If you culture milk kefir, you may quickly become overwhelmed with the amount of kefir you produce, especially in warm weather. Did you know that milk kefir can be used in baked goods and a long list of other recipes? The properties of milk kefir make it ideal to use in a variety of ways.
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This chocolate kefir sour cream cake consists of a moist fluffy chocolate sponge cake and the delicate sour cream with a slight hint of caramel. It tastes loose, creamy and so incredibly delicious. Plus, it’s very easy and quick to make. You can find a detailed chocolate kefir sour cream cake recipe with exact quantities and step-by-step instructions right here at the bottom.
Try my kefir pancakes if you are looking for a different recipe to up your breakfast game! Kefir makes them plump, fluffy and ridiculously delicious!
If you can’t source kefir, check our Classic Pancake Recipe for fluffy and buttery pancakes served with maple syrup.
Russia is famous for her blini, which are thin and lacy crepes served with caviar or fruit preserves. But fat and pillowy soft pancakes are little known outside of the country’s borders.
It’s a shame though because once you try my kefir pancakes aka ‘oladi‘, you will find it hard to go back to your regular recipe. It’s a promise!
What are oladi?
If I had to describe oladi, I would say they are somewhat of a cross between a pancake and a fritter. They are fried in a bit more oil than your standard pancakes, which puffs them up to almost a doughnut-like height!
The magic ingredient of course is the kefir, a fermented milk drink made with kefir grains. It has gained much popularity in recent years in the West but has been a staple in Eastern Europe for ages.
Along with plenty of nutritional benefits, kefir is a great way to add puffiness to baking like these pancakes. It also adds moisture and richness to the recipe, which is one of the secrets behind the amazing taste!
Why you’ll love them
Oladi are traditionally made with an addition of yeast, which makes them “grow’ right in front of your eyes as soon as the batter comes in contact with hot oil.
They are incredibly delicious but more time consuming, as yeasted dough takes time to prove. Not something you’d want to wait for in the morning!
So to cut corners one clever soul thought of using kefir and baking soda as raising agents instead. The rest is history.
Kefir pancakes are more common in Russia nowadays than the traditional yeasted ones. A modern woman waits for nothing, not even delicious yeasted dough!
When fried in oil, the dough puffs up a remarkable amount. They are full of flavour, soft and incredibly moist.
I hope you give these delicious kefir pancakes a go. They might look very similar to your regular pancakes but I assure you they have quite a unique taste!
How to serve
These pancakes are often served with smetana. This is a type soured cream although calling it that doesn’t do it justice.
Smetana is a sweet tasting, silky smooth sauce that does belong on desserts while sour cream is a bit too tart and thick for delicate sweet creations! I did a side by side taste comparison when I made these oladi and was astounded by the difference.
If you have an Eastern European shop nearby, I would recommend getting real smetana and seeing it for yourself!
But they are also delicious with any other pancake toppings such as syrup or jams.
Recipe tips and tricks
- If you can’t find kefir, buttermilk will work well as a substitute. You can use it in the same proportions as you would kefir.
- Let the batter stand for 15 minutes after mixing it together. This gives the baking soda time to activate, so be careful not to rush this step.
- The oil in the pan is essential to cooking these right, and results in a crispy outer crust. Keep adding oil throughout the cooking process as it will run low.
- These are best when not made too big. They will puff up quite a bit as well. A spoonful is perfect as they will almost double in size. If too big, they will burn on the outside but be uncooked on the inside.
- Oladi taste the best when eaten immediately after cooking, especially as this is when they have the best texture.
Pancake recipe made with kefir for a fluffy texture.
- /2 cups kefir
- /2 ⅓ cups all purpose flour
- In a large bowl mix kefir, an egg, sugar and salt with a whisk.
- In a separate bowl mix flour and baking soda. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and stir to combine. The batter will be thick! Let it sit for 15 minutes without stirring.
- Heat a non-stick pan with enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan up to 1 cm/1/3 inch deep. Drop kefir pancakes with a large spoon or a small ice-cream scoop into hot oil and fry on one side until golden and the batter is cooked halfway through, then flip carefully taking care not to splash hot oil. Use two spatulas if necessary. The pancakes will puff up as soon as you flip them over. Maintain medium heat to ensure each pancake is cooked all the way through as they are going to be tall. (Add oil throughout the frying process as needed.)
- Serve dusted with powdered sugar, whipped cream or smetana/creme fraiche and fresh fruit.
Let us know how it was!
