Classic Soviet Anthill Cake for Celebrations

Original, beautiful, inexpensive, perfect for the holidays! The classic Anthill cake has been known since Soviet times; it was often baked for children’s birthdays. Thanks to its interesting shape and name, it delighted children. Like many dishes of those times, it is made from ordinary products.
cook time: 1h 30 min
Zoe Kendrick
Classic Soviet Anthill Cake for Celebrations

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

447
Calories
28g
Fat
41g
Carbs
6g
Protein

Ingredients (8 portions)

For dough:

Salt to taste
Sugar 3 tbsp
Wheat flour 400 g
Butter 200 g
Vanillin to taste
Sour cream 4 tbsp
Baking powder 2 tsp

For cream:

Butter 180 g
Boiled condensed milk 380 g

Recipe instructions

Step 1

Step 1
How to make a Soviet-era Anthill cake? Prepare your food. First for the test. Take the best quality, natural oil that complies with GOST. Sour cream is suitable with a fat content of 20-25%. Take just a little vanilla on the tip of a knife. Salt in sweet dough acts as a flavor enhancer.

Step 2

Step 2
First of all, prepare the shortbread dough. How to make the dough? Melt the butter using any of the methods described at the end of the recipe. I took a saucepan with a thick bottom, put butter in it and melted it over low heat with constant stirring. Leave the melted butter to cool.

Step 3

Step 3
While itʼs cooling, prepare the dry ingredients. Take a deep bowl and sift flour into it. This will not only remove debris, but also saturate the flour with oxygen, which will make the baked goods more airy.

Step 4

Step 4
Add vanillin and baking powder to the flour, mix them well until smooth.

Step 5

Step 5
Pour sugar, salt into the cooled butter, add sour cream.

Step 6

Step 6
Mix the mixture well until smooth.

Step 7

Step 7
Start kneading the shortbread dough by pouring the butter mixture into the flour in portions. First stir with a spoon, then when all the oil has been added, knead with your hands. The dough will quickly become homogeneous, pliable, soft and absolutely not sticky. You may need more or less flour, so be guided by the dough.

Step 8

Step 8
Divide it into two parts, wrap each in cling film and put in the freezer for half an hour. This is done to make the dough easier to grate. I would advise dividing it into 4 parts, so the pieces will turn out smaller and harden faster, and the halves inside will remain a little soft, it was not very convenient to rub them.

Step 9

Step 9
After half an hour, take out the dough and grate it on a coarse grater.

Step 10

Step 10
Take a baking tray and line it with baking paper. Spread the grated dough evenly over it. The cake should be quite thin; a thick one may not bake through. I have a standard oven tray — 30*40 cm.

Step 11

Step 11
Place the baking sheet with the dough in the oven, preheated to 180°C. Bake the crust for about 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Determine the exact time and temperature based on your oven.

Step 12

Step 12
Remove the finished cake from the oven and cool slightly. Then break the cake into small pieces. It turns out crumbly and it’s not at all difficult to make. Set aside the sand crumbs for now and make the cream.

Step 13

Step 13
Prepare the ingredients for the cream. The butter for it, as well as for the cake, take the best, tasty one, the quality of the cream will depend on this. Take it out of the refrigerator in advance, it should become soft. You can take ready-made condensed milk or cook it yourself. I have a purchased one.

Step 14

Step 14
How to make cream? Place the softened butter in a bowl. Beat it with a mixer for 3 minutes until fluffy and light. Do not beat longer, the butter may begin to separate.

Step 15

Step 15
Add boiled condensed milk to the oil. Whip the cream until the condensed milk and butter are completely mixed. The cream should become homogeneous and have a pleasant caramel color.

Step 16

Step 16
Pour the shortbread crumbs into the buttercream. Mix the mixture well so that each piece is coated with cream.

Step 17

Step 17
Place the resulting mass on a plate, forming a mound in the shape of an anthill.

Step 18

Step 18
Decorate the top of the cake with something dark so that it looks like an ant hill — chocolate, poppy seeds or confectionery sprinkles, like mine. Place the cake in the refrigerator for several hours to allow the dough to soak in the cream as much as possible. And then serve it to the table. Bon appetit!

Additional rubrics

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