Liver Cake: Classic Recipe and All Variations | Costless
Liver Cake: Classic Recipe and All Variations
Liver cake is the dish everyone "makes for the holidays" and half of it disappears before guests even sit down. Thin, tender crêpes made from chicken liver, layered with juicy carrot-and-onion cream — no flour sponge involved. A simple, filling, and hugely popular Ukrainian appetizer that's easy to make from affordable ingredients. Here's the classic liver cake recipe, the secret to crêpes that don't tear, plus variations with beef liver, mushrooms, and a lighter version — and we calculate how much it costs to put together a whole cake.
Liver cake is a Ukrainian appetizer made from thin crêpes based on chicken (or beef) liver, layered with a cream of sautéed carrot, onion, and mayonnaise. The crêpes are cooked like regular pancakes from a blended batter, and the assembled cake sits in the fridge for a few hours so the layers soften and turn juicy. Served cold, sliced into portions, as a festive appetizer or a hearty main dish.
Liver cake at a glance: time, servings, calories
- Prep time: 30 minutes
- Cook time: 40 minutes
- Soaking/resting time: at least 3 hours (overnight is better)
- Servings: 8 (a cake of 8–10 layers)
- Difficulty: medium
- Calories: ~230–260 kcal per 100 g
- Cuisine: Ukrainian
What is liver cake and where does it come from
Liver cake is an appetizer in which thin crêpes made from ground liver replace sponge layers, and a carrot-onion cream with mayonnaise replaces buttercream. Visually it really does look like a cake: round shape, layers, cream on top and around the sides. But the flavor is strictly savory, richly seasoned, with a pronounced liver taste.
The dish became popular across the post-Soviet region as a festive twist on an ordinary liver casserole: home cooks noticed that thin liver crêpes hold their shape and cream well, so they started stacking them into layers and serving it as a standalone dish for holiday tables. Today liver cake is also made for everyday meals — it's a quick way to put together a filling, protein-rich appetizer from a handful of ingredients.
Similar dishes made with liver crêpes exist in neighboring cuisines under different names; in Ukrainian tradition the name "liver cake" (pechinkovyi tort) stuck.
Ingredients for classic liver cake
An approximate set — for 8 servings (a cake of 8–10 layers).
For the crêpes
- Chicken liver — 500 g
- Chicken eggs — 3 pcs.
- Wheat flour — 4–5 tbsp.
- Milk — 100 ml (plus extra for soaking the liver)
- Onion — 1 pc. (into the batter)
- Salt, black pepper — to taste
- Sunflower oil — for frying
For the cream
- Carrot — 500 g (2–3 pcs.)
- Onion — 2 pcs.
- Mayonnaise — 200 g (or sour cream)
- Garlic — 2–3 cloves
- Sunflower oil — for sautéing the vegetables
Classic liver cake: step-by-step recipe
- Prepare the liver. Cut the liver into pieces, cover with milk, and let sit for 20–30 minutes — this removes bitterness and softens the flavor. Drain the milk and pat the liver dry.
- Make the crêpe batter. Blend the liver, eggs, onion, flour, and 100 ml of milk into a smooth, thin batter with no lumps. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook thin crêpes. Heat a pan with a thin layer of oil. Pour the batter in a thin layer (as for regular crêpes) and cook 1–2 minutes per side until golden. Repeat with all the batter — you'll get 8–10 layers.
- Make the cream. Grate the carrot and onion (or chop finely), sauté in oil until soft and golden. Let cool, then mix with mayonnaise and minced garlic.
- Assemble the cake. Generously spread cream on each crêpe and stack them on top of each other. Coat the top and sides of the cake with cream as well.
- Let it rest. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, ideally overnight — the layers will soften and the flavor will become richer.
- Serve. Before serving, decorate the cake (herbs, grated boiled egg yolk, nuts) and cut into portions.
Why liver crêpes tear — and how to prevent it
The most common problem is crêpes breaking when you transfer them, or tearing right on the pan. There are usually three causes:
- Not enough flour or eggs. If the batter is too thin, the crêpe won't hold together. Add another tablespoon of flour or one more egg.
- A cold or poorly greased pan. The batter sticks and tears when flipped. Heat the pan properly and lightly grease it with oil each time.
- Too thick a layer of batter. Thick crêpes don't cook through evenly and end up breaking. Pour the batter in a thin layer, tilting the pan.
If your first crêpe doesn't turn out well, that's normal — just like with regular pancakes; the next ones improve once the pan heats evenly.