About Julia Frey (Vikalinka)
For a wholesome and pleasantly sweet and sour treat, look no further than our varenyky recipe to fill the bellies and capture the hearts of your family and dinner guests with one of Ukraine’s most beloved national dishes.
Dumplings have been a true bedrock dish of cuisines all over the world for hundreds, even thousands of years, and as such, varenyky have an integral role to play in both Ukrainian cuisine and culture.
This is a dish that can be made both savory and sweet. In this recipe, we’re going to focus on dessert varenyky for a simple and delightfully soft treat.
What are Varenyky?
At their simplest, varenyky are dainty dumplings made from unleaved dough, sealed with a crimped edge, and cooked in boiling water. The dumplings can have either sweet or savory fillings, and the fillings are vast and diverse, ranging from cheese and potato to sour fruits and soft cheeses.
This style of dumpling, consisting of dough wrapped around some form of filling, historically is believed to have originated from China and, through the centuries, eventually made its way to Europe and many other parts of the world.
In Central Europe and Eastern Europe, this type of dish is very common. Pierogi in Polish cuisine, derelye in Hungarian cuisine, and bryndzové pirohy in Slovak cuisine are just some of the many examples of dumpling-based dishes that are very similar to Ukrainian varenyky.
Varenyky Ingredients
- Kefir – 300 ml (1 cup and 3 tbsp) kefir
- Eggs – 2 egg yolks
- Sugar – 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- Flour – 400 grams (3 cups and 2 tbsp) plain flour
- Baking Soda – 1/3 tsp baking soda
- Salt – 1/2 tsp salt
- Sour Cherries – 500 grams (17.6 oz) jarred pitted sour cherries (weight when drained)
- Icing Sugar – 1 tbsp icing sugar/confectionary sugar
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Beat the egg yolks, granulated sugar, salt, baking soda, and kefir in a medium bowl.
Step 2 – Add the sifted flour in stages, stirring with a wooden spoon at the beginning. When you can’t mix with the spoon anymore, start kneading the dough with your hands for about 5 minutes.
Step 3 – Make a large ball of dough, and let it stand (covered with a clean towel) for about 15 minutes.
Step 4 – Roll the ball of dough into a log.
Step 5 – Using a knife or dough scraper, divide into small pieces that you can then flatten thinly with your hands or a rolling pin.
Step 6 – Fill with a teaspoon of sour cherries, a pinch of icing sugar sprinkled over the cherries, fold in half, and then close them, pinching the dough between your fingers.
Step 7 – In a small pot, add water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the varenyky (don’t overcrowd the pot) and put the lid on until they start boiling. Then, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook them until they lift to the surface (the timing depends on how thick your dough is). For thin dough, it can take just 2 minutes.
Step 8 – Drain them and plate them.
Step 9 – Serve them with varenye or your favorite jam.
The dumplings provide that hearty, filling, savory foundation on which the sour cherries and the sweet strawberries can truly come into their own. Serve up a giant platter of these dumplings, and we’re confident you’ll have few, if any, left by the end of the evening!
Varenyky Recipe Card
- 300 ml (1 cup and 3 tbsp) kefir
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 400 grams (3 cups and 2 tbsp) plain flour
- 1/3 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 500 grams (17.6 oz) jarred pitted sour cherries
- 1 tbsp icing sugar/confectionary sugar
- Beat the egg yolks, granulated sugar, salt, baking soda, and kefir in a medium bowl.
- Roll the ball of dough into a log.
- Using a knife or dough scraper, divide into small pieces that you can then flatten thinly with your hands or a rolling pin.
- Fill each piece with a teaspoon of sour cherries, a pinch of icing sugar sprinkled over the cherries, fold in half, and then close them, pinching the dough between your fingers.
- In a pot, add water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the varenyky (don’t overcrowd the pot) and put the lid on until they start boiling. Then, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook them until they lift to the surface (the timing depends on how thick your dough is). For thin dough, it can take just 2 minutes.
- Drain them and plate them.
- Serve them with varenye or your favorite jam.
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Contributor: Efimia is a home cook and retired teacher, well versed in Eastern European and Baltic cuisine, who has been cooking a wide array of sweet and savory dishes for friends and family for over four decades.
Spice up your culinary repertoire with these delicious kefir recipes!
Kefir is a fermented dairy drink brimming with gut-friendly probiotic cultures.
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Kefir has been shown to aid in digestion and reduce inflammation. It’s also full of calcium and vitamin K.
Like a good Greek yogurt, kefir is a little sour and very tangy.
