a delicious and nutritious snack.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 50 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 20 mins |
| Servings: | 12 |
| Yield: | 4 babkas |
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons white sugar
- ½ cup lukewarm water
- 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
- 1 cup milk, scalded and cooled
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 5 ½ cups bread flour
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 cup water, yeast, milk and 1 cup flour. Mix until well blended, then cover and allow to rise in a warm place until light and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, salt and 1 cup white sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the melted butter and lemon zest. Stir in the sponge, then gradually mix in the flour. Knead in the bowl for about 10 minutes, then knead in the raisins. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume.
- Punch down dough and knead for a couple of turns then let it rise again. Grease 4 smaller coffee cans with soft butter. Fill the prepared pans about 1/3 full and let rise until the dough is even with the rim. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then turn down the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking the bread for another 40 minutes. Avoid letting the top get too brown, if it begins to brown too quickly, cover the top with aluminum foil. Remove baked loaves from the pans and cool on a wire rack.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 317 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 34 g |
| Cholesterol | 135 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Protein | 6 g |
| Saturated Fat | 11 g |
| Sodium | 348 mg |
| Sugars | 19 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
Let me start by saying that I’ve never made bread before. As I was making this it transporting me back to my childhood when my Baba made this bread for Ukrainian Easter. It filled the house with the exact same aromas!
It was a little drier than my Mom made. I think my oven cooks a little hotter because it’s propane. I will cut the time down when I make it next time. The flavor was perfect and all the babki I gave as Christmas gifts were really appreciated. I received many compliments. Min was probably dry because I took the one that had the brownes crust. I’ll never use a metal pan again.
So happy to find this recipe!! Tastes JUST like my Babcia’s.
I left out the lemon zest. But this was great!!! Not too sweet!!
I have used this recipe for years. It always turns out well and tastes great. It is not too sweet so can be used in combination with sweet or savory dishes. I love it and so does my family.
I made this for Ukrainian Christmas and it was a big hit. Thank you.
This was a great recipe. I did cut the recipe in half. Used 1 cup dried raisins mixed with cranberries. Turned out better with the cranberries the second time. I also used my bread machine, but hand folded the raisins/ cranberries. The first time I used only the raisins and tossed them into the bread machine. Didn’t turn out so good. The raisins were all torn apart. I also noticed that once you fold the raisins/cranberries in, the rise before you bake takes almost all day. Without the raisins/cranberries it takes only 2 hours for it to rise. I made half the dough without the raisins/cranberries and then half with. Make sure you let the dough rise in a butter spread pan before you bake. I warm my oven for a few minutes and then turn it off and let the dough rise in a warm area. After its done baking I spread lightly in mixer: first 1 egg white until fluffy then add powdered sugar until thick. Spread it on the warm bread as soon as it’s done baking and let it dry. Can also sprinkle the top with sprinkles before it dries.
Made it yesterday,,,it’s going fast! Only had plastic coffee cans, but used old steam bread molds I had,,,worked great! Tops on my list.
not sure how to rate, i’m not a bread maker by any means. i may have cooked this too long? a little dry, but it does taste almost EXACTLY like my mother in laws. i didn’t use the raisins because i don’t like them in bread. i will make again, for my Dad and use the raisins.
I have been using this recipe for 3 years now. DELICIOUS and MOIST and comes out tall!!! I do not use coffee cans, but a Tube Pan (much like a bundt pan, but the center is removable from the base). I cook it at the same temperature and same time. A Nice Touch! I brush egg whites on the top of the Babka after te first process of “baking for 15 minutes @400 Degrees”…AND after a while I do notice it turning brown, I then cover it w/foil. It has turned out perfect each time!~..2 LARGE/TALL Babkas every year (very moist!) for the past 3 years!
I was so disappointed in this recipe. It turned out awful for me. I was so hopeful and followed it to the “t” but was greatly disappointed.
I made this recipe because I have been trying to find the perfect PASKA recipe. This is just as I remember and love. Breakfast this week has been divine with toasted babka. Thank you so much I can’t wait to start baking them for Easter! I also made the dough in my bread machine then baked in the oven, 1/2 the recipe fit in my machine, and baked in a 2 lb can.
I didn’t have my (Polish) grandmother’s recipe on hand, but this worked perfectly. It tasted just as like Babcia’s! Helpful Hint: you may want to fill the loaves with lekvar.
THANKS FOR A GREAT KEEPER! I TOOK THIS TO MY VISITATION AT THE LOCAL NURSING HOME WITH MY CHURCH GROUP. THE OLDER LADIES LOVED THIS! GOT NOTHING BUT RAVES! THANKS! AAAAA+