• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Everyday Healthy Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Cookie Policy
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Cookie Policy
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Polish Recipes

    Polish Babka Recipe (No Yeast)

    April 12, 2022 By Monika Last Updated April 12, 2022 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This Polish babka is a simple everyday cake especially popular around Easter.  It’s made without yeast so comes together quickly and is very easy to prepare. Ready in 1 hour and 15 minutes.

    Side view of Polish babka slice and cake on white plate.

    What is Polish babka cake

    Polish babka can be made with or without yeast. Yeast-based babka often contains raisins (soaked in rum) while the yeast-free variety is typically made with either lemon or cocoa (as in this recipe).

    Polish babka without yeast is called ‘babka piaskowa’ (‘piasek’ means ‘sand’ in Polish) which describes the soft texture of this cake (it doesn’t actually taste gritty like sand!).

    The words ‘babka’ or ‘baba’, as this cake is also sometimes called, in Polish as well as other East European languages mean ‘grandmother’ or ‘old woman’. This name comes from the cake’s cylindrical shape and fluted sides which are reminiscent of an old (village) woman’s skirt.

    Where does it come from

    According to the Encyclopaedia of Polish Cuisine¹ babkas were known in Poland already in the 17th century. The tradition of baking these cakes originated in the east and came to Poland from countries such as Lithuania and Belarus.

    Good to know

    Polish babka is very different from Jewish babka which is a braided yeast bread made with chocolate, cinnamon or other ingredients.

    Ingredients and substitutions

    Ingredients for making Polish no-yeast babka in individual dishes.
    Polish babka ingredients.
    • Flours: all-purpose/plain flour and potato starch (see details below).
    • Baking powder.
    • Salt.
    • Oil: any mild tasting vegetable oil with work (I used rapeseed).
    • Eggs: ensure they are at room temperature.
    • Vanilla extract: use almond extract instead if preferred (1 tsp), or a bit of both.
    • Sugar: I recommend caster sugar (superfine sugar).
    • Lemon juice.
    • Cocoa: or cacao.

    What flour to use

    I used a combination of regular wheat flour and potato starch which is typically used in babka recipes. Potato starch makes light and fluffy bakes and is sometimes even used on its own. Contrary to what you may have heard, it is not the same as corn flour (although they have a similar texture) and I do NOT recommend making this swap. Your cake will be denser and have a slightly powdery texture (I tested it!).

    If you can’t get potato starch ('maka ziemniaczana' in Polish) the next best thing is cake flour (omit regular flour and use cake flour only).

    What cake pan to use

    To make a traditional Polish babka you will need a fluted ring pan approximately 4 inches deep (which is what I used).  Some babkas are also made in regular bundt cake pans so if you prefer to use that make sure it’s big enough (an 8-cup pan will be sufficient).

    Loaf cake pans are also used but less frequently.

    Top tip

    Using a bundt cake pan is likely to shorten baking time (check with a skewer after about 50 minutes). You might also like to bake the cake at 180 C.

    How to make Polish babka: step-by-step

    1.Preheat the oven to 325 F/ 170 C/ fan 160 C/ gas mark 3. Grease your cake pan thoroughly (with butter or margarine) and coat with almond flour or breadcrumbs. Turn the pan upside down to remove excess crumbs and set aside.

    2. Combine the flour with the potato starch, baking powder and salt and stir thoroughly using a whisk or fork. Set aside.

    3. Beat together the sugar and eggs (on high) for 7-8 minutes or until pale, thick and fluffy.

    Cake batter in large mixing bowl.

    4. Slowly pour in the oil and beat (on low) until thoroughly incorporated. Add the vanilla extract.

    5. Gradually add the dry ingredients whisking in until just combined (or use the lowest setting of your electric mixer). Towards the end add the lemon juice.

    Whisking flour into batter in mixing bowl.

    6. Pour approx. 3 quarters of the batter into the prepared pan.

    Cake batter in babka pan.

    7. Whisk the cocoa powder along with 1 teaspoon of water into the remaining batter until thoroughly incorporated.

    Cocoa mixture in bowl with whisk.

    8. Pour the cocoa mixture into the cake pan (try to distribute it evenly over the surface of the cake). Some of this mixture will sink into the batter.

    2-coloured cake batter in babka ring pan.

    9. Bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour or until the skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

    Top down view of baked babka in large ring pan.

    10. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool a little. Remove from the pan while still a little warm (gently tap the pan against the counter a couple of times before turning over).  Cool your Polish babka completely before dusting with powdered sugar/icing sugar and serve.

    Round babka on white plate dusted with sugar.

    Serving suggestions

    Icing sugar is the most common ingredient used to decorate Polish cakes and works well in babkas. Alternatively you can drizzle your babka with lemon or orange glaze. 

    To make a simple glaze combine 3.5-4 tablespoons of icing sugar with about 1 tablespoon of lemon or orange juice and stir until smooth then drizzle over the cake (once cooled). Finish off with lemon or orange zest, poppy seeds or candied fruit.

    Other popular flavours you can use

    • Lemon: add zest of 2 lemons to the batter and omit the cocoa. Decorate with icing sugar or lemon glaze.
    • Orange: add zest of 1.5 oranges (you can but do not need to omit the cocoa layer). Decorate with icing sugar or orange glaze.

