Chef TQ's Quarantine Cooking
March 2020 | Projects
Birthday Cake Babka
A shout out to all those celebrating birthdays right now, we see you and thought you could use something a little special. And also, sprinkles make everything better even.
For the Bread:
1 Tbsp Yeast
1/3 C Sugar
½ C Water
4 ½ C Flour
1 Tbsp Vanilla
½ C Milk
1.5 sticks Butter, melted
2 Eggs
For the Filling:
1.5 C Cream Cheese
¾ C Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1/8 tsp Baking Powder
Salt
¼ C Rainbow Sprinkles
For the Crumb Topping:
¼ C Sugar
½ C Brown Sugar
1 stick Butter, melted
1 1/3 C Flour
4 Tbsp Rainbow Sprinkles
For the Frosting:
3 C Powdered Sugar
6 Tbsp Milk
1 tsp Salt
For the dough: place yeast and 1 tsp of sugar in a small bowl. Add lukewarm water and stir gently to mix. Set aisde until foamy, 5-7 minutes.
In a stand mixer with dough hook, mix flour, remaining sugar and vanilla
In a saucepan, scald the milk – allow to sit for 1 minute just to cool slightly.
Turn mixer on low speed, add the yeast mixture, the milk and melted butter. Add the eggs one at a time, waiting until first egg is blended before adding the next.
When the dough comes together, after 2-3 minutes, turn off mixer and scrape down sides. Raise speed to high and mix for another 5-10 minutes.
You want the dough to be shiny and elastic.
Place dough in a greased bowl and allow to rise for 1-2 hours, or until doubled.
While rising, make filling and topping.
For the filling: Beat softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, baking powder and salt. Fold in sprinkles until combined.
For the crumb topping: Combine sugars in a small bowl. Stir in melted butter and the flour. Add sprinkles, combine using fingers so they don’t break.
Prepare (3) 9.5″ by 5″ greased loaf pans.
Cut dough into 3 equal parts – use a scale to be precise. Roll out one part into a rectangle.
Spread with 1/3 of the cream cheese filling and roll up along the shorter side
Once dough is formed into a swirled log, cut it lengthwise down the middle so the filling is exposed. Cut 1/2″ off each end.
Layer each cut piece on top of one another and twist. Place in a greased loaf pan.
Repeat with other two pieces of babka dough. Lightly drape a kitchen towel over the top of pans and allow to rise another 30 mins.
Preheat oven to 350F while dough rises.
Before baking, add 1/2 of crumb topping to each babka. Bake for 30-35 min.
Edges should be slightly brown and interior should be slightly doughy.
Allow to cool for 5-10 min. Use a butter knife to loosen from pan and cool on a rack.
Combine ingredients for frosting and drizzle.
