A Babka is often a sweet, rich yeast dough often baked with additional dried fruit, in a fluted baking tin which gives it the name “Babka”, or little grandmother. The fluted shape resembling a grandmother’s skirt pleats
In this example it is a two- flavoured/coloured version baked without the use of yeast.
As specified in the recipe, Poles tend to measure ingredients using a glass. When you bake this cake, simply measure all the ingredients using the same glass, or cup, then you can’t go wrong with this easy, delicious cake.
Ingredients
- 5 egg
- 11/2 glasses sugar
- 21/2 glasses plain flour
- 3 level teaspoons baking powder
- 1 glass oil (vegetable or sunflower)
- 1 glass tap water
- 2 heaped teaspoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons plain flour (additional to above)
Method
Butter a 9/10 inch (23-25cm) fluted baking tin (or equivalent) and sprinkle with dry breadcrumbs until the buttered surface is covered.
Preheat the oven to 180oC.
In one bowl mix together the flour and baking powder.
In another bowl beat the eggs and sugar until the mixture becomes pale.
Add the oil and water to the eggs and sugar and mix well.
Add the flour with the baking powder and mix well.
Pour of ¼ of this mixture into another bowl. Add a further 2 tablespoons of flour to the remaining mixture and mix well.
Add 2 heaped teaspoons of cocoa powder to the ¼ of the mixture poured off into another bowl and mix.
Layer the two mixtures in the baking tin, starting with the pale mixture, followed by the dark, the pale, the dark and finish with the pale mixture.
Bake at 180oC for about 40-45 minutes. Checking if the cake is cooked by inserting a skewer. If it comes out clean, the cake is baked.
Bożena Szulc
