How to Make the Perfect Polish Babka Cake
Polish · Easy · 70 min · 12 servings
This soft and fluffy Polish yeast cake is a wonderfully kid friendly recipe that teaches children about the magic of yeast and bread baking. The lemon glazed loaf with a tender crumb is perfect for breakfast or dessert and kids love kneading the sweet dough.
Why this recipe works
This Polish Babka Cake recipe has been crafted to deliver restaurant-quality results in your home kitchen. At just 70 minutes from start to finish, it fits perfectly into a busy schedule without sacrificing flavor. Each serving comes in at 310 calories with 7g of protein, making it a balanced choice for any meal.
What you will need
This recipe uses 7 simple ingredients that you can find at any grocery store:
- 500 g all purpose flour
- 7 g instant yeast
- 100 g caster sugar
- 3 whole eggs
- 120 ml warm milk
- 80 g unsalted butter melted
- 150 g powdered sugar for glaze
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Make the Dough
Combine flour, instant yeast and caster sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs, warm milk and melted butter then mix until a soft dough forms. Knead for 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Kids absolutely love the kneading part of this process.
Step 2: Rise the Dough
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Leave in a warm spot for 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size. Kids enjoy checking on the dough and marveling at how much it has grown.
Step 3: Shape and Bake
Punch down the dough and shape it into a round or place in a greased bundt pan. Cover and rest for 20 minutes then bake at 180 degrees C for 40 minutes until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom.
Step 4: Glaze and Serve
Mix powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice until a thick white glaze forms. Pour over the cooled babka and let it set for 10 minutes before slicing. The bright white glaze makes this cake look beautiful and impressive.
Easy substitutions
Missing an ingredient? Here are some swaps that work perfectly:
- lemon juice in glaze → orange juice for a sweeter milder citrus glaze that younger kids tend to prefer
- instant yeast → active dry yeast proofed in warm milk first for a more traditional approach
Common mistakes to avoid
Watch out for these pitfalls that can affect your results:
- Using milk that is too hot which kills the yeast and prevents the dough from rising at all
- Not allowing enough rise time which results in a dense heavy cake instead of the expected light fluffy texture
Nutrition facts
Per serving: 310 calories, 7g protein, 50g carbs, 9g fat, 2g fiber.
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