However, the consistency is much milkier. It also has a lovely fizz, thanks to carbon dioxide.
If you’re looking for innovative uses for this highly cultured beverage, you’re in luck!
These 10 amazing kefir recipes will spark culinary creativity and tickle your tastebuds.
10 Surprising Ways to Use Kefir
This easy, one-bowl chocolate cake will become your go-to dessert. It’s chocolatey, light, moist, and not cloyingly sweet.
Honestly, it’s luxurious, despite its simplicity.
The kefir does several things in the cake. It works as a leavening agent, adds richness to the flavor, and keeps the cake moist.
This cake is eggless, which isn’t very common in the cake world. So, it’s great for those with egg allergies.
Don’t worry, the texture is still phenomenal, thanks to the kefir!
Sadly, the probiotics in kefir do die off due to the heat of baking. But what can I say? It’s cake, so it’s not the healthiest option.
But it is good for your soul, waistline-be-darned.
Strawberry Kefir Smoothie
Getting your probiotics has never been easier or more delicious. If you want a healthy breakfast, lunch, or snack smoothies are the way to go.
This kefir smoothie is so easy to make and uses only four ingredients.
Simply add plain kefir, frozen strawberries, lemon juice, and honey to a blender. Then, blend and serve!
You get a dose of probiotics, calcium, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins with every sip. Feel free to add more fruits and veggies!
Kefir Pancakes ‘Oladi’
One thing I love about pancakes is how every culture seems to have its own version.
These Russian oladi might be my new favorite. These little pancakes are just so fluffy.
This is due to a few things, including the way they’re fried. But the most important element for fluffy pancakes is due to science!
Specifically, a school science fair volcano-like reaction between the kefir and baking soda.
It’s not quite so explosive, but the principle is the same. And that means super fluffy pancakes.
Kefir Avocado Green Goddess Dressing
This vivid dressing is as good for you as it is green. It’s packed with superfoods and is compliant with several diets. You really can’t go wrong here!
It’s creamy, bright, herbaceous, and utterly delicious. It’s rich in probiotics, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Slather it on salad, chicken, or bread.
Blueberry Muffins with Kefir
In just 30 minutes, you can have fresh, warm, and delicious blueberry muffins. There’s not much better than that!
Like with the chocolate cake on this list, the kefir does three things. It adds flavor, moisture, and is responsible for the leavening.
These muffins are soft and moist and bursting with bright blueberries. They’re slightly tangy, buttery, and sweet.
They’re topped with a brown sugar streusel, which is utterly fantastic!
Cold Summer Soup “Okroshka”
Cold, fizzy, and soup are three words you normally wouldn’t see describing the same dish. I’ll give you cold and soup if you’re a fan of gazpacho, but fizzy?
Okroshka is a delicious soup that defies all expectations unless you’re from Eastern Europe.
It’s fresh, tangy, and just a little fizzy (at least on the first day). It also has great textures.
Okroshka is quite healthy! It’s loaded with protein from eggs, kefir, and smoked turkey. This soup is rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
This soup may sound unusual, but I promise it’s so flavorful. You’ll love it!
Easy Probiotic Kefir Cultured Ghee
Ghee is a fabulous butter substitute, made from clarified butter.
That means its water and milk solids have been removed. It’s great for those with lactose intolerance.
Plus, It’s absolutely chock-full of healthy fats. It’s also been shown to reduce gut inflammation and support a healthy heart.
This ghee recipe is also high in probiotics.
This recipe is really cool because you get three cultured dairy products in one process. You get to make your own probiotic butter, buttermilk, and ghee.
Now, this process is time-consuming. It takes approximately 48 hours for the kefir, cream, and yogurt base to ferment.
Then, you have to make the butter and clarify it.
This ghee is worth the work! It’s nutty, creamy, and divine.
Coriander Chicken Kebabs with Cilantro Kefir Sauce
Give a nod to Mediterranean flavor with these superb kebabs.
The chicken is succulent, citrusy, and perfectly seasoned. The cilantro kefir sauce is tangy, fresh, and garlicky.
Plus, you get a double dose of kefir in this dish.
The first dose comes from the chicken marinade. The acid in the kefir breaks down the meat, so it’s mouthwatering and tender.
The second dose obviously comes from the sauce. Not only is it delicious, but you get all of the benefits of raw kefir.
I personally would add more veggies to the kebabs, like red peppers and zucchini. That way, there’s both a nutrient and a flavor boost!
