Ukrainian Old-Fashioned Honey Babka
Ukrainian Old-fashioned Honey Babka: sweet, fluffy, moist; topped with a creamy frosting for that extra incredible taste. The easiest and the best honey dessert you’ll ever taste!
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Babka is very often shaped into molds and baked for Easter, but it can also be made in a regular baking sheet (like I did) and served anytime of the year. It has a spongy texture and reminds me a lot of the honey sponge cake.
The sweet and honey aroma around the house during the baking process just puts me through the roof. I was especially surprised when I saw how much my kiddos love it. The perfect square size is kid friendly and can also be served as a hand held dessert.
I remember I used to bake this babka quite often for my brothers when I was a teenager. They loved me more for making all these goodies for them all the time 🙂 . I didn’t top with any frosting back then and it was still super delicious without it. All we needed was a cup of coffee.
Honey Babka Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 8 eggs – room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup honey – microwaved for 30 seconds
- 16 oz sour cream – room temp
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
Honey Babka Frosting Ingredients:
- 8 oz cream cheese – room temp
- 8 oz cool whip – frozen
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
How to Make Honey Babka:
1. Preheat the oven to a 350°F. Line a large baking sheet (11×17) with a parchment paper and set aside (make sure the baking sheet has an edge of approximately 1” to prevent the batter from running out). In a large bowl, beat 8 eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp salt until light and fluffy (8-10 mins on high).
In a small bowl, combine and stir 2 tsps baking soda and 2 tbsps white distilled vinegar – it will fizz up. Microwave 1 cup honey for about 30 seconds. Then, add the baking soda/vinegar mixture, honey and 16 oz sour cream to the batter. Beat on low for 30-40 seconds just until combined (do not over-beat it). Sift 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour into the batter and with a mixer on low, beat just until the flour is combined. The batter will be runny and lose the fluffiness a bit, but make sure to not over-beat it otherwise the cake texture will turn out hard and won’t be as fluffy.
2. Pour all the batter at once into the prepared baking sheet and level to the edges with a spatula. Bake for 30-32 mins, until the toothpick inserted comes out clean. Place a cooling rack over the baked cake and flip over the baking sheet. Remove the parchment paper from bottom of the cake. Place a large cutting board onto a cake and flip over again; let the babka cool. (Do not leave the cake upside down on a cooling rack for long, or it will leave cooling rack squares on top of the cake and might break/mush the top of it). Once cooled, cut off edges with a sharp knife, and cut whole babka into an even squares, to about 1.5-2”, or your desired size.
How to Make Frosting for Honey Babka:
3. In a medium bowl, combine and beat 8 oz cream cheese and 1/2 cup powdered sugar for about 1 min on low-medium speed. Add 8 oz cool whip and continue beating on high until frosting is thick, for about 5 mins.
4. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with Wilton tip #199 attached. Pipe the frosting onto each square.
Enjoy right away or refrigerate and keep enjoying for next 3-4 days!!
The fluffy, spongy texture…
More Cake Recipes to Explore:
- Ammonia White Cake with Sour Cream Frosting
- Farmer’s Cheese Blueberry Crumb Cake
- Honey Cake with Sour Cream Frosting
Ukrainian Old-Fashioned Honey Babka
Ingredients
Ingredients for Babka:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 8 eggs – room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup honey – microwaved for 30 seconds
- 16 oz sour cream – room temp
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
Frosting Ingredients:
- 8 oz cream cheese – room temp
- 8 oz cool whip – frozen
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to a 350°F. Line a large baking sheet (11×17) with a parchment paper and set aside (Make sure the baking sheet has an edge of approximately 1” to prevent the batter from running out). In a large bowl, beat 8 eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp salt until light and fluffy (8-10 mins on high). In a small bowl, combine and stir 2 tsps baking soda and 2 tbsps white distilled vinegar – it will fizz up. Microwave 1 cup honey for about 30 seconds. Then, add the baking soda/vinegar mixture, honey and 16 oz sour cream to the batter. Beat on low for 30-40 seconds just until combined (do not over-beat it). Sift 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour into the batter and with a mixer on low, beat just until the flour is combined. The batter will be runny and lose the fluffiness a bit, but make sure to not over-beat it otherwise the cake texture will turn out hard and won't be as fluffy.
- Pour all the batter at once into the prepared baking sheet and level to the edges with a spatula. Bake for 30-32 mins, until the toothpick inserted comes out clean. Place a cooling rack over the baked cake and flip over the baking sheet. Remove the parchment paper from bottom of the cake. Place a large cutting board onto a cake and flip over again; let the babka cool. (Do not leave the cake upside down on a cooling rack for long, or it will leave cooling rack squares on top of the cake and might break/mush the top of it). Once cooled, cut off edges with a sharp knife, and cut whole babka into an even squares, to about 1.5-2”, or your desired size.
- TO MAKE THE FROSTING: In a medium bowl, combine and beat 8 oz cream cheese and 1/2 cup powdered sugar for about 1 min on low-medium speed. Add 8 oz cool whip and continue beating on high until frosting is thick, for about 5 mins.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with Wilton tip #199 attached. Pipe the frosting onto each square. Enjoy right away or refrigerate and keep enjoying for next 3-4 days!!
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GiGi Traherne says:
I loved your oven pork and cabbage. Wonderful. The depth of flavor was what brought it out of the ordinary. I hope that if you are still in Ukraine you are safe. The American people will never forget your righteous cause. Slava Ukraini!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thank you for making our recipes and thank you for your kinds words! I’m in US, but we do have lots of close family back in Ukraine.
Sharon says:
Hi, have you made this recipe with two 9X9 pans? I was wondering if it would turn out basically the same.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
I haven’t, but I don’t see a reason why it would not turn out. Just make sure to adjust baking time.
Joan says:
this was a great hit with friends and easy to do. made for a Ukrainian friend who was moving.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
So glad you enjoyed it, Joan!
Ellen Steinbart says:
How far ahead can I make the frosting and add to cake?
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Hi Ellen! I always use the frosting after I make it. If you make it ahead and refrigerate, it will become even thicker than already is and will be hard to pipe. It’s recommended to use it right away.