This authentic Polish babka is soft, moist, and full of bright lemon flavor—all without yeast. Made with eggs, yogurt, and lemon zest, it’s light enough for an afternoon slice with coffee or tea, but still special enough for Easter.
Growing up in Poland, babka was always part of our Easter table - but not every babka is made with yeast. This simpler version is closer to what many home cooks actually make: quick, reliable, and perfect for everyday baking.
Like most Polish cakes (such as my strawberry snack cake or this easy rhubarb cake), this babka starts with eggs and sugar whipped until thick and fluffy. Instead of relying on yeast, this technique builds air right into the batter, giving the cake its signature light texture.
Check out more of my Polish recipes, too.
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Recipe at a glance
Recipe: Polish Babka (no-yeast lemon babka)
Flavor: lightly sweet with a bright lemon finish
Texture: moist, soft and tender
Baking time: 35-40 minutes
Difficulty: easy (no yeast, no rising time)
Servings: 10–12 slices
Key Ingredients: Eggs, sugar, yogurt, oil, flour, lemon zest
Special Equipment: bundt or babka pan, mixer (stand or hand)
Cuisine: Polish (authentic Easter recipe)
Best For: Easter, spring baking, brunch, coffee cake
What is Polish babka?
Polish babka is a lightly sweet, egg-based cake traditionally served around Easter (babka wielkanocna). It’s typically baked in a fluted pan (like a bundt pan) or sometimes a loaf pan, and often flavored with lemon, vanilla, or a hint of rum, then finished with simple icing or dusting of powdered sugar.
Unlike the rich, swirled chocolate babka you might be thinking of, Polish babka is more delicate and airy. Some versions are made with yeast, but many home-style recipes—like this one—skip it altogether for a quicker, easier cake that still feels classic.
Ingredient notes
- Eggs: Use good quality eggs at room temperature. I like Vital Farms.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is what's used in the traditional recipe.
- Yogurt: Plain whole milk yogurt is what you want. Don’t use nonfat yogurt.
- Oil: Any neutral plant oil will work - vegetable, light olive oil (not extra virgin), avocado oil or canola oil.
- Flour: All-purpose; measure carefully to avoid a dense cake.
- Baking powder: Adds a little extra lift.
- Lemon zest: Bright, classic flavor—don’t skip.
- Vanilla: Use good quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make authentic Polish babka
- Step 1: Grease the pan well with butter.
- Step 2: Whisk together flour and baking powder.
- Step 3: Place eggs and sugar in the bowl of a standup mixer.
- Step 4: Cream together for 7-10 minutes until pale, airy, thick and fluffy. Then add oil slowly.
- Step 5: Turn off the mixer and fold in yogurt, lemon zest, vanilla and then flour. Mix gently.
- Step 6: Transfer to a prepared pan and smooth out the top.
- Step 7: Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes.
- Step 8: Let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then invert the pan and let the babka slide out. Cool completely before icing.
Tips for a perfect moist babka
- Whip the eggs properly. The mixture should be thick, pale, and leave ribbons when lifted. This step replaces yeast and gives the cake its lift.
- Use whole milk yogurt. This adds richness and moisture. Low-fat versions will make the cake less moist and tender.
- Don’t overmix! Once flour is added, mix gently with a spatula to keep the batter airy.
- Grease your pan really well. Babka pans have lots of details—don’t skip this step or it will stick to the pan. I like butter for greasing best.
- Let it cool before icing. Warm cake will melt the glaze and make it run off.
Agnieszka's Top Tip
Use good eggs. This is a simple cake, so the eggs do a lot of the heavy lifting: flavor, color, and texture. The deeper the yolk, the better the babka. I usually reach for Vital Farms pasture-raised eggs.
Storage instructions
- Store babka covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Keep it in an airtight container or wrapped well to prevent it from drying out.
- To freeze: let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Thaw to room temperature before serving.
Variations and substitutions
- Skip the icing: Dust with powdered sugar instead for a more traditional finish. If you do use icing, you can control how thick or thin you wanting by reducing or increasing the amount of sugar.
- Use almond extract: Swap vanilla for ½ teaspoon almond extract for a more classic bakery-style flavor.
- Make it orange instead of lemon: Use orange zest and orange juice in the glaze for a softer, sweeter citrus flavor.
- Add raisins: Fold in a handful of raisins, if you like.
- Different pan: No bundt pan? Bake it in a loaf pan—just increase the baking time slightly and check for doneness.
Recipe FAQs
No. While many traditional Polish babka recipes use yeast, there are plenty of versions—like this one—that don’t. Instead, they use whipped eggs and baking powder to create a light, fluffy cake.
No, they’re quite different. Polish babka is a light, airy cake—often flavored with lemon or vanilla and baked in a bundt-style pan. Chocolate babka, on the other hand, is a rich, yeasted bread, usually swirled with chocolate or cinnamon. They share the same name, but the texture and preparation are completely different.
If your babka turned out low and tough, it’s usually from overmixing or not whipping the eggs enough. The air whipped into the eggs is what gives the cake its lift, so if the mixture wasn’t pale and fluffy to start—or if the batter was mixed too vigorously after adding the flour—it can deflate and bake up dense.
Another reason may be that your baking powder is expired.
It's more of a cake than a bread. However, it's sometimes baked in a loaf pan and sliced. It's a little bit similar to a lemon loaf but the texture is a bit different.
Yes but it will create a denser cake (still moist and good, just less fluffy). I would recommend using ¾ cup of Greek yogurt thinned with 3 tablespoons of milk.
More Polish inspired baking
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Polish Babka
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ⅛ cups all-purpose flour (2 cups + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 ¼ cup plain yogurt whole milk
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup vegetable oil or any neutral tasting plant oil like avocado oil or light olive oil
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- zest from 1 medium lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Lemon icing
- 1 cup confectionery sugar
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 medium lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius)
- Generously grease a bundt or babka pan, making sure to get into all the grooves.
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
- Crack 4 fresh eggs into the bowl of a standup mixer and add ¾ cup sugar. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed until pale, thick, and fluffy, about 7–10 minutes.
- With the mixer going on low, add ¾ cup oil in a slow stream. Turn off the mixer.
- Add 1 ¼ cups plain yougurt, lemon zest and vanilla, and fold it in gently with a silicone spatula.
- Add the flour mixture in 4 additions, folding gently after each addition just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared bundt cake pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Don't overbake.
- Place the pan on a cooling rack and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. Invert the pan carefully and the babka should come right out. Let cool completely before icing.
- If needed, trim the bottom slightly with a serrated knife for a flat base.
- To make the icing place lemon juice in a small to medium bowl. Add ½ cup of powdered sugar and mix with a spoon until smooth. Then add the remaining ½ cup of sugar and keep mixing breaking down any lumps with the back of the spoon until you reach the desired consistency. Drizzle evenly over babka.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe is adapted from Ania Gotuje.
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Meet the Author
Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.
Patti says
Better than my babcia's!
Lisa says
When do you add the lemon zest and the vanilla?
Agnieszka says
Hi Lisa. Thanks for catching that! You add lemon zest and vanilla at the same time as yogurt.