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5 from 3 votes

Cherry Cream Cheese Babka

Cherry Cream Cheese Babka is a fun and delicious summer baking project! It's creamy, full of cherries, and a delicious brioche-like dough!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Bread, Breakfast, desserts
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 300kcal
Author: Britney

Ingredients

  • ½ cup milk, lukewarm
  • 2 ½ tsp active dry yeast
  • cup granulated sugar
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons
  • 2 tsps kosher salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 4 eggs
  • 10 tablespoons butter
  • 1 ½ cup cream cheese
  • 1 cup fresh dark cherries
  • ½ cup sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • Glaze - 2 cups powdered sugar - ¼ cup heavy cream - 1 tsp vanilla - 2 tbsps water

Instructions

  • Combine warm milk, pinch of sugar, and 2.5 tsps active dry yeast in a small bowl and allow yeast to become foamy, around 8-10 minutes.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add flour, ⅓ cup sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and the yeast mixture. Beat the mixture on low and begin adding eggs one at a time. Mix until dough comes together. If dough does not come together, add a tablespoon of flour and continue to mix. If needed, continue to add 1 tablespoon at a time until dough begins to form.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of butter at a time, allowing the butter to become fully incorporated into the dough before adding the next tablespoon. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Once all butter is added, continue to mix for 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  • Oil a large mixing bowl and add dough. Cover with a towel and add to the oven with the oven light on. Allow dough to rise until it has doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
  • Once dough has risen, press the dough down ad refrigerate overnight.
  • Remove dough from refrigerator about an hour prior to baking and allow dough to come to room temperature. At this time, also remove the cream cheese from the refrigerator so that it may soften.
  • Prepare the filling by removing the pits of the cherries and adding them to a sauce pan over medium heat. Add ½ cup of sugar and stir until the cherries begin to reduce and a syrup begins to form. Bring mixture to a boil and continue to boil until sauce thickens, about 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool.
  • On a floured surface, cut dough in half and roll out dough into a rectangle, about 9x18. Cut off any uneven scraps. Smear a thin layer of cream cheese all over dough and then add cherries from cherry sauce on top of cream cheese. Add about 2-3 tbsps of the sauce and save the remainder for topping. Repeat with the other half or save in the refrigerator for later.
  • Roll dough into a long log and add to a baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Cut dough in half, lengthwise and lay one half of the dough on top of the other, making an "X" and twist downward. Pinch the ends on both sides. If a bit of the filling comes out, it's normal.
  • Transfer dough to a greased loaf pan and cover with a towel. Allow to rise for another hour to hour and a half.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and baking for 40-50 minutes. Allow to cool.
  • For the glaze, add all of the ingredients together and whisk. Pour on top of babka along with the remainder of the cherry sauce.
  • Eat!

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal