    honey
  • 1 tsp
    baking soda
  • 450 g
    all-purpose flour
For the cream filling
  • 1 l
    milk
  • 200 g
    sugar
  • 100 g
    flour
  • 200 g
    butter, softened
  • 2 tsp
    vanilla extract
Mario Kapustic

Hi! I’m Mario from Croatia. I love cooking and sharing recipes that combine tradition with creativity. I started Tasty Empire to share my family’s recipes — the ones from Mom and Grandma — and all the little tricks I’ve picked up along the way. I especially enjoy pasta, risottos, homemade breads, and desserts, always looking for little ways to enrich flavors.

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Method

Prepare the dough layers
  • Mix wet ingredients
    In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter with sugar and honey. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and let slightly cool, then whisk in eggs and baking soda.
  • Make dough
    Gradually add flour and knead into a soft dough. Divide into 4–5 equal parts. Roll each part into a thin rectangle and bake each layer at 180°C for 6–7 minutes until golden.
Make the cream filling
  • Cook custard
    In a saucepan, whisk flour and sugar with a little cold milk to form a smooth paste. Add remaining milk and cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened. Remove from heat and cool completely.
  • Finish cream
    Whip softened butter with vanilla, then gradually add cooled custard, mixing until smooth and fluffy.
Assemble the cake
  • Layer
    Spread cream between each baked honey layer. Assemble the cake and gently press to even it out.
  • Chill and serve
    Refrigerate overnight for best flavor and texture. Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa before slicing.
Note: Best served the next day after resting in the fridge, as the layers soften beautifully. Can be dusted with powdered sugar or cocoa before serving.
Nutrition per serving
Calories
380 kcal
Updated: August 30, 2025

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