babka

noun

bab·​ka ˈbäb-kə 

ˈbab-

plural babkas

: a sweet bread made with yeast and butter:

a

: a sweet bread that contains various fillings (as of chocolate, cinnamon, or poppy seeds), is typically rolled and twisted before baking in a loaf pan, and is often topped with streusel

Tender yeast bread that begs to be pulled apart and ribbons of chunky bittersweet chocolate make this charming babka a coffee date to remember.

—Ian Knauer et al.

b

: a sweet bread that contains dried fruit (such as raisins), is baked in a round cake pan with scalloped sides, and is often topped with syrup, icing, or confectioners' sugar

Invert the babkas onto racks, let them cool, and sprinkle them with the confectioners' sugar …

—John G. Zawadzinski

Examples of babka in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

After the wedding, the newlyweds enjoyed babka from Long Island before going out to dinner with friends and taking the kids to Hebrew school. —Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 5 Dec. 2024

Served fresh from the oven in a hot cast-iron pot with mouth-puckering berry ice cream, the oozing-with-chocolate babka is the one to choose. —Nicole Trilivas, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024

Learn the foundations of homemade pizza, or get a tutorial on pastries like babka and cinnamon rolls with the Brunch Bakes class. —Alaina Chou, Bon Appétit, 11 Oct. 2024

Christina’s naturally leavened bread and handmade pastries have gained a loyal following, with standout items like chocolate babka and seasonal, savory open-faced croissants. —Christine Chitnis, Vogue, 4 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Yiddish & Polish; Yiddish babke (in sense a), borrowed from Polish babka (in sense b), literally, "old woman, grandmother," diminutive of baba "grandmother, midwife, old woman"

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above