“Mother-in-Law” Torte

The recipe for this festive torte, reserved for special occasions in Russia, was given to me by my cousin Roma, who works as a pathologist but whose avocation is baking. He regularly turns out flaky pirogi with wild mushroom stuffing and tender pirozhki filled with chopped cabbage and eggs. This torte is Roma’s specialty. It was his mother who passed the recipe on to him, so Roma’s wife, Raya, dubbed the cake “Mother-in-Law” Torte. It’s a favorite with children, as evidenced by the clamorou