Jam Donut Babka (Vegan)
This vegan Jam Donut Babka is a soft, fluffy loaf that blends the richness of traditional babka with the nostalgic flavors of a jam-filled donut. Sweet raspberry swirls, warm cinnamon and nutmeg, and a glossy sugar glaze come together in a stunning twisted loaf that’s perfect served fresh from the oven.
Servings: 10
Calories: 268kcal
Ingredients
For the Raspberry Jam (or use 160g thick store-bought jam):
- 1 cup 110g fresh or frozen raspberries
- 3 tablespoons 40g granulated sugar (or liquid sweetener, to taste)
- 2 tablespoons 14g cornstarch (corn flour)
- Squeeze of lemon juice to taste (optional)
For the Babka Dough:
- 2½ –3 cups 315–375g all-purpose or bread flour
- ⅔ cup 165g warm dairy-free milk
- ½ cup 112g vegan butter, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons 40g granulated or coconut sugar
- 3 teaspoons 10g instant dry yeast
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
For the Optional Glaze:
- ¼ cup 50g granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons 30g water
Instructions
Make the Jam (if not using store-bought):
- In a small saucepan, combine raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, and a splash of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5–10 minutes until thick. For a smoother texture, blend with a stick blender. Set aside to cool.
Prepare the Dough:
- Line a loaf tin (8-inch/20 cm or longer) with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix all the dough ingredients. Knead for 5–10 minutes until soft, smooth, and elastic.
- Adjust with extra flour if the dough is too sticky or a splash of milk if too dry.
- Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let the dough rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Shape the Babka:
- Lightly flour your surface and roll the dough into a 10x8 inch (25x20 cm) rectangle.
- Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the surface, leaving a 1-inch (2 cm) border around the edges.
- Roll the dough from the long edge into a tight log.
- Slice the log in half lengthwise to reveal the jam layers, then twist the two halves together.
- Place the twisted dough into the prepared loaf tin.
- Cover and let rise for another hour, or until puffy and risen by about 20%. Optionally, refrigerate overnight and bring to room temperature before baking.
Bake:
- Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F).
- Bake for 30–40 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- If browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil and lower the temperature to 150°C (300°F).
Make the Glaze (Optional):
- While the babka bakes, heat sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour the glaze over the warm babka once it’s out of the oven.
Notes
If the jam is too runny, simmer longer to thicken before spreading.
Chill dough for 30 minutes if it's too soft to handle when shaping.
You can replace the glaze with 50 mL of warmed liquid sweetener for a different finish.