Chicken or beef liver cake
The classic version is made with chicken liver — it has a milder flavor and the crêpes come out thinner and cook faster. Beef or pork liver gives a richer, slightly bitter taste; such liver should be soaked in milk longer — 40–60 minutes — and the batter is best blended twice for a smoother texture. Some cooks combine chicken and beef liver in equal parts for a balanced flavor that's neither too mild nor too sharp.
Cream: mayonnaise, sour cream, or butter
The classic cream for liver cake is sautéed carrot and onion mixed with mayonnaise and garlic. For a lighter version, replace the mayonnaise with 20% sour cream — the flavor becomes fresher and less rich. For a festive, richer cream, replace part of the mayonnaise with soft butter whipped with garlic — this cream holds its shape better and makes the cake look more like a classic sponge cake.
Liver cake with mushrooms and nuts
A festive variation adds sautéed button mushrooms, layered separately between the crêpes alongside the carrot cream, or mixed directly into the cream. The top of the cake is decorated with crushed walnuts, dill or parsley, and grated boiled egg yolk — not just for looks, but as an extra flavor accent that pairs well with liver.
Light and diet-friendly liver cake
Liver cake is easy to make lighter: swap the mayonnaise in the cream for low-fat sour cream or unsweetened Greek yogurt, fry the crêpes on a non-stick pan with minimal oil, and cook the vegetables for the cream by steaming or roasting instead of sautéing. This version stays a great source of protein, iron, and vitamin A from the liver and carrots, while being noticeably lighter than the classic.
Decoration and serving ideas
Liver cake is traditionally decorated with grated hard-boiled egg (egg white and yolk kept separate for color contrast), herbs, thin slices of fresh cucumber or tomato, and pomegranate seeds for a bright accent. It's served cold, cut into triangular slices, either as a standalone appetizer or alongside salads on a festive table.
Secrets to the perfect liver cake
- Soak the liver in milk: this removes bitterness and softens the flavor — don't skip this step.
- Lump-free batter: blend until smooth and thin, just like a regular crêpe batter.
- A thin layer on a well-heated pan: this keeps crêpes from tearing and ensures even cooking.
- Don't skimp on the cream: a generous layer between crêpes and a long resting time make the cake juicy, not dry.
- Give it time in the fridge: at least 3 hours, ideally overnight — the flavor fully develops only after resting.
How much do the ingredients for liver cake cost
Liver cake is an affordable festive appetizer: a kilogram of liver, a few vegetables, eggs, and mayonnaise turn into a full cake that's enough for a whole table of guests. It's one of the best-value festive dishes in terms of price versus visual impact.
Prices for liver, carrots, and mayonnaise vary noticeably between chains and often change with promotions. Before you go shopping, compare prices across supermarkets and find the best deals on the Costless deals page — we collect and update supermarket prices weekly, so you see the actual price on the shelf.
Here's the full basket of ingredients for classic liver cake — add it to your shopping list and compare prices for each product at stores near you.
Tip: add liver and carrots to your favorites on Costless and turn on price-drop alerts — you'll catch a discount right when you're planning to cook for a festive table.
Frequently asked questions
How long should liver be soaked in milk?
Chicken liver only needs 20–30 minutes of soaking; beef or pork liver needs 40–60 minutes. This removes bitterness and softens the flavor.
Why is liver cake bitter?
Usually because the liver wasn't soaked or bile residue was left on the pieces. Always trim membranes and ducts, and always soak the liver in milk before making the batter.
How many layers should a liver cake have?
Classically 8–10 thin layers. Fewer layers make the cake low and a bit dry; more layers make it harder to coat evenly with cream.
How long does the cake need to rest?
At least 3 hours in the fridge, ideally overnight. During this time the layers absorb the cream and soften, and the flavor becomes richer.
How long does liver cake keep in the fridge?
The finished cake keeps under plastic wrap in the fridge for 2–3 days. It's not worth storing longer because of the mayonnaise cream.
Can liver cake be frozen?
It's better to freeze the baked crêpes separately, without the cream — they freeze well. The assembled cake with mayonnaise cream is not recommended for freezing: the cream separates after thawing.
What can replace mayonnaise in the cream?
20% sour cream for a lighter flavor, or soft butter whipped with garlic for a thicker, more festive cream.
Love hearty Ukrainian appetizers? Try our homemade cabbage rolls and crispy potato pancakes.