    Top tips

    • Make sure your eggs are at room temperature.
    • It’s important to beat the eggs and sugar until pale and thick so take your time doing this step.
    • I recommend greasing the pan with either butter or margarine rather than oil. The ground almonds will stick to the pan better. Grease your pan even if it is non-stick.
    • Cool your babka cake completely before decorating and cutting.
    • Keep covered with cling film or in a plastic container for up to 3 days.
    • Freeze for up to 3 months. Decorate after defrosting.
    • You can buy potato starch in Polish shops (look for 'maka ziemniaczana').
    Side view of cut babka cake on white plate.

    Related recipes

    • Polish Poppy Seed Cake (Makowiec)
    • Traditional Baked Polish Cheesecake (Sernik)
    • Traditional Polish Apple Cake (Szarlotka)
    • Polish Gingerbread Loaf Cake (Piernik)

    Check out also these other traditional Polish recipes!

    Keep in touch!

    If you make this Polish Easter cake recipe I’d love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks😊

    Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular recipe updates! Or you could subscribe to this blog and receive all my latest recipes right into your mailbox!

    ¹Encyclopaedia of Polish Cuisine, Hanna Szymanderska, Wydawnictwo REA s.j., Warsaw 2003, p. 939.

    Side view of Polish babka slice and cake on white plate.

    Polish Babka Recipe (No Yeast)

    This Polish babka is a simple everyday cake especially popular around Easter. 
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Polish
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 157kcal
    Author: Monika Dabrowski

    Equipment

    • 1 Ring pan 22 x 22 x 11 cm/8.66 x 8.66 x 4.3 inch
    • Electric mixer

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup+1 tsp (130 g) all-purpose flour/plain (4.59 oz)
    • ¾ cup (130 g) potato starch (4.59 oz), *see Notes below
    • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ⅕ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 4 large eggs
    • 1 cup (200 g) superfine sugar/caster sugar (7.05 oz)
    • ¾ cup (180 ml) vegetable oil
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp almond
    • 3 teaspoons lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
    • 1 teaspoon water

    Extras

    • 1 teaspoon butter or margarine for greasing the pan
    • 2 tablespoons almond flour/ground almonds or breadcrumbs for coating the pan
    • Powdered sugar/icing sugar for dusting the babka

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 325 F/ 170 C/ fan 160 C/ gas mark 3. Grease your cake pan thoroughly (with butter or margarine) and coat with almond flour or breadcrumbs. Turn the pan upside down to remove excess crumbs and set aside.
    • Combine the flour with the potato starch, baking powder and salt and stir thoroughly using a whisk or fork. Set aside.
    • Beat together the sugar and eggs (on high) for 7-8 minutes or until pale, thick and fluffy.
    • Slowly pour in the oil and beat (on low) until thoroughly incorporated. Add the vanilla extract.
    • Gradually add the dry ingredients whisking in until just combined (or use the lowest setting of your electric mixer). Towards the end add the lemon juice.
    • Pour approx. 3 quarters of the batter into the prepared pan.
    • Whisk the cocoa powder along with 1 teaspoon of water into the remaining batter until thoroughly incorporated.
    • Pour the cocoa mixture into the cake pan (try to distribute it evenly over the surface of the cake). Some of this mixture will sink into the batter.
    • Bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour or until the skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
    • Remove from the oven and set aside to cool a little. Remove from the pan while still a little warm (gently tap the pan against the counter a couple of times before turning over).  Cool the babka completely before dusting with powdered sugar/icing sugar and serve.

    Notes

    • You can buy potato starch in Polish shops (look for 'maka ziemniaczana').
    • *If you can’t get potato starch the next best thing is cake flour (omit regular flour and use cake flour only).
    • Make sure your eggs are at room temperature.
    • It’s important to beat the eggs and sugar until pale and thick so take your time doing this step.
    • I recommend greasing the pan with either butter or margarine rather than oil. The ground almonds will stick to the pan better. Grease your pan even if it is non-stick.
    • Cool your babka cake completely before decorating and cutting.
    • Keep covered with cling film or in a plastic container for up to 3 days.
    • Freeze for up to 3 months. Decorate after defrosting.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 79IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

    *Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

    **A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @Monika8021 or tag #EverydayHealthyRecipes!
    « Healthy Meatloaf with Oats
    Ground Chicken Pasta Casserole »
    44 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Sid

      April 16, 2022 at 10:57 pm

      5 stars
      This cake must be delicious!
      Happy Peaceful Eastern 🕊️
      Sid

      Reply
      • Monika

        April 16, 2022 at 10:58 pm

        Happy Easter to you:)

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I am Monika, welcome to Everyday Healthy Recipes! This blog is all about simple recipes with a healthy twist, old classics with a modern take, and an occasional Polish dish thrown into the mix - all easy to make, healthy and delicious, perfect for everyday cooking.

    Find out more about me →

    Popular Posts

    • Authentic Polish Potato Dumplings (Kopytka)
    • Spinach & Feta Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
    • Mediterranean Vegetable Stew with Beans
    • Leek and Potato Dumpling Stew (Vegan)

    Polish Recipes

    • Authentic Polish Bigos Stew Recipe
    • 6 Pierogi Recipes Plus Tips for Making Pierogi
    • Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Golabki) in Tomato Sauce
    • Polish Chicken Noodle Soup (Rosol)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • About

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for recipe updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2023 · Everyday Healthy Recipes