There’s something magical about a babka’s intricate swirls – visually stunning and utterly delicious. This cherry babka takes the classic Eastern European bread to the next level with its rich, buttery brioche dough and tart-sweet cherry filling made from homemade cherry preserve.
Babke is one of my all-time favourite breads although I have seen it referred to it widely as a cake. It’s made from an enriched brioche-like dough that rests in the fridge overnight. Traditionally it would have a cinnamon or chocolate filling swirled through.
The homemade cherry preserve is the star here and is so easy to prepare using an Instant Pot. I altered the amount of preserve I added to each loaf, one with too much and the other with less. I found that the loaf that had less preserve rose more in the proving and oven bake vs. the loaf that was overfilled. Both were delicious, so I suggest using around ¾ of a cup.
This recipe takes a bit of effort to make and most of the time allows the dough to rest or rise. You make this bread over two days. A stand mixer makes mixing the dough so much easier. It is definitely worth making two loaves if you are going to all the effort to make this bread. If you want to halve it, simply halve the ingredients and use one egg.
Watch How to Make this Cherry Babke
What You Will Need to Make Cherry Babka
For the Dough:
- Cake or all-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Instant yeast
- Eggs
- Butter
- Water
- Optional orange zest for a citrusy kick
For the Cherry Preserve Filling:
- Fresh cherries
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Grand Marnier or Cointreau (optional, but highly recommended!)
For the Syrup and Optional Cherry Glaze:
- Simple syrup made with sugar and water
- Optional cherry icing drizzle made with leftover cherry preserve and powdered sugar.
A stand mixer with a dough hook makes the process easier, but you can knead the dough by hand if you’re feeling ambitious.
How to Make Cherry Babka
1. Prepare the Dough:
Begin by combining flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a stand mixer. Gradually incorporate the wet ingredients—eggs, water, and butter—and mix until you achieve a smooth, elastic dough. Let it rest and rise overnight in the fridge or for a couple of hours at room temperature.
2. Make the Cherry Preserve:
Using your Instant Pot, create a luscious cherry preserve by cooking fresh cherries with sugar and vanilla until thickened. This step can be done in advance for convenience.
3. Assemble the Babka:
Roll out the dough, spread the cherry preserve, and roll it up into a log. Slice the log lengthwise and twist the halves together to form that signature babka braid. Place the dough in a prepared loaf pan, let it rise again, and bake until golden brown. NB The images below show the babke with too much filling
4. Add the Finishing Touches:
Brush the warm babka with a simple syrup for shine and moisture. If you’re feeling fancy, drizzle with a cherry icing glaze for a sweet and fruity finish.
FAQ’s for This Recipe
Can I use store-bought cherry jam instead of making the preserve?
Yes, you can! While homemade cherry preserve offers unbeatable flavour, store-bought jam works well in a pinch.
Can I make this jam if I don’t have an Instant Pot? – Yes you can follow my quick method for making fruit jam like I did for my 8-minute small batch apricot jam recipe using the same ratio of ingredients in this cherry preserve recipe.
Why is my dough sticky?
Babka dough is naturally soft and slightly sticky. Don’t worry if it doesn’t pull away from the mixing bowl completely—it’s supposed to be like that. Scrape the bowl down a few times while mixing.
Do I need a stand mixer?
While a stand mixer is helpful, you can knead the dough by hand. Be prepared to spend extra time and effort to achieve the right texture.
Substitutions & Variations
- Filling Variations: Swap cherries for blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries, or explore many other flavour variations on the internet. Cinnamon & sugar, or chocolate, are classics. A chocolate and cherry combo would be amazing (using half chocolate and half cherry preserve).
- Store-bought preserve – if you don’t have the time to make your own preserve use a good quality store-bought product.
- Citrus Note: Add lemon zest instead of orange for a brighter flavour ( I prefer orange here).
Storage Instructions
To keep your babka as fresh as possible
- At Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.
- In the Freezer: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
- Unbaked Babka: Freeze the shaped, unbaked dough in the pan. Thaw overnight in the fridge, let it rise to room temperature, and bake as directed.
Here are a few more cherry recipes you might like:
The best cherry galette with flaky pastry
The best Christmas mince with cherries
Cherries preserved in spiced port syrup
Roast cherries with whipped goat cheese dip
The Babke is adapted from Smitten Kitchen’s chocolate Babke which is an Ottolenghi recipe from his book Jerusalem. I have made the chocolate version and it was perfect. A stiff chocolate filling is easier to work with than a loose fruit preserve but don’t worry about the mess. It all comes together in the end.
Cherry Preserve filling:
- 700 grams fresh cherries whole weight, remove the stalks and de-pip, slice in half
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp Grand Marnier or Cointreau optional
Dough:
- 530 grams 4 1/4 cups cake or all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 100 grams 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- Grated zest of half an orange optional
- 3 large free-range eggs
- 1/2 cup water cold is fine and 1 to 2 tablespoons extra, if needed
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
- 150 grams 5.3 ounces or 2/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- Sunflower or other neutral oil for greasing
Cherry icing drizzle (optional)
- 2 tablespoons reserved cherry compote
- ½ cup icing sugar
- 3 – 5 teaspoons of hot water
To Prepare the Dough: (make the day before or several hours before on the same day)
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Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix briefly to blend the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, and water and keep mixing. Add the butter a tablespoon, ensuring each bit is incorporated before adding the next.