Kefir Ice Cream
If any ice cream could be considered good for you, it’s this one.
Probiotics? Check. Protein? Check. No refined sugar? Check.
This recipe uses a custard base made with kefir. The kefir is added after the cream and egg custard has cooked.
So, you still keep all those good gut bacteria.
Then it’s scented with vanilla and sweetened with honey. The result is creamy, floral, tangy, and lightly vanilla-flavored ice cream.
This recipe uses an ice cream maker. However, you can easily make custard-based ice cream without one.
It’s just a bit more time-consuming.
Kefir Popsicles
Say cheers to summer with these fruity probiotic popsicles!
They’re fresh, sweet, tangy, and totally customizable. All you need is kefir, a fruit of your choice, and honey to taste. You could even sneak in some veggies.
These fruit pops are healthy, but that doesn’t mean they’re bland. Kids and adults alike will love them.
I’ve listed some fruit combos below to inspire you.
- Pineapple and passion fruit
- Mango and strawberry
- Super Berry! (Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries)
- Peach and cherry
10 Best Ways to Use Kefir
Try these kefir recipes for a good dose of nutrition! From cake to smoothies to muffins, kefir milk makes many delicious dishes.
- Chocolate Kefir Cake
- Strawberry Kefir Smoothie
- Kefir Pancakes ‘Oladi’
- Kefir Avocado Green Goddess Dressing
- Blueberry Muffins with Kefir
- Cold Summer Soup “Okroshka”
- Easy Probiotic Kefir Cultured Ghee
- Coriander Chicken Kebabs with Cilantro Kefir Sauce
- Kefir Ice Cream
Directions
- Select your favorite recipe.
- Organize all the required ingredients.
- Prep a kefir recipe in 30 minutes or less!
If you’re new to Lifeway Kefir, or any probiotic beverage in general, you might be wondering what you can do with it. After all, if you’re not used to drinking it straight, it can take some getting used to since it’s a potent, tart beverage that you’ll soon grow to love. Until then, however, why not incorporate kefir into some of the day-to-day recipes you already love and use?
Our Favorite Ways to Use Kefir in the Kitchen
Waffles, Muffins, Pancakes, Cornbread, and More
Do you bake with buttermilk? Use it in pancakes? Buttermilk’s unique culturing properties lend a soft, more tender crumb to anything. That’s why pancakes, cornbread, muffins, waffles, and other similar recipes are so much better with buttermilk rather than milk, however, kefir is cultured too! You can use it just like buttermilk, and best of all, it tastes much better (if you’ve ever made the mistake of drinking buttermilk straight up, you’ll totally understand what we mean here!). Kefir is also higher in probiotic cultures than even the best, highest-quality buttermilk, so it retains greater softening, tenderizing, and flavor-enhancing qualities. Try it in your next batch of muffins in place of any liquid milk (even if the recipe doesn’t call for buttermilk). Or waffles, or pancakes, or cornbread—the sky’s the limit!
Try these delicious Toasted Peach Cobbler Waffles as a greater starter recipe. We love these with some real, pure maple syrup on top. Yum!
Frozen Kefir
Love Fro-Yo? Us too, that’s why you gotta try frozen kefir as your next frozen treat. Freeze any flavor of Lifeway Kefir into ice cube trays, then blend down the mixture with any fruits, flavors, powders, or whatever you want, and add a smidge more kefir to get the blender going, but not enough to turn it into a smoothie. Serve instantly in a dish and enjoy! Or, you can also blend everything together first, then freeze it in an ice cream maker if you have one with no ice cube tray needed. This dessert is such a good way to use up that last little bit of kefir you might be nearing the date on in the fridge, or even just to use as a quick dessert option. It’s also much more frugal and budget-friendly than going out for fro-yo every time you need a fix. Plus, the probiotic benefits in kefir aren’t destroyed by freezing as in the case of most commercial or shop-ready frozen yogurt. All those live bacteria in the latter varieties are pasteurized after culturing, but with Lifeway Kefir, we culture after pasteurization, so after you freeze and eat kefir, all those good bacteria (probiotics) get active again once they are eaten and consumed. Nice, right? Try our favorite frozen kefir recipes here.
