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

Marky’s Caviar is a New York institution, known for their caviar and Breads Bakery is famous for their babka and assorted breads and pastries. —Aly Walansky, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024

These three takes on chocolate babka are simultaneously modern and nostalgic. —Emily Alben, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024

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

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