Dulce de Leche Cake (Russian Anthill Cake “Muraveinik”)

This dulce de leche cake, the traditional Russian Anthill Cake known as Muraveinik, is a rich, crunchy dessert made from crumbled cookies bound with buttery dulce de leche cream and shaped into a rustic mound.

Hey folks – I hope you all are doing well!

Today, I am thrilled to share with you a recipe from my childhood. Unlike many classic layered cakes, this Russian anthill cake is surprisingly easy to make and doesn’t require any fancy ingredients or advanced techniques. At its heart, it’s a wonderfully simple dulce de leche cake built from cookies, butter, and caramel, with plenty of room for playful additions. Rich, nostalgic, and unapologetically indulgent, this is one of those desserts that looks impressive but comes together with very little fuss. So, let’s dive into this dulce de leche cake.

Why You’ll Love This Dulce de Leche Cake

• Simple ingredients: Cookies, butter, and dulce de leche form the base.
• Crunchy and creamy: A perfect balance of texture and richness.
• No decorating required: Rustic shaping is part of the charm.
• Customisable: Easy to adapt with nuts, seeds, chocolate, or dried fruit.
• Make-ahead friendly: Tastes even better after chilling.

Flavour and Texture Profile

This dulce de leche cake is rich, buttery, and deeply caramel-forward, with a satisfying crunch from the baked cookie crumbs and toasted nuts. Unlike traditional cakes with layers of soft sponge and frosting, this anthill cake is intentionally on the drier side, relying on texture rather than moisture for its appeal. The butter–dulce de leche cream binds everything together while still allowing the crumbs to stay distinct and crisp.

Because of its dense, crumbly structure, this cake is best enjoyed alongside a cup of milk, tea, or coffee, which balances the richness and makes each bite even more satisfying.

What Makes This Dulce de Leche Cake Different

Unlike many cakes that rely on layers, frosting, or precise assembly, this anthill cake is shaped by hand. While nuts and poppy seeds are optional, they add depth and texture that pair beautifully with dulce de leche. A small amount of salt is essential to balance the sweetness – either by using a mix of salted and unsalted butter or by adding salt directly.

You don’t need to make cookies from scratch for this recipe. Store-bought cookies work perfectly well, as long as they are buttery and crumbly – not too crisp and not too soft. Think somewhere between shortbread biscuits and a baked tart crust. The goal is texture that holds its shape without dissolving into the cream.

If you do decide to make the cookies yourself, there’s a traditional step that might sound unusual at first. Instead of baking whole biscuits and crumbling them later, the dough is chilled, grated into short “noodles,” and baked directly. Once baked and cooled, these golden crumbs form the crunchy backbone of the cake. It may sound time-consuming, but in practice, it’s straightforward and very effective.

Ingredients You’ll Need for This Dulce de Leche Cake

Cookies

• Butter: Forms the base of the cookie dough.
• Eggs: Bind the dough and add richness.
• Sugar: Lightly sweetens the cookies.
• Milk: Adds moisture and softness.
• Salt: Balances sweetness.
• Baking powder: Helps create a tender crumb.
• Cake and pastry flour: Produces a crumbly, tender texture ideal for grating.

Frosting and Assembly

• Butter: Beaten until light and fluffy.
• Dulce de leche: Provides deep caramel flavour and sweetness. Use good quality spread, preferably produced in Latin America.
• Walnuts: Toasted for nuttiness and crunch.
• Salt: Sharpens and balances the cream.
• Poppy seeds (optional): Add texture, flavour, and the classic anthill look.

How to Make Dulce de Leche Anthill Cake

1. To make the cookie base, beat the butter and eggs just until combined, then add the milk. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add to the butter mixture. Mix until crumbly, then briefly knead until the dough becomes soft and elastic.
2. Wrap the dough and chill for 30 to 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Break the dough into smaller pieces and grate it into short strands directly onto a baking tray, spreading them in a single layer. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until golden. Let cool completely, then lightly crumble if needed.
3. To make the frosting, beat the softened butter with dulce de leche on low speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
4. In a large bowl, combine most of the crumbled cookies with the frosting and toasted walnuts. Mix well. The remaining crumbs can be added for a drier texture, but this is optional. Let the mixture rest for about 20 minutes to soften slightly.
5. Using your hands or a measuring cup, tightly pack and shape the mixture into a mound or small cakes. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired. Refrigerate for at least a few hours, or preferably overnight, before serving.

Possible Additions and Variations

• Chocolate morsels: Dark chocolate pairs beautifully with dulce de leche.
• Dried fruit: Prunes or raisins add chewiness and depth.
• Different nuts: Hazelnuts or pecans work well.
• Salted caramel notes: Adjust salt to enhance contrast.
• Individual portions: Shape into small mounds for easy serving.

More Delicious Desserts

Are you looking for more fun recipes, like this dulce de leche cake? Be sure to check more recipes below:

• Russian Mini Cakes “Potatoes”
• No Bake Hedgehog Cakes
• Cream Liqueur Cookie Nut Truffles
• Rum and Raisin Biscoff Truffles

I’d love for you to try this Russian Dulce de Leche Cake. If you give this dessert a go, please share your results in the comments, message me on Instagram, or post your photos with the hashtag #havocinthekitchen. I look forward to seeing your creations and hearing your thoughts.

Cheers!

Print

Dulce de Leche Cake (Russian Anthill Cake “Muraveinik”)

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Sweet BakesCuisine: Russian, Eastern European

Dulce de leche cake, the traditional Russian Anthill Cake known as Muraveinik, made with crunchy cookie crumbs and rich and nutty flavour.

Servings

8-10

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Chilling time

4-6

hours

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• Cookies:

• 1 cup (250 gr.) unsalted butter, softened and chopped into small pieces

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar

• 150 ml. milk

• pinch of salt

• 1 1/2tsp. baking powder

• 4 – 4.5 cups (500 – 550 gr) cake & pastry flour, sifted

• Frosting:

• 1 cup (250 gr) softened butter

• 1 1/2 cups (450 g) dulce de leche

• 1 1/2 (150 g) cups walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

• pinch of salt

• poppy seeds, toasted (optional)

Directions

• Combine the butter and eggs and beat just to well combine. Add the milk.
• Combine the flour with the baking powder and salt and add it to the butter mixture. Using hands mix until combined crumbly then (in one minute it will be elastic and soft).
• Wrap the dough up in plastic and chill in the fridge about 30-40 minutes.
• Preheat oven to about 175 degrees C (350 F).
• Break the dough into smaller pieces and using a grater, grate (try making short noodles. Place the dough in a single layer on a baking tray. Bake for about 15-17 minutes or until well golden. Remove and let it cool.
  If the dough has consolidated into large pieces, crumble it lightly.
• To make the frosting, in a bowl combine the softened butter with the dulce de leche and beat (low speed) for about 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
• In a large bowl combine 5 cups of the crumbled cookies, the frosting, and walnuts. Mix well. You can add the remaining cookies (Should be about 1 cup left), but the cake will turn drier.
• Let the mixture stay 20 minutes to soften then using your hands shape the cakes (You can tightly pack a measurement cup then flip it. Sprinkle with the poppy seeds if desired. (See Notes). Refrigerate for at least a few hours or better overnight.
  
  

Notes

• You can make one large cake instead. I had 7 mini cakes.