Here’s one of our favorite frozen kefir recipes to get you started: Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Frozen Kefir
Salad Dressing
One of the best ways to use our plain flavors of kefir are in salad dressings in place of any cream, milk, or buttermilk (once again). Kefir is a great ranch-flavored dressing base, but it also can be used as a base for other similar creamy types as well. Or, just make your own! An easy starter recipe is to mix some of our kefir (try 1/3 cup to start), with some of your favorite fresh herbs (tarragon, oregano, dill, basil, and parsley are nice) with a squeeze of fresh lemon, a tsp. or so of your favorite mustard, and a bit of balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Yum! It’s a creamy, herb-infused dressing that’s much better for you than the bottled stuff. You can create any dressing recipe you want by using kefir as the base—the sky is the limit. Here are some of our favorite kefir recipes with dressing to start with!
Or, try this one that’s perfect for the cooler or warmer months of the year: Fig and Arugula Salad With Maple Kefir Dressing. Or, try this Green Goddess Salad using kefir: healthy, easy, and delicious all at the same time!
Better for You Mac and Cheese
Yep, you read that right. Your beloved mac and cheese can also be transformed with kefir. Use it as the creamy base in any mac and cheese recipe and fill your belly and bowl with the goodness of Lifeway Kefir’s probiotics. To prove it, here one of our favorite recipes using Lifeway Kefir in a mac and cheese recipe, plus our cultured Farmer Cheese as well:
Creamy Spinach Mac and Cheese, or see more Mac and Cheese recipes here.
French Toast (and Any Other Toast Recipe)
Want more dip recipes? Get those here.
Pies, Cakes, Cupcakes, And More!
You can sneak kefir into any dessert recipe you want and likely, it will work beautifully. We have created everything from Rainbow Cupcakes to a Chantilly Cake, to a Creamy Caramel Mocha Coffee Milkshake. Feeling the urge for a piece of pie? We got you: try these Mini Pumpkin Pies as an easy single-serving option.
See cupcakes, pies, cakes, milkshakes, and more dessert recipes, too.
As a Face Mask
Having a smoothie for breakfast is one of the best ways to hydrate your body and get in a variety of nutrients since you pack nearly anything into the blender. Kefir makes a great base for any smoothie recipe, which you might already know, but it also works as an excellent post-workout smoothie base. If you haven’t tried this yet, put aside the protein bars full of processed ingredients and try our most recent Post-Workout Smoothie. It will replenish your glucose stores, help get protein to your muscles to repair and revitalize your body, and the amino acids and potassium combined, along with the calcium, will help break down excess lactic acid in the muscles giving you just what you need to feel your best post-workout. And yes, if you’re wondering: kefir is a source of complete protein. Pretty great, right?
See more of our favorite smoothie recipes here!
Sandwiches and Soups
Nothing beats a bowl of warming soup and a hot sandwich on a chilly day, and kefir works great in nearly any soup or sandwich recipe. Here’s a great recipe that’s a good option for the cooler days: Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup, which, if we have to say, goes great with this Grilled Farmer Cheese sandwich as a side option.
You can also try this with cooler soups and sandwiches in the warmer months. For example, this Cucumber Avocado Soup is a terrific choice for the warmer months. Or, browse through all of our soup recipes here, and all our sandwich recipes here.
These are just 10 ideas to get you started using kefir in multiple types of recipes. Food wastes are one of the largest household costs in the United States and beyond, so however we can do to help you utilize healthier ingredients in the kitchen (along with some indulgent, yet better-for-you choices, too), we try our best to do so. Plus, getting creative with ingredients you already have is always a win-win. Who knows? You might just discover your new favorite recipe in doing so.
Very simple chocolate kefir sour cream cake recipe
The recipe for this chocolate kefir sour cream cake, which you can find in the recipe box here at the end of the post, is very simple and quick.
First, you make the chocolate sponge cake with kefir on a baking sheet, which is ready in no time. You let it cool and cut it into several cake layers.
Then you whip the cream with only two ingredients, which will take you about five minutes.
Then you assemble the cake. And it’s ready! Now you only have to cool the cake.
ACIDITY
The natural lactic acid present gives milk kefir its tang, which is helpful in recipes that call for vinegar or buttermilk
- These sweet, tangy fritters are reminiscent of American buttermilk pancakes but chewier and less cakey.1¼ cups flour1½ tablespoons sugar1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon fine salt2 eggs2 cups unflavored whole milk kefir or buttermilkNeutral oil such as canola or sunflower, for frying
- These sweet, tangy fritters are reminiscent of American buttermilk pancakes but chewier and less cakey.
