Babka is a popular dessert in Poland. There are many different babka recipes and each household has its favorite. Most however use non-vegan ingredients. The vegan chocolate babka recipe is easy and a fast fix in case you have vegan guests coming over.
The egg and milk in the recipe are replaced with plant-based milk and banana. Trust me, you will hardly notice the difference in the texture when you compare it to traditional chocolate babka recipes.
What Is Babka?
The word ‘Babka’ in Polish actually refers to the bundt cakes. If you’ve seen a bundt pan, you will know that it is easily distinguished from other pans by its wavy/pleated edge. In fact, some would say that once the babka is overturned onto a plate, it looks rather like a pleated skirt!
It is important to note that there is an American recipe for babka. Polish babka is different from this.
Vegan Chocolate Babka Recipe
Part I – Preheat The Oven To 356°f (180°c).
Preheating the oven is one of the most important steps when it comes to baking any babka. This ensures that the oven is at the right temperature when you place the pan in. If the temperature is too low, the babka will not rise properly at the start and will not give the dish its characteristic texture.
Part II – Mix All The Ingredients For The White Dough.
Vegan chocolate babka has two doughs: white and dark. We will start off by making the white dough. Mix 1 ripe banana, ½ cup plant-based milk, ⅓ cup sugar, ½ cup oil, 1 cup of all-purpose flour and ½ tsp of baking powder in a bowl. You can use a wooden spoon or a hand held mixer to do this.
Part III- Mix All The Ingredients For The Dark Dough.
The second dough is the dark dough. In a separate bowl, add 3 tbsp of thick dark jam, ½ cup of plant-based milk, ⅓ cup of sugar, ½ cup of oil, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, ½ tsp of baking powder and 2 tbsp of cocoa. Mix it in the same way that you mixed the light dough.
Part IV – Oil The 12” Bread Pan Or Put The Parchment Paper Inside.
Everyone has their own preference when it comes to preparing the bread pan. Some people like to line it with parchment paper. Others prefer to oil the inner part of the pan. Use whichever technique you are comfortable with.
Part V – Add The Dough Inside The Pan Using The Technique Described.
Place 1 spoon of dark dough and 1 spoon of white dough inside the pan. Repeat the process alternately until both doughs are finished. This is what gives the vegan chocolate babka its iconic dark and white look.
Part VI – Clean Up The Edges Of The Pan To Make Sure There Is No Dough Left Outside.
Cleaning the edges of the pan is essential. Any dough left outside will burn and the burnt smell will get incorporated in the cake. To avoid this, wipe the edges with a wet cloth or a tissue.
Part VII – Bake For 55-60 Minutes.
Part VIII- Decorate With Chocolate Glaze And Crushed Nuts/Almonds.
FAQs About Making Vegan Chocolate Babka
What Should I Do If I Don’t Have A Bundt Pan?
If you don’t have a bundt pan, use a regular baking pan. The bundt pan only gives the cake its shape. The taste of the babka will still be amazing. You will notice that I have used a regular pan in this recipe.
Is Babka A Dessert Or A Breakfast?
Babka is a really rich dish. It is really a cross between bread and cake. Similar to brioche and yet so different. Like brioche, babka too can be eaten for breakfast. Yet it is sweet and rich enough to be dessert after a heavy meal.
What Do You Eat Babka With?
Babka pairs extremely well with coffee. Make sure not to add sugar to your coffee. The sweetness of the babka will complement the bitter coffee taste. In fact, try it with an espresso. It’s the perfect combination!
What Are The Different Kinds Of Polish Babka Cakes?
As we mentioned before, babka refers to the type of pan used when making the cake. The bundt pan gives the babka its iconic waves. It isn’t surprising that there are many different recipes that use this pan. Hence there are many types of Polish babkas. Note that most of these are not vegan.
Some popular versions are:
- Babka Pomaranczowa – Orange Babka
- Babka Bananowa (Banana Bundt Cake)
- Babka Cytrynowa – Lemon Babka
- Babka Ziemnaczana – Potato Babka
- Babka Herbaciana (Tea Bundt Cake)
- Babka Marmurkowa – Marble Babka
- Babka Makowa (Poppy seed babka cake)
- Babka Orzechowa z Rodzynkami (Walnut and raisin Babka)
- Babka Majonezowa (Mayonnaise Babka)
- Yeast Babka With Raisins
Vegan Chocolate Babka Recipe
Ingredients
White Dough
- 1 banana (ripe)
- ½ cup of plant-based milk
- ⅓ cup of sugar
- ½ cup of oil
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp of baking powder
Dark Dough
- 3 tbsps of thick dark jam
- ½ cup of plant-based milk
- ⅓ cup of sugar
- ½ cup of oil
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp of baking powder
- 2 tbsps of cocoa
Decoration
- chocolate glaze
- crushed nuts/almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C).
- Mix all the ingredients for the white dough.
- Mix all the ingredients for the dark dough.
- Oil the 12'' bread pan or put the parchment paper inside.
- Place 1 spoon of dark dough and 1 spoon of white dough inside the pan. Repeat the process alternately until both doughs are finished.
- Clean up the edges of the pan to make sure there is no dough left outside.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes.
- Decorate with chocolate glaze and crushed nuts/almonds.
Notes
- For the glaze, I simply melted dark chocolate with 1 tbsp of water and pour it over the cake.
- You can make this vegan chocolate babka in just one color. Simply mix all the ingredients for the dark and white dough together. If the color is too pale, add more cocoa.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 268Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 52mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 3g
These data are indicative and calculated by Nutritionix
