EASY POLISH EASTER BABKA (BABKA WIELKANOCNA)
A lightly sweet yeast bread with rum soaked raisins
Ingredients
- 1 cup golden raisins (I had golden and dark raisins, and dried currants, so I used 1/3 cup of each)
- enough rum, brandy, or soplica to cover the raisins
- 1 packet dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1/4 cup warm water (110 F)
- 3/4 cup butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup scalded milk (heated to near boiling)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 large eggs
- 4 1/4 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons lemon or orange zest
- butter and breadcrumbs to prepare pan
- powdered sugar for finishing or a glaze made of 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and 1-2 tablespoons of the raisin soaked rum
Instructions
- Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with rum, soak for two hours or warm in microwave for 45 seconds to speed up the process
- Add yeast to a small bowl or cup and cover with warm water, it should become foamy
- Cream butter, sugar, and salt
- Add milk and vanilla, mix until mixture cools
- Mix in eggs and yeast mixture, then flour
- Add citrus zest and raisins (which have been strained from the rum, reserve rum for the glaze)
- Butter bundt pan and sprinkle with unseasoned dry breadcrumbs
- Add batter to pan, cover and let rise until almost to the top of the pan
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Bake for 40 – 45 minutes, internal temp should be at least 190.
- Cook 10 minutes before removing from pan, and cool
- Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with glaze
