Polish Easter Babka Recipe with Yeast

This polish easter babka recipe makes a tall, light yeast cake with a soft crumb, raisins and a lemon glaze. Baked in a fluted ring pan, babka is a traditional addition to a Polish Easter table. Give the enriched dough enough time to rise and let the cake cool before glazing for the best texture and a tidy finish.

Ingredients and pan

For one babka, use a fluted ring pan with a capacity of about 2 liters. Grease every groove well and dust lightly with flour.

• 400 g all-purpose flour
• 7 g instant yeast
• 80 g sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 180 ml lukewarm milk
• 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 100 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 80 g raisins, optional
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 100 g powdered sugar and 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice, for the glaze

The milk should feel pleasantly warm, not hot. If using active dry yeast, prepare it according to the package directions. Raisins can be soaked briefly in warm water, then drained and dried before they are added.

Mix and knead the enriched dough

Combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, eggs, yolks, vanilla and lemon zest. Mix until no dry flour remains, then knead for about 5 minutes. Work in the butter gradually and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic. It will be soft and somewhat sticky; resist adding a lot of extra flour, which can make the cake heavy.

Fold in the dried raisins, if using. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until roughly doubled, usually 1 to 2 hours. The room temperature and yeast will affect the time. Look for a visibly puffy dough rather than relying on the clock alone.

For more guidance on enriched dough, see the soft yeast dough recipe. The dough should stretch without tearing immediately, but it does not need to feel dry.

Fill the pan and let it rise

Gently deflate the dough and distribute it evenly around the prepared ring pan. Smooth the top with lightly oiled hands. Cover loosely and leave it to rise until noticeably puffy and approaching the upper part of the pan, usually 45 to 75 minutes. Leave space for it to expand in the oven.

If the dough is rising slowly, move it to a comfortably warm spot and wait. Excessive heat can damage the yeast or melt the butter out of the dough. A light indentation made with a fingertip should slowly spring back when the dough is ready to bake.

Bake, cool and glaze

Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the babka for about 30 to 40 minutes, until deep golden and cooked through. If it browns too quickly, cover the top loosely with foil. A skewer inserted into the thickest part should come out without wet dough; an instant-read thermometer can also help, with the center reaching about 93°C (200°F).

Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully turn it onto a rack. Cool completely. Stir the powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to make a thick but pourable glaze and drizzle it over the cake. Slice with a serrated knife. For another enriched bake to serve with a holiday breakfast, try Polish braided bread.

FAQ

Can I leave out the raisins?

Yes. The dough will bake well without them. You can also use finely chopped dried fruit, dried thoroughly after soaking so it does not add excess moisture.

How do I keep babka soft?

Once the glaze has set, store the cooled cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Freeze well-wrapped slices for longer storage and thaw them at room temperature.