Cinnamon Raisin Babkas

CINNAMON RAISIN BABKA

This is a sponsored post with California Raisins but as always recipe and opinions are my own.

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Every time I hear about Babkas, it reminds me of the episode of Seinfeld where Jerry and Elaine went to buy a chocolate babka but only a cinnamon one was left! They were not happy since they thought a chocolate babka was the superior babka! It was hilarious! But trust me, even though chocolate babkas are delicious, the cinnamon version is just as great! You will see when you make this recipe!

If you haven’t heard of what a Babka is, it is a delicious baked bread with a filling that can be made with chocolate, cinnamon, apples or really anything you like. My favourite is the cinnamon version and the perfect partner for cinnamon in a babka is California Raisins! Babkas originated from Eastern European countries and have been made very popular with Jewish traditions. In the last 10 years, babkas have made a comeback especially in New York and the love of babka has definitely returned! I mean, who doesn’t love bread filled with delicious chocolate, cinnamon or other sweet fillings, right?

Many people think babkas are really hard to make but it is one of those recipes that looks harder than it really is. It doesn’t have to look perfect and if you make a little error, no one will ever know! That is the beauty of making babkas!

Can You Refrigerate Babkas?

Babkas are definitely best consumed fresh but if you have leftovers, you can definitely put them in the fridge and enjoy them for at least 3 days after baking it. The best way to enjoy your leftover babkas is warm, so warm it up in the microwave for 30 seconds or even in the oven for a few minutes to warm through. You can even add a little vanilla ice cream on the side to make it a nice dessert! Yum!

Can You Freeze Babkas?

If you want to make babkas for a party and do not want to worry about making dough the day of the party, you can actually make the dough ahead of time and freeze it. You can follow the recipe up until the baking part and freeze the dough in zipped topped bags. When you are ready to bake it, just let it defrost completely and follow the instructions to bake. You can enjoy babkas whenever you want without having to make it from scratch!

Why I Love Using California Raisins In This Recipe?

CINNAMON RAISIN BABKA

I LOVE using California Raisins in this recipe because it brings in natural sweetness without having to add too much sugar to the recipe. I always prefer natural sweetness versus having to add in tons of sugar. For this babka recipe I also love that the raisins give the bread a little bit of a contrast in texture! Also, California Raisins are a super food so you can’t really lose here! Check out the list below! Who doesn’t want to eat delicious bread with added benefits?

California Raisins are:

  • all natural
  • fat and cholesterol free
  • naturally low in sodium
  • naturally sweet, no-added sugar
  • a source of potassium
  • a source of fiber – a desirable and essential nutrient

To learn more about California Raisins and to get more recipe ideas, check out californiaraisins.ca!

How to Make Babka?

Here are some pictures to help you visualize the process of making babkas. See, it really isn’t that hard!

CINNAMON RAISIN BABKA

Easy Cinnamon Raisin Babka

Wow Your Valentine With This Easy Cinnamon Raisin Babka Recipe!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Dough Resting Time 12 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine Jewish
Servings 2 Loaves

Ingredients
  

Dough

  • 1 cup whole milk, warmed
  • 2 TBSP active dry yeast
  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, soften

Filling

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 4 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 TBSP all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup walnut, chopped
  • 1 cup California Raisins

Topping

  • 1 large egg, whisked
  • 4 TBSP all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 TBSP brown sugar
  • 2 TBSP cold butter, cubed

Instructions
 

Dough

  • In a small bowl combine milk and yeast and let bloom for 5 minutes (make sure the milk is not too hot)
  • In a large bowl, combine all ingredients from the dough list except the butter
  • Add yeast mixture to flour mixture and combine to form dough
  • Add butter into dough mixture and combine
  • You may have to add water if your dough is too dry, add 1 tablespoon at a time until your dough comes together
  • Cover dough and let dough rest in the fridge for at least 12 hours

Filling

  • Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, flour and butter together and mix to combine
  • Set aside chopped walnuts and California Raisins

Topping

  • Crack egg into small bowl, beat lightly
  • In a separate bowl add flour, cinnamon, brown sugar with cubed butter and crumble together with your hands

Putting It All Together

  • Divide the dough into 2 dough balls. While working on the first dough, wrap the other dough so it doesn't dry up.
  • Roll each dough ball into 1/4 inch thickness and try to make it into a rectangle shape
  • Spread cinnamon filling onto rolled out dough, leaving about an one inch border around the dough
  • Add walnuts and California Raisins on top of the cinnamon filling
  • Roll it up starting from the shorter side as tightly as you can
  • Cut the dough lengthwise, pinch ends together and braid together
  • Grease a bread loaf pan and drop the braided dough into it
  • Brush with egg and top with cinnamon sugar topping
  • Cover and let rise for one hour
  • Preheat oven to 350F
  • After the dough is done rising, bake for 40-50 minutes or when the dough is fully baked (every oven is slightly different so check after 40 minutes)
Keyword babka, babka recipe, cinnamon babka recipe, cinnamon raisin babka recipe
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