Chocolate and Cinnamon Babka

Whilst babka is one of those cakes I usually buy from a local bakery, sometimes it's fun to make it yourself, especially because you can fill it with anything you like! Most babka's require a stand mixer and a long process of leaving the dough to rise overnight...however this recipe doesn't need any of that and is still just as tasty.

Either continue scrolling for the step by step recipe or watch my full YouTube tutorial here!

What happens if my yeast didn't foam when I added it to the milk?
This means that your yeast is no longer active and the dough won't be able to rise in which case you need to use new/another packet of yeast. I usually keep my dry yeast in the fridge to keep it fresher for longer.
The filling is too thick to spread
If the filling is too thick, you simply need to add more melted butter. Butters differ in fat content so you may need more (or less) than is written on the recipe, but the consistency is the main thing to look out for, rather than exact measurements
Can I use Nutella to fill the babka?
In theory, you can. However, I personally don't love cooking with Nutella and I find the consistency changes once it's been cooked, but I know lots of people who love it!

FAQs and Troubleshooting

This dough is suitable for any kind of babka you want to make. Try different kinds of flavour combinations such as lotus spread, chocolate chips, crushed pistachios, or even savoury fillings such as cheese spinach and mushrooms!
Make mini babkas by cutting the babka log into small sections and tying them into knots and either baking them on a baking tray or in large muffin cases
Warm up the babka in the oven before serving to make it even more delicious!

This dough is suitable for any kind of babka you want to make. Try different kinds of flavour combinations such as lotus spread, chocolate chips, crushed pistachios, or even savoury fillings such as cheese spinach and mushrooms!
Make mini babkas by cutting the babka log into small sections and tying them into knots and either baking them on a baking tray or in large muffin cases
Warm up the babka in the oven before serving to make it even more delicious!

This dough is suitable for any kind of babka you want to make. Try different kinds of flavour combinations such as lotus spread, chocolate chips, crushed pistachios, or even savoury fillings such as cheese spinach and mushrooms!
Make mini babkas by cutting the babka log into small sections and tying them into knots and either baking them on a baking tray or in large muffin cases
Warm up the babka in the oven before serving to make it even more delicious!

Top Tips

Heat the milk in a measuring jug until warm to the touch
Add a tea spoon of sugar along with the yeast, stir and leave for 5-10 minutes until a froth appears on the surface of the milk (meaning the yeast is good to go)
Combine the flour and sugar in a large bowl and add the butter
Rub the butter into the flour and sugar until a sand like consistency forms
Make a well and add the milk and yeast along with the egg (break up the egg in a separate bowl before adding)
Use a form to begin combining the wet ingredients into the dry
Use your hands to bring the dough together and knead on the surface for 5-10 minutes until it's smooth and bounces back to the touch
Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for one hour in a warm place
Meanwhile, make the filling my mixing the melted butter with the sugar and cocoa powder or cinnamon. The mixture should be quite runny (add more butter if needed)
When the dough has risen to double it's original size, punch the dough down to knock out the air bubbles and re-knead on the surface
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangular shape, about 1/2cm thick
Spread the filling out over the whole surface of the dough, trying to make it as even as possible
Starting from one of the shorter ends, begin tightly rolling the dough into a log shape
Use a knife to cut through the dough vertically, exposing the layers of dough and filling and separating the dough into two pieces
Overlap and twist the two pieces of dough, keeping the sides where the filling is exposed facing upwards
Place into a lined tin - if using a loaf tin, carefully lift the babka up and squash it slightly so it fits in the tin. If using a round tin, curl the babka up around itself before placing it in the tin
Cover with a tea towel and leaf to prove for a further 30 minutes
Preheat the oven to 175°C/347°F with fan or 195°C/383°F no fan
Bake the babka for 40-50 minutes, until the dough is a rich golden brown and bouncing back to the touch
Remove the babka from the oven and make the sugar syrup by mixing hot water and the sugar together until the sugar dissolves
Brush over the sugar syrup whilst the babka is still warm
Remove the babka from the tin and leave to cool on a cooling rack
The babka should stay fresh for at least 2-3 days keep in an airtight container at room temperature