- 1¼ cups flour
- 1½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups unflavored whole milk kefir or buttermilk
- Neutral oil such as canola or sunflower, for frying
PROTEIN CONTENT
Be cautious when substituting milk kefir for sour cream. Sour cream in a cooked recipe almost never curdles because it contains mostly fat, with very little protein. Milk kefir may curdle if cooked too long or at too high a temperature, due to the higher protein content. Save it to add just at the end of the cooking time.
Make fewer cake layers
I baked a large baking sheet sponge cake and then divided it into four cake layers. This made my cake not as wide, but quite tall.
Alternatively, you can cut the large sponge cake into two or three cake layers. Then you’ll get a wider cake that isn’t as tall.
Sour cream with hint of caramel
The cream for this cake is made of sour cream. It tastes sour and combines perfectly with the sweet sponge cake.
In addition, the cake cream contains caramelized sweetened condensed milk. It gives the cake a light caramel flavor.
More cake cream ideas
As for the cake cream, you can experiment here according to taste.
For example, instead of just sour cream, use a mixture of sour cream and cream for the cream, as I did for the layer cake with chocolate sponge layer cake with sour cream.
You can also make the cake with cream cheese and cream, like in my recipe for the banana cream cheese cake or the knit hat cake.
FAT CONTENT
Because milk kefir made from whole or 2% milk contains some fat, milk kefir can add richness to a recipe or substitute for another fat ingredient.
How to make chocolate kefir sour cream cake
- Since the batter contains an acidic ingredient (kefir), you’ll need both baking powder and baking soda in the recipe. They ensure that the sponge cake rises and becomes fluffy.
- Instead of vanilla bean**, you can use vanilla sugar or vanilla extract.
- Do not bake the sponge cake longer than necessary or it may taste dry. Use a wooden skewer to check if it is baked.
- Instead of sour cream, you can make a sour cream cream or cream cheese cream. Read my notes on this above.
Did you make the chocolate kefir sour cream cake yourself using this recipe? I’m looking forward to your result, your star rating and your comment here below, how it turned out and tasted to you.
Preparation
- moist,
- fluffy,
- creamy,
- tender,
- heavenly delicious,
- easy and quick to make,
- ideal for dessert during the week or for a party.
BENEFICIAL BACTERIA
Milk kefir contains beneficial bacteria, which can help to break down or predigest different ingredient or foods. Once cooked, the bacteria will be killed.
HOW TO USE MILK KEFIR IN RECIPES
- Substitute it for buttermilk in any recipe.
- Use milk kefir to soak flour or grain overnight, before cooking or baking.
- Use it as a salad dressing. Because of the acidity and fat content, milk kefir makes a great salad dressing on its own or with a simple addition of garlic, herbs, or spices.
- Use it as a marinade. Milk kefir can be used to tenderize and flavor meat. Or dip chicken in milk kefir before breading it, for a juicier piece of fried chicken.
- Use it in frozen treats. Milk kefir can be substituted for milk in frozen recipes like ice cream, popsicles, and smoothies.
Looking for more ways to use milk kefir in recipes?
Try this long list of Recipes Using Milk Kefir!
Chocolate sponge cake with kefir
The sponge for this cake is not a classic one. It is made with kefir. This makes it taste particularly moist and soft.
In addition, vegetable oil is added to the dough, which also ensures the moistness of the cake layers.
Cocoa powder gives the sponge cake chocolate flavor.
Thus, this cake consists of the heavenly fluffy and tender chocolate sponge cake.
The chocolate kefir sour cream cake consists of a moist fluffy chocolate sponge cake and the delicate sour cream with a slight hint of caramel. It tastes loose, creamy and so incredibly delicious. Moreover, the chocolate kefir sour cream cake is very easy and quick to make with this recipe.
For the sponge cake
- Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt to an airy light mass.
- Carefully stir in kefir and vegetable oil.
- Mix flour with cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda.
- Fold the dry flour mixture into the liquid egg-sugar mixture to make a thick sponge batter.
- Cut off a 0.5 – 1 cm thick edge from all sides of the sponge cake and crumble it finely.
- Cut the sponge cake into four equal-sized cake layers.
Preparation of the cream
- Spread the four cake layers with the cream, stack them on top of each other and spread the sides of the cake with the remaining cream.
- Sprinkle the top and sides of the cake with the crumbs.
- Chill the chocolate kefir sour cream cake for at least 2 hours.
- Instead of vanilla bean, you can use vanilla sugar or vanilla extract.
- Do not bake the sponge cake longer than necessary or it may taste dry. Use a wooden skewer to check if it is baked.
- Note the detailed tips and tricks for making the chocolate kefir sour cream cake at the top of the post.
