Many different versions of this rich bread, laced with rum syrup and drizzled with icing, are served at Easter in Polish households. It's such a tradition, and so well-loved, that there are probably as many babka recipes as there are Polish bakers! This particular recipe was inspired by one in our 1990 200th Anniversary Cookbook, which includes a wealth of recipes and information from cultures around the world. You'll notice that, despite being made with yeast, it's an easy batter bread; "no-knead" isn't as new a concept as you might think.
Yields1 ServingPrep Time15 minsCook Time35 minsTotal Time50 mins
Babka
1/2 cup (113g) lukewarm milk
3 large eggs, at room temperature
heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
4 tablespoons (57g) butter, softened
2 cups (240g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/4 cup (43g) currants or raisins (golden raisins preferred)
1/4 cup (43g) candied mixed peel, or mixed dried fruit, chopped
Rum syrup
1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (57g) water*
1 to 2 tablespoons (14g to 28g) rum*
*Or substitute apple juice for the water and rum.
Icing (optional)
1 cup (113g) confectioners' sugar
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons (28g) milk, or a combination of milk and rum or apple juice
1
2
Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Place everything except the fruit in a mixing bowl, and beat at medium speed until cohesive. Increase your mixer's speed to high, and beat for 2 minutes.
3
Add the fruit, beating gently just to combine.
4
Cover the bowl, and let the dough/thick batter rest/rise for 60 minutes; it won't appear to do too much.
5
Scoop the batter into a greased 10-cup Bundt pan. Cover the pan, and let the dough rest/rise for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.
6
Bake the babka for 35 to 40 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads at least 190°F.
7
While the babka is baking, prepare the rum syrup. Combine all of the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil, swirling the liquid in the pan, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat.
8
Remove the babka from the oven. Poke it all over gently with a toothpick or fork, and slowly pour the syrup over the babka's surface.
9
When the syrup is fully absorbed (about 20 minutes or so), carefully loosen the babka's edges, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack.
10
If you choose to use the icing: Mix all of the ingredients together, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over completely cool babka.
11
Don't have a Bundt pan? Bake the bread in an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan, instead.
Ingredients
Babka
1/2 cup (113g) lukewarm milk
3 large eggs, at room temperature
heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
4 tablespoons (57g) butter, softened
2 cups (240g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/4 cup (43g) currants or raisins (golden raisins preferred)
1/4 cup (43g) candied mixed peel, or mixed dried fruit, chopped
Rum syrup
1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (57g) water*
1 to 2 tablespoons (14g to 28g) rum*
*Or substitute apple juice for the water and rum.
Icing (optional)
1 cup (113g) confectioners' sugar
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons (28g) milk, or a combination of milk and rum or apple juice
Directions
1
2
Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Place everything except the fruit in a mixing bowl, and beat at medium speed until cohesive. Increase your mixer's speed to high, and beat for 2 minutes.
3
Add the fruit, beating gently just to combine.
4
Cover the bowl, and let the dough/thick batter rest/rise for 60 minutes; it won't appear to do too much.
5
Scoop the batter into a greased 10-cup Bundt pan. Cover the pan, and let the dough rest/rise for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.
6
Bake the babka for 35 to 40 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads at least 190°F.
7
While the babka is baking, prepare the rum syrup. Combine all of the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, and boil, swirling the liquid in the pan, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat.
8
Remove the babka from the oven. Poke it all over gently with a toothpick or fork, and slowly pour the syrup over the babka's surface.
9
When the syrup is fully absorbed (about 20 minutes or so), carefully loosen the babka's edges, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack.
10
If you choose to use the icing: Mix all of the ingredients together, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over completely cool babka.
