Effortless Honey Babka (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the Babka

01 - 1/2 teaspoon table salt
02 - 16 oz sour cream, softened to room temperature
03 - 2 tablespoons vinegar (plain white)
04 - 2 teaspoons baking soda
05 - 1 cup honey, microwaved 30 seconds to loosen
06 - 1 cup sugar (white granulated)
07 - 8 eggs, brought to room temperature
08 - 2 1/2 cups regular all-purpose flour

→ For the Frosting

09 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 8 oz store-bought Cool Whip (frozen)
11 - 8 oz room-temperature cream cheese

# Instructions:

01 - Fire up your oven to 350°F. Take a big 11×17-inch baking pan with at least a 1-inch edge, cover it entirely with parchment paper, and set it aside. The edge is key here because the batter starts off super liquidy!
02 - Dump the eggs, salt, and sugar into a big mixing bowl. Whip them on full power for a good 8-10 minutes until they’re crazy fluffy and light. Don’t skimp on this step since it’s what gives the cake its lovely texture!
03 - In a tiny bowl, mix your white vinegar with the baking soda. It’ll bubble immediately—this reaction helps make the babka super airy and soft.
04 - Microwave your honey for 30 seconds so it pours easier. Then toss the honey, the vinegar and baking soda mix, and the sour cream into the egg mixture. Use a low mixer speed so it all comes together without overdoing it. This shouldn’t take more than 30-40 seconds.
05 - Sift the flour directly into the wet batter. Switch your mixer to low and stop blending as soon as the flour disappears. The batter will feel runnier than usual and might look less airy, but that’s normal. Overmixing’s a total no-go or the babka will turn tough.
06 - Pour your batter onto the prepped pan and smooth it out evenly using a spatula to reach the edges. Bake for about 30-32 minutes until it springs back when pressed and a toothpick comes out free of batter.
07 - Lay a cooling rack over the pan and quickly flip everything over. Peel off the parchment paper carefully. Then put a cutting board on top and flip again so the cake’s right-side up. Let the babka cool totally here—inverting it for too long might dent or break it!
08 - After it’s totally cooled, slice off the edges for a neat look (totally optional). Then cut the cake into roughly 1.5-2-inch squares, or whatever size makes you happy.
09 - With a medium bowl and your mixer at low, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar for about a minute until smooth. Toss in the frozen Cool Whip, crank up the speed to high, and keep mixing for 5 minutes so it thickens up nicely.
10 - Using a piping bag with a fun-shaped tip (Wilton #199 works well), swirl or dollop the frosting onto your squares. Serve it up or pop it into the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

# Notes:

01 - This sweet Ukrainian honey treat is often seen at celebrations and festive parties—especially during Easter time.
02 - Getting that amazing airy texture depends on properly whipping the eggs and sugar until super light, while gently folding in the remaining stuff.
03 - Store unfrosted squares in the freezer for up to a month. Let them thaw in the fridge, then frost before digging in.
04 - Want to jazz them up? Sprinkle frosted squares with crushed nuts, a drizzle of honey, or even a dusting of bee pollen.

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