Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka

Babka is very good but besides the taste and texture, I want to mention the special color that the pumpkin puree gives to it. You can apply this little trick in any babka recipe to get a more intense yellow color and you won't go wrong.

This version with cinnamon is one of my mother's methods of making simple and quick Babka. You can put any other filling you like - nuts, chocolate etc. I also added some chopped walnuts. Just feel free to improvise. In addition, next time I will sprinkle the cakes with syrup, as in the Chocolate Babka Recipe, so they will stay fresh for much longer.

Ingredients
Milk
250 ml
warm
Active dry yeast
10 g
Egg
2 pieces
Sugar
300 g
plus 100g more for the syrup, optional
Pumpkin puree
150 g
Butter
150 g
softened, at room temperature
Vanilla Extract
1 tbsp
Salt
0.5 tsp
White flour
650 g
roughly
Cinnamon powder
3 tbsp
Chopped Nuts
100 g
Egg yolk
1 piece
to brush the top
Step by step
Step 1

In a large bowl, combine the warm milk (not hot!) with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 10g of dry yeast. Leave for 5-10 minutes until the yeast dissolves and starts to foam.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 1
Step 2

Add 2 eggs, 150g of sugar, 50g of melted and cooled butter, 150g of pumpkin puree, vanilla essence and salt. Combine everything together with a whisk.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 2
Step 3

Add the flour and mix the dough with a spatula or whisk.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 3
Step 4

The dough will be a bit softer and stickier, but I wouldn't recommend adding more flour. This way the cakes will be fluffy and tender.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 4
Step 5

Turn the dough out onto the table and knead until smooth. Use a dough scraper or a knife if it's too sticky.

The best kneading method is called "Slap and Fold". You can find many videos on Youtube on how to work this type of dough.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 5
Step 6

Return the dough back to the bowl, greased with oil. Let rise for 1-2 hours (covered with foil or a towel), until it doubles its volume.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 6
Step 7

In a small bowl, combine 150g of sugar with 3 tablespoons of cinnamon.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 7
Step 8

Turn the dough out onto the floured table and cut into two equal parts.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 8
Step 9

Roll out each piece into a rectangle about 4-5mm thick.

Brush each rectangle with 50g of softened butter over the entire surface.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 9
Step 10

Sprinkle over evenly with half of the amount of sugar and cinnamon, and ground walnuts.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 10
Step 11

Roll up, then cut this roll in half, lengthwise.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 11
Step 12

Twist the two halves together.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 12
Step 13

Transfer the cakes to loaf pans, lined with parchment paper.

Here I used simple loaf pans and adapted the length of the cake to the length of the pan.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 13
Step 14

Let the cakes rise for one hour at room temperature.

After this time, beat one egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of milk and brush the cakes with it.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 14
Step 15

Bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 50-60 minutes. If they brown too quickly on top, I recommend covering with foil, so they won't burn.

Remove from the oven and, while the cakes are still hot, you can sprinkle with syrup, made from 100g of sugar boiled with 100ml of water. Leave in the pan for one hour. Remove from pans on a wooden board and let cool completely.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 15
Step 16

Slice and taste. Babka is very colorful, fluffy and tasty.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Babka - Step 16
Quantity: 2 pcs (2 medium loaves)
Prep time:
180 min
Difficulty: intermediate
Ready in: 180 min