Cinnamon Babka
This Cinnamon Babka is a super indulgent sweet bread filled with delicious cinnamon swirls. It’s soft, fluffy, buttery, and absolutely irresistible! Whether you enjoy it toasted for breakfast, as dessert, or with your afternoon tea, it’s sure to satisfy your cravings.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Proofing Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Babka Dough
- 75 ml (5 tbsp) Full Cream / Whole Milk
- 60 grams (1/4 cup) Caster Sugar
- 9 grams (2 teaspoons) Instant Yeast
- 3 Eggs – at room temperature
- 350 grams (2 1/3 cups) Plain/AP Flour
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/3 tsp Fine Salt
- 90 grams (6 tbsp) Unsalted Butter – soft
Cinnamon Filling
- 120 grams (1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter – soft
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) Brown Sugar
- 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Egg – for the Egg Wash (optional)
Syrup Glaze
- 80 grams (1/3 cup) Caster Sugar
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) Water.
Instructions
Babka Dough
- Start by placing lukewarm milk in the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix it with one tablespoon of caster sugar. Then, add the yeast, stir, and let it bloom for about 10 minutes until the mixture appears bubbly and frothy.
- Add the eggs to the mixture, followed by the plain/AP flour, the remaining caster sugar, ground cinnamon, and finish with the salt. Knead on medium speed using the dough hook attachment until a sticky dough forms.
- Gradually add the soft butter, incorporating it into the dough a little at a time. Keep kneading on medium-high to high speed for about 10 minutes, or until the dough passes the “windowpane test.” The babka dough will be very soft and slightly sticky, which is normal!
- Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let the dough proof in a warm spot for about 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Cinnamon Filling
- In a small bowl, mix together the soft butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
- Punch down the babka dough to remove the air, then transfer it onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a large rectangle using a rolling pin, approximately 30 x 40 cm (12 x 15 inches).
- Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, then roll the dough along its longest side to form a log shape. Cut the cinnamon babka dough in half lengthwise, then twist the two pieces of dough around each other.
- Transfer the twisted dough into a loaf pan (11.5 x 30 cm / 4.5 x 12 inches) that has been greased and lined with baking paper. With egg wach, Brush the top of the cinnamon babka. Cover it with a tea towel and let it rise in a warm spot for about 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F. Bake the babka for about 25 to 30 minutes or until it’s puffed and golden brown.
Sugar Syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar. Heat the mixture on the stove over medium heat.
- Stir the mixture occasionally until the sugar completely dissolves. Once dissolved, remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Once the babka is baked, take it out of the oven. Immediately brush the hot sugar syrup over the top of the babka.
- Allow the babka to cool completely in the loaf pan before removing it.
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