Murashnyk (Ant Hill Cake)
Are you searching for a special recipe for a spectacular appearance at a kids’ party?
This Ant Hill Cake will impress both adults and children. The simplest form of this recipe was born during Soviet times, when meatgrinders were extensively used.
Rumor has it that one housewife decided to try grinding a slightly cooled dough instead of cutting it into slices – just out of curiosity. That’s how this famous dessert was born.
As the cake does not call for any fancy ingredients, it used to be a favorite choice as a weekend dessert.
Its contemporary version features nuts and chocolate and is no longer seen as a sweet for the poor. Check the recipe below and feel free to play around with the cream and décor.
Murashnyk (Ant Hill Cake)
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 5 ⅔ oz melted butter
- 1/4 cup sugar (1 oz)
- 3 oz sour cream
- 12 oz flour
- 2 tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- tsp vanilla extract
For the cream:
- 14 oz dulce de leche
- 6 ½ oz softened butter
- 3 ½ oz walnuts roughly chopped
- chocolate for decoration
- poppyseeds for decoration
Instructions
How to Make the Dough:
- Mix the melted butter and sugar in a bowl. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly until blended.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder. Knead until smooth.
- Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 ºF/ 175° C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Grate the dough in one even layer over the parchment paper.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.
How to Make the Cream:
- Mix the butter and dulce de leche in a bowl. Whisk thoroughly.
- Take the cooled biscuit and crunch into medium-sized pieces. Add to the cream.
- Add the crushed walnuts and fold until fully combined.
- Mound the mixture onto a serving plate.
- With your hands, form the mixture into an ant hill shape.
- Sprinkle with poppyseeds and chocolate shavings.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.