Honey Heart Cake / Medeno Srce

Introducing the Serbian inspired Honey Heart Cake / Medeno Srce dessert. Inspired by the delicious confectionary Medeno Srce, this cake is a homemade re-creation of this meore-ish dessert. Made with a chocolatey and honey flavoured sponge, with a plum jam filling in the middle and topped with deliciously melted chocolate. If you know the popular Medeno Srce treat found in many local and international stores, then you will love the homemade version of this dessert. And although it is not the exact same replica of the store-brought dessert, it is a great homemade version of this treat. Even if you do not know of this confectionary, you are sure to love the light texture of the cake sponge, filled with a delicious jam middle and covered in chocolate. 

About this recipe

Honey Heart Cake / Medeno Srce is a popular dessert in Serbia. Whether you buy the supermarket confectionary or if you re-create the flavours in your own home, both versions are loved by many. Personally, I love the homemade version, simply because you can create a larger cake and make your kitchen smell like the holiday season. Packed with cinnamon spice, honey and jam, the kitchen is bound to smell divine. I have also grown up eating the homemade version more often than the store-brought one. And to be completely honest, all this time living in New Zealand, I have completely forgotten about the confectionary version of Medeno Srce. I don’t think we have the imported version of the dessert anymore. One of the very few stores that use to import Serbian goods has completely closed. 

But anyway, onto the recipe. The homemade version of this cake, made by many, is usually made in similar ways. Some recipes make the cake with two cake layers and a jam filling in the middle. Others skip the middle layer and make one thick sponge topped with jam. Melted chocolate is a certainty as the topping of the cake. I have opted to make this recipe with two layers and jam in the middle, simply because I love the gooey jam middle. You can use this recipe to create one thicker sponger and top the cake with jam. Whichever you choose, make sure to top the cake with melted chocolate. Eat it slightly warm or cold, it tastes great either way. I personally like to eat this cake when it has cooled down most of the way but not completely. 

Making the recipe

Making this Honey Heart Cake / Medeno Srce recipe is a lot easier than it seems. If you want a quick rundown, read below, or scroll down to the bottom for the list of ingredients and instructions. 

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C and line a rectangle cake pan with baking paper. Making the base is super easy, one bowl process. In a large bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar, and cinnamon. Mix to combine all the dry ingredients. To this, add the milk and oil and start whisking until all the ingredients combine. Lastly add the honey and combine. You should now have a nice cake batter. 

Pour only half of the batter into the cake pan and bake for 15 minutes. Once baked, remove, and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Once slightly cooled, add 3 heaped tablespoons of jam and spread evenly. Next, pour the remaining half of the batter over the jam layer, making sure to spread evenly and place back in the oven to bake for 20 minutes at 200. 

Once the cake is baked, let it cool completely. Melt the chocolate milk and oil together and spread over the top of the cooled cake. 

Ta-daa the cake is done!

Looking for more?

If you are looking for more ideas, try one of the recipes below:

Plum Cake / Kolač sa šljivama

Gibanica – Serbian Cheese Pie

Nutella Filled Kiflice

I hope you enjoy this version of the Honey Heart Cake / Medeno Srce dessert. The combination of the chocolatey base, gooey jam middle and more chocolate on top is divine. Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts. If you have a moment, please leave this recipe a rating. I would love to hear what you think, and if you make this recipe or have any questions, you can find me over on Instagram. You can also find a video on making this recipe over on TikTok.