Babka is a slightly sweet yeast bread made with citrus zests and raisins, and iced or left plain. This Polish bread is usually prepared around Easter but is delicious any time of year.

Babka

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 cup warm milk (110 to 115 degrees)

2 packages active dry yeast

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

5 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

1 cup raisins

Lemon Glaze:

2 cups confectioner’ (powdered) sugar

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 to 4 teaspoons water

Garnish:

Candied cherry halves

Tip:  Use a citrus zester and citrus juicer for fresh zest and freshly squeezed juice. Use standard measuring cups and spoons or scales for accurate measuring.

Directions:

Dough:

1. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine warm milk and yeast; stir and let sit until yeast is dissolved, about 10 minutes. Add sugar, salt, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla; stir on low speed to mix. Add flour; beat 1 to 2 minutes on medium speed until well mixed and smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.  Add orange zest, lemon zest, and raisins, stir on low speed until combined. The dough will be like a thick cake batter consistency.
   
   
2. Cover the bowl with a small kitchen towel and let dough rise is a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
   
   
3. Prepare one 9 inch Bundt pan or fluted tube pan; generously grease the pan with shortening.
   
   
4. Stir the risen dough down, then spoon into the prepared pan. Cover and let rise is a warm place until doubled in size, and dough almost reaches the top of the pan, 1 to 2 hours.
   
   
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
   
   Bake:
6. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown. Cover with a sheet of foil about halfway through the baking time if the surface begins to brown too quickly. Remove pan from oven, and cool on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes then remove Babka from the pan and finish cooling on wire rack.
   

Tip: Use an instant read thermometer to test your bread for doneness. The temperature should be between 200 and 210 degrees F.

Lemon Glaze and Garnish:

7. In a small mixing bowl, combine confectioner's sugar and lemon zest. Add lemon juice and 2 teaspoons water and stir until smooth. Add additional teaspoons of water if needed to make a good drizzling consistency. The glaze should be like a soft icing, but thin enough that it will run down over the sides of the bread.
   
   
8. Drizzle glaze over the cake, allowing the glaze to drip down the sides.  Decorate the top with candied cherry halves. Let the glaze set before serving.
   
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