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Mix on medium-low speed for 10-12 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. It will be soft and may not pull away from the bottom of the bowl completely—this is normal. Occasionally, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula during mixing to ensure everything is well incorporated.
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Transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl (the oil prevents the dough from drying out). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight. The dough becomes firm in the fridge, this is normal. Leave it at room temperature for 30-60 minutes to soften before using. Alternatively, if you want to make this in one day, let the dough rise at room temperature for 1½-2 hours or until it doubles. This could take longer, depending on the temperature of the room.
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Grease two loaf pans 23cm x 13cm x 8 cm (9 x5 inches, or similar sizes) with cooking spray, or line the bottom and sides with parchment paper to ensure easy removal later. Set aside.
To make the cherry compote/jam in an Instant Pot (this can be made in advance)
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Add the cherries and sugar to the bowl of an Instant Pot set to Sauté. Cook for 2 minutes until the juices in the fruit have released. If necessary, add a tablespoon or two of water.
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Cook the cherries on High pressure for three minutes, then release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release the rest of the pressure if necessary.
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Set the Instant Pot to sauté and cook the cherry preserve very rapidly, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until 80% of the water has evaporated. Remove, and decant into a bowl to cool and allow to thicken. If it has not thickened to a jam-like consistency, cook it for a few minutes longer.
Assemble the Babka:
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On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in half and roll each piece out into a 40cm x 30 cm (16×12-inch) rectangle. Position it so the longer edge is closest to you. Spread half the cherry preserves evenly over the surface using an offset spatula. This should be about ¾ of a cup.
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Starting from the long side nearest you, roll the dough into a log, ending with the seam underneath. Press the seam gently to seal, and use your hands to shape the log into an even cylinder.
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Trim about 5 cm (an inch) off each end (you can bake these separately in a small dish).
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With a sharp knife, slice the log lengthwise down the middle to create two long halves. Turn the halves so the filling faces upward. Pinch one end of the two halves together, then twist them over each other, alternating sides, to form a braid. Pinch the other end to seal.
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Carefully transfer the twisted dough into a prepared loaf pan. It’s okay if it looks uneven or messy—the dough will rise and fill the pan as it bakes. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 1 to 1½ hours, or until almost doubled in size. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling to make the second loaf.
Bake the Cherry Babke:
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Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC), ensuring it is fully heated before the loaves finish rising. Remove the plastic wrap from the pans and place them on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. For accuracy, use a thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 200ºF (93ºC). If necessary, loosely cover the Babke with tin foil from about 15 minutes in to prevent over-baking.
Prepare the Syrup:
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While the babkas bake, make the syrup. Heat water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside.
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Once the babkas are out of the oven, immediately brush them generously with the syrup. Let the babkas cool in their pans until just warm, then remove them and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cherry icing glaze
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Making a cherry icing glaze for the babke is optional but adds a very nice fishing touch.
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Add two tablespoons of the cherry preserves to a bowl with half a cup of icing sugar. Add a teaspoon of water at a time to loosen. Keep mixing until you have a smooth, runny consistency that you will drizzle over the babke
Storage Instructions for Babka
Proper storage is key to maintaining the delicious texture and flavour of babka. Whether you plan to enjoy it within a day or save it for later, here’s how to store babka effectively:
Short-Term Storage (1-2 Days)
- Room Temperature: Babka stays fresh at room temperature for up to 48 hours. Place it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Avoid refrigerating, as this can cause the bread to become stale faster.
- Serving Tip: To refresh the texture, warm slices in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or toast lightly before serving.
Freezing Babka (For Longer Storage)
- Whole Loaf: Let the Babka cool completely before freezing. Wrap the entire loaf tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminium foil to prevent freezer burn. Place it in a freezer-safe bag for extra protection. Babka can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Pre-Sliced: Slice the babka before freezing so you can thaw individual portions as needed. Separate the slices with parchment paper, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and store in a freezer-safe bag or container.
Thawing Frozen Babka
- Whole Loaf: Remove the babka from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours or overnight. To restore its freshness, warm it in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10-15 minutes.
- Individual Slices: Thaw slices at room temperature for 30 minutes or microwave for 10-15 seconds until soft.
Storing Unbaked Babka (After Shaping)
- Refrigeration: If you’re not ready to bake immediately, store the shaped, unbaked babka in the loaf pan covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Let it come to room temperature and complete its final rise before baking.
- Freezing: You can freeze unbaked babka after shaping and placing it in the loaf pan. Wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to bake, thaw the babka overnight in the refrigerator, then let it rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours before baking.
Additional Tips
- Avoid Refrigeration: Unless frozen, never store babka in the fridge, as it can dry out the bread and compromise its texture.
- Reheating Leftovers: For a just-baked taste, warm babka in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5-10 minutes or toast slices lightly before serving.
*This post is proudly sponsored by Cherry Time
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