Heat the milk in a measuring jug until warm to the touch
Add a tea spoon of sugar along with the yeast, stir and leave for 5-10 minutes until a froth appears on the surface of the milk (meaning the yeast is good to go)
Combine the flour and sugar in a large bowl and add the butter
Rub the butter into the flour and sugar until a sand like consistency forms
Make a well and add the milk and yeast along with the egg (break up the egg in a separate bowl before adding)
Use a form to begin combining the wet ingredients into the dry
Use your hands to bring the dough together and knead on the surface for 5-10 minutes until it's smooth and bounces back to the touch
Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for one hour in a warm place
Meanwhile, make the filling my mixing the melted butter with the sugar and cocoa powder or cinnamon. The mixture should be quite runny (add more butter if needed)
When the dough has risen to double it's original size, punch the dough down to knock out the air bubbles and re-knead on the surface
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangular shape, about 1/2cm thick
Spread the filling out over the whole surface of the dough, trying to make it as even as possible
Starting from one of the shorter ends, begin tightly rolling the dough into a log shape
Use a knife to cut through the dough vertically, exposing the layers of dough and filling and separating the dough into two pieces
Overlap and twist the two pieces of dough, keeping the sides where the filling is exposed facing upwards
Place into a lined tin - if using a loaf tin, carefully lift the babka up and squash it slightly so it fits in the tin. If using a round tin, curl the babka up around itself before placing it in the tin
Cover with a tea towel and leaf to prove for a further 30 minutes
Preheat the oven to 175°C/347°F with fan or 195°C/383°F no fan
Bake the babka for 40-50 minutes, until the dough is a rich golden brown and bouncing back to the touch
Remove the babka from the oven and make the sugar syrup by mixing hot water and the sugar together until the sugar dissolves
Brush over the sugar syrup whilst the babka is still warm
Remove the babka from the tin and leave to cool on a cooling rack
The babka should stay fresh for at least 2-3 days keep in an airtight container at room temperature

Method

Large bowl
Measuring jug
Small bowls
Tea towel
Rolling pin
Palette knife
Spoons
Sharp knife
Loaf tin or round tin
Pastry Brush
Cooling rack

Large bowl
Measuring jug
Small bowls
Tea towel
Rolling pin
Palette knife
Spoons
Sharp knife
Loaf tin or round tin
Pastry Brush
Cooling rack

Large bowl
Measuring jug
Small bowls
Tea towel
Rolling pin
Palette knife
Spoons
Sharp knife
Loaf tin or round tin
Pastry Brush
Cooling rack

Equipment

Dough:

100g milk
1 egg
300g flour
14g dry yeast
30g sugar
100g cold unsalted butter, cubed

Filling:

150g sugar
1-2 tsp of cocoa powder or cinnamon
5-6 tbsp melted butter

Sugar syrup:

50g sugar
50g boiling water

Dough:

100g milk
1 egg
300g flour
14g dry yeast
30g sugar
100g cold unsalted butter, cubed

Filling:

150g sugar
1-2 tsp of cocoa powder or cinnamon
5-6 tbsp melted butter

Sugar syrup:

50g sugar
50g boiling water

Ingredients

What happens if my yeast didn't foam when I added it to the milk?
This means that your yeast is no longer active and the dough won't be able to rise in which case you need to use new/another packet of yeast. I usually keep my dry yeast in the fridge to keep it fresher for longer.
The filling is too thick to spread
If the filling is too thick, you simply need to add more melted butter. Butters differ in fat content so you may need more (or less) than is written on the recipe, but the consistency is the main thing to look out for, rather than exact measurements
Can I use Nutella to fill the babka?
In theory, you can. However, I personally don't love cooking with Nutella and I find the consistency changes once it's been cooked, but I know lots of people who love it!

This recipe is enough to make one babka cake

What happens if my yeast didn't foam when I added it to the milk?
This means that your yeast is no longer active and the dough won't be able to rise in which case you need to use new/another packet of yeast. I usually keep my dry yeast in the fridge to keep it fresher for longer.
The filling is too thick to spread
If the filling is too thick, you simply need to add more melted butter. Butters differ in fat content so you may need more (or less) than is written on the recipe, but the consistency is the main thing to look out for, rather than exact measurements
Can I use Nutella to fill the babka?
In theory, you can. However, I personally don't love cooking with Nutella and I find the consistency changes once it's been cooked, but I know lots of people who love it!