Babka Cytrynowa – Polish Lemon Cake

Easter is a big deal in Poland, a country where 90% of the population are Roman Catholic. The end of lent is marked by feasting throughout the Easter weekend, and this cake “Babka Cytrynowa” (literally translated as “lemon Grandma cake”) is just one of the many traditional dishes that is used to mark the occasion.

Polish Lemon Cake

Babka (or “Baba”) is also popular in Russia and other Eastern European countries, and (unlike this recipe) usually includes yeast as an ingredient. It is also popular with Jews, who’s families presumably originated in these countries, where it has developed into something quite different; a kind of pleated sweet bread usually topped or filled with chocolate and cinnamon.

This recipe is also submitted to the Easter Cake Bake 2009 event.

Babka Cytrynowa Recipe – Ingredients

• 3 Large Eggs
• 1/2 Cup / 100g Cup Plain Flour, sifted
• 1/2 Cup / 100g Potato Flour, sifted
• 1/2 Cup / 100g White Sugar
• Juice of 1/2 Lemon
• Zest of whole lemon
• 9 tbsp Mild Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 Handful Raisins

Babka Cytrynowa Recipe – Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees c / 355 degrees f.
2. Mix flour(s) with baking powder into a bowl.
3. Separate your egg yolks and whites. Beat egg whites in a bowl till they form soft peaks, then add the sugar. Mix until combined, then add egg yolks and beat gently until combined.
4. Next to add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Add 4 tbsp of flour and 3 tbsp oil; mix well, then repeat until all oil / flour mixture is used up.
5. Sprinkle the raisins with a little flour (this should stop them sinking in the cake) and then distribute into the cake mix along with the lemon juice and zest.
6. Pour the cake mix out into your tin and put into the oven for approximately 35 minutes; check with a cake tester (a wooden kebab stick did the job for us) to make sure the centre is dry before removing.

You could decorate your cake as we have with a drizzling of white chocolate sauce (melted white chocolate mixed with a little butter and double cream), or you could just sprinkle with icing sugar. Either way, it’ll be delicious!

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