Russian Raisin Cake or Русский Изюмный Пирог in Russian, comes to us from Moscow, on the Moskva River in western Russia. I have never used sour cream in a cake before but it turned out amazing. This recipe is easy to make, sweet and moist. It’s the perfect cake to go with milk, coffee, and tea.
Table of contents
Ways to Make Russian Raisin Cake
We made this cake three times to try the three different toppings and three different pans. The first cake was made in a round spring pan with a confection sugar topping. The second cake was made in a loaf pan with a meringue icing. The third cake was made in a bunt pan with an orange glaze.
How to Store Russian Raisin Cake
Your Russian Raisin Cake will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for at least 1 week. They do not need to be refrigerated; however, I find that the powdered sugar stays dry best when stored in the refrigerator.
History of Russian Raisin Cake
It is stated in chapter 6:19 in the Second Book of Samuel that cake (identified as “raisin cake” in Hosea 3:1) was distributed by David, who reigned as the second king of the United Kingdom of Israel and Judah c. 1010–970 BCE.
The City of Moscow, Russia
Moscow is the capital and the most populous city of Russia and the 8th largest city proper in the world. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, and scientific center in Russia and in Eastern Europe. It’s also one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the world and is the northernmost and coldest metropolis on Earth.
A Brief History of Moscow
Archaeological digs show that the site of today’s Moscow and the surrounding area have been inhabited since the Neolithic period, the last phase of the Stone Age. Around 950 AD, two Slavic tribes, Vyatichi and Krivichi, settled here. Possibly the Vyatichi formed the core of Moscow’s indigenous population.
The first known reference to Moscow dates from 1147 as a meeting place for Yuri Dolgoruky and Sviatoslav Olgovich. In 1156, Knyaz Yuri Dolgorukiy fortified the town with a timber fence and a moat. The original Moscow Kremlin was built in the 14th century. In 1712 Peter the Great moved his government to the newly built Saint Petersburg on the Baltic coast and Moscow ceased to be Russia’s capital.
In November 1917, upon learning of the uprising happening in Petrograd, Moscow’s Bolsheviks also began their uprising. On November 2, 1917, after heavy fighting, Soviet power was established in Moscow. Then Vladimir Lenin, fearing possible foreign invasion, moved the capital from Petrograd (Saint Petersburg) back to Moscow on March 12, 1918. The Kremlin once again became the seat of power and the political center of the new state.
In 1991 the Soviet Union failed and a new Russian Federation was set up. Since then, a market economy has emerged in Moscow, producing an explosion of Western-style retailing, services, architecture, and lifestyles.
Tourism in Moscow
The city is well known for its unique architecture which consists of many different historic buildings such as Saint Basil’s Cathedral with its brightly colored domes. Moscow is served by an extensive transit network, which includes four international airports, nine railway terminals, numerous trams, a monorail system, and one of the deepest underground metro systems in the world.
The Cuisine of Moscow
Russian cuisine is distinctive and unique, and like any other national one, it was formed under the influence of different environmental, social, geographical, economic, and historical factors. Being a country of Orthodox Christian religion which implies numerous fasts, Russian cuisine offers a great number of vegetarian dishes including mushrooms, pickles, etc. The Russian culinary palette is also rich in meat, poultry, and fish dishes which are served on various occasions.
– Featured Bakery –
Volkonskiy Bakery Пекарня Волконский
Bol’shaya Sadovaya Ulitsa, 2/46 стр 1, Moscow, Russia, 123001
Quality standards at Volkonskoye are uncompromising and are our competitive advantage. Carefully selected, the best natural products and the manual labor of professional craftsmen – this is the guarantee the production of a high-quality product.
High-quality service is the result of the fact that we are looking for an individual approach to each guest and find a way to his heart. We are the Volkonsky team, and we guarantee the quality of the product, the quality of management, and the quality of interaction – these are the principles on which our work is based. The key to our success is a conscientious attitude to business and responsibility to guests for the high quality of our offer on the market.
How to Make This Russian Raisin Cake Recipe
This Russian raisin cake is not a difficult recipe to make but it does take some time to make.
Ingredients to Make Russian Raisin Cake
Layout all of your ingredients and equipment before beginning. Although a mixing machine is not necessary it does make it a bit easier.
Equipment Needed
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Mixing Machine
- 1 Cake Pan
- 1 Sugar Sifter
Ingredients Needed
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ½ cup butter softened
- 10 ½ ounces sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- 1 cup raisins
- confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Time needed: 1 hour and 40 minutes.
How to Make Russian Raisin Cake
- Mix Sugar and Eggs
Mix the sugar and eggs and whip lightly.
- Add Butter and Sour Cream
Add the butter and sour cream, and mix until smooth.
- Stir in Vanilla and Baking Powder
Add the vanilla extract and baking powder and mix.
- Add the Flour
Add the flour, stirring until it’s thoroughly mixed. The dough should be thicker than the pancake batter, but it should still flow freely.
- Add the Raisins
Add the raisins.
- Pour and Bake
Stir the batter, and pour it into the mold filling it evenly. Bake for approximately one hour at 350°F until a match or toothpick comes out dry.
- Cool the Cake
Let cool before taking the cake out of the mold.
- Dust the Cake
Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving or use your favorite frosting.
If you liked this dish please Rate This Recipe and leave a comment.
Russian Raisin Cake ~ Русский Изюмный Пирог
Please Rate this Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Cake Pan
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 10 ½ oz sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup raisins
For the Topping
For the Meringue
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ cup water
Instructions
For the Cake
- Mix the sugar and eggs and whip lightly.3 eggs, 1 ½ cups white sugar
- Add the butter and sour cream, and mix until smooth.½ cup unsalted butter, 10 ½ oz sour cream
- Add the vanilla extract and baking powder and mix.1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tsp baking powder
- Add the flour, stirring until it’s thoroughly mixed. The dough should be thicker than pancake batter, but it should still flow freely.2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- Add the raisins.1 cup raisins
- Stir the batter, and pour it into the mold filling it evenly. Bake for approximately one hour at 350°F until a match or toothpick comes out dry.
- Let cool before taking the cake out of the mold.
For the Confictioners Sugar
- Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving or use your favorite frosting.confectioners’ sugar
To Make the Meringue
- Over medium heat mix water and sugar on the stove.1 cup white sugar, ½ cup water
- Using a mixer on medium, beat the egg whites until firm.4 egg whites
- After egg whites are firm, pour in the sugar syrup while the mixer is still running. Increase the speed and continue to mix until the egg whites are firm again and shiny.
- Add a thick layer on top of the cake, cut and serve.
Nutrition
Recipes That Go Well With Russian Raisin Cake
Photo Credits:
- By Taste The World Cookbook – Copyright 2022 All rights reserved.
- By Volkonskiy Bakery – By https://wolkonsky.com/
- By U.S. Department of State – Russia, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=105454511
- By Dmitry A. Mottl – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35998443
- By Dmitry Chistoprudov – Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=95116990
- By Mos.ru, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=108839443
- By Aleks G – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17363963
