A delicious Polish babka piaskowa, otherwise known as Polish sand cake.
Ingredients
1 packet active dry yeast (1/4 oz/7 g)
1/2 cup (115 g) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup (115 g) butter
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
grated lemon peal
raisins, coated with flour
1-1/2 cups (280 g) white flour
Method
Mix yeast in lukewarm water and add half a teaspoon of sugar and a quarter cup of milk. Set aside in a warm place so the yeast will rise.
In a metal pot, beat together four egg yolks and a quarter of a cup of sugar on medium heat, until the mixture turns white and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, mix together 8 tablespoons of soft butter and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Gradually, add in the four eggs, one at a time, the beaten egg yolks, salt, raisins, grated lemon peel, yeast, and finally flour. The mixture should be mixed for about half an hour, or until it glistens.
Set the mixture aside in a warm area for half an hour until it rises. Then, pour it into a babka mould, or any cake mould, and place in a heated over for an hour at 350F (180C)
Babka is usually decorated with sifted powdered sugar or icing. To make icing, mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with half a cup of lemon juice. Pour the icing on top of the cake and wait a couple of minutes until it hardens.
