strawberry babka

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babka. sweet, twisted, yeast bread. what’s not to love? it makes the perfect sweet breakfast or brunch treat, snack for afternoon tea, or even a delicious dessert. i do love a good multi-use recipe.

glazed strawberry babka

babka is traditionally filled with cinnamon or chocolate ^[4] but our beautiful weather has me dreaming of all things strawberry.

i began spring break with grand plans for all the baking i would get done. there would be soft skillet cookies, hot cross buns, recipe testing for the perfect sour cream old fashioned doughnut, and even a fresh strawberry cake for easter. can you guess how much got done?

NONE

our weather has been picture perfect. sunny and 75 – 80 degrees every single day. perfect that is for gardening, strolling, and reading on the patio. not exactly the weather you want if you plan to be indoors. no matter how much you enjoy baking, sunny and 75 is not baking weather.

then we picked up our chicks and and duckling. there is way too much cuteness to be productive. it’s amazing how much time you can spend watching chicks and ducks play.

i did manage to find the time to bake a strawberry babka for brunch.

strawberry babka

Print Recipe ^[5]

Yield: 1 loaf

strawberry babka

Prep Time: 30-45 minutes (plus rise times)

Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• babka dough
• 2 tsp instant yeast
• 3 cups flour
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup warm milk (about 110 degrees)
• 3 eggs, divided
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
• strawberry filling
• 1 cup of strawberry preserves
• dash cinnamon (optional)
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2-3 Tbsp strawberry preserves (for brushing on baked loaf)
• glaze
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 -2 Tbsp whole milk
• 1/2 tsp clear vanilla extract
• dash salt

Directions:

• in the bowl of a stand mixer combine the yeast, flour, sugar, and salt
• add the milk, 2 of the eggs, and vanilla, and mix on low using the dough hook attachment until the dough starts to come together. if the dough is too dry, add 1-2 Tbsp more milk
• add butter 1 piece at a time, making sure the butter is fully incorporated before adding more
• knead on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl; dough should be smooth and elastic
• place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled (this could take 1 1/2 – 2 hours)
• make the strawberry filling while the dough is rising –
• combine the strawberry preserves, cinnamon (if using) and cornstarch
• cook over medium heat util thick (about 5 minutes) cool and then refrigerate at least 30 minutes
• once the dough has risen, roll to a rectangle 12 inches by 16 inches
• whisk the remaining egg with 1 Tbsp water and brush the edges of the dough
• spread strawberry filling over the dough, leaving a 1 inch border
• beginning with a short end of the rectangle, roll dough, making sure to press the edges
• cut dough in half, lengthwise, and twist pieces around each other
• place babka cut side up in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper
• cover and let rise until doubled again – about 1 hour
• preheat oven to 350 degrees
• bake for 30 minutes, cover with foil, and bake an additional 30 minutes
• brush the hot loaf with strawberry preserves
• cool in pan 15 minutes, remove and complete cooling on a rack
• to make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt
• drizzle glaze over cooled loaf

   

make sure loaf is completely cool before slicing

adapted from this chocolate babka ^[4], and from bake from scratch ^[6]

strawberry preserves are very simple to make. 4 cups of fruit cooked with 3 cups of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice. bring the fruit to a boil and simmer for about 45 minutes. unless the berries are extra large, i leave them whole making the preserves incredible simple to make. i always try to use homemade, but there are many great store bought options. bonne maman ^[7] is my personal favorite.

it’s hard to top a freshly baked babka for breakfast or brunch but i am not a lover of waking up before dawn to bake. the babka dough can be made a day ahead. place the dough in it’s bowl, cover tightly with plastic and allow it to rise in the refrigerator overnight. the next morning let the dough come to room temperature, fill, roll, twist, and rise according to the recipe.

as with most baked goods, this strawberry babka is best eaten fresh on the first day. it can be kept at room temperature wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container for 3 days. after the second day try warming the babka in a 300 degree oven for 5 -10 minutes before serving.

this strawberry babka is perfect for all your spring brunch plans.

enjoy!

more strawberry recipes for you to love

strawberry swirl pound cake ^[8]

strawberry chia seed pudding ^[9]

buttermilk cake with strawberry buttercream ^[10]

strawberry scones ^[11]

strawberry fig pop tarts ^[12]

strawberry rhubarb jelly doughnuts ^[13]