Vegan chocolate babka - this amazing vegan chocolate swirl bread consists of a soft, brioche-like dough swirled with a rich chocolate filling and soaked in syrup. It is incredibly soft, moist, chocolatey and very, very moreish! NO egg replacers or weird ingredients!
This vegan chocolate babka is sinfully good. A soft, eggless and dairy free brioche style bread dough is swirled with a thick layer of rich chocolate filling, plus extra chocolate chips because the more chocolate the better right?
Once baked the babka is brushed generously with sugar syrup which not only makes it beautifully shiny, but also helps to keep it lovely and moist, preserving it for several days.
It is totally indulgent, utterly delicious and makes an amazing treat with a cup of tea or coffee.
It does take a little while to make but it isn't difficult, and most of it is hands off time. I recommend making it over two days if possible - making the dough one day and letting it rise overnight in the fridge, then shaping the babka, letting it rise again and baking on the following day.
It is possible to do it all in one day if you prefer, but the overnight rise improves the flavour and firms up the dough, making it easier to roll out and shape.
What Is Babka?:
Babka is a sweet, cake-like braided yeast bread which developed in the Polish Jewish community in the early 19th century. It may also be referred to as a krantz cake.
It generally consists of a soft, brioche-like dough that is rolled out and spread with a filling such as cinnamon, chocolate or fruit then rolled up and braided before baking.
How To Make Vegan Chocolate Babka:
(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)
Ideally you should start the day before you want to bake the babka. Place the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix to combine.
Add the lukewarm milk and mix to form a rough dough. Knead until it forms a smooth ball.
Add the softened vegan butter. Continue to knead until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and elastic. It may seem greasy and messy at first but keep kneading and I promise you the butter will all mix in and the dough will become smooth.
Once the butter is fully incorporated the dough should look smooth and silky and it should pull away from the sides of the bowl cleanly.
It should still be soft and slightly sticky but if it seems too wet then you can knead in a little more flour; be careful not to add too much however, you don't want dry babka.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and place it in the fridge to rise overnight.
The following day the dough should have doubled in size. Remove it from the fridge and set aside to warm up a little while you prepare the filling.
Place the butter, chopped dark chocolate, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a small pan over a low heat. Stir constantly until melted and smooth then remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 20 minutes.
It should thicken slightly but still be spreadable. If it gets too firm then you can rewarm it very gently until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
How To Shape Vegan Chocolate Babka:
Punch down the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle about 30x40cm / 11x15in.
Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1cm border. Sprinkle over the chocolate chips, chopped chocolate or pecans and press them down gently.
Roll the dough up tightly from one of the long edges into a sausage. Use a sharp knife to cut the sausage in half lengthwise, exposing the filling. Twist the two halves together into a braid.
Grease an approx 11.5 x 21.5 cm / 4.5 x 8.5 in 2lb loaf tin and line it with baking parchment. Place the babka in the loaf tin, squishing it to fit if need be.
Loosely cover the tin and set aside to rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½ - 2 hours depending on how cold it is.
Bake the babka for about 35-40 minutes until deep golden. A probe thermometer inserted into the centre should reach about 90°C/195°F.
When the babka is baked, brush it generously with sugar syrup then allow to cool before slicing.
Top Tips:
For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.
You can use either bread flour or plain flour. Bread flour will give the babka a slightly more chewy texture but both are good. You can also use a combination of the two.
The syrup helps to keep the babka moist for a few days so don't skip it. It may seem like a lot of liquid but trust me and use it all!
The best way to tell if a loaf of bread is cooked in the middle is to use a probe thermometer. It is impossible to give a one-size-fits-all baking time as ovens vary so much. The babka should be done when it reaches 90°C / 195°F.
I know it's hard, but you really should wait for the babka to cool completely before slicing it. It carries on cooking as it cools and slicing it too soon can cause it to be dense or gummy in texture.
What Kind Of Yeast?:
I always use fast action yeast which is also known as instant or easy yeast as it doesn’t need to be activated first, you just add it straight to the flour.
If you only have active dried yeast then you can still use it, but you will need to mix it with some of the warm milk and a pinch of the sugar first. Let it sit for 10-20 minutes until it has become bubbly then proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.
How To Store Vegan Chocolate Babka:
As with most home-made bread, this vegan chocolate babka is best eaten on the day it is baked. The syrup helps to keep it moist and soft for about 3 days however. It is nice if you warm it up gently before serving to refresh it.
Store it in an airtight container or bread bin at room temperature. It should not be placed in the fridge as that can make it go stale faster.
Can I Freeze It?:
Yes! You can freeze this vegan chocolate babka either whole or in slices. Place it in a ziplock bag and freeze for up to three months. Ideally it should be frozen on the day it is baked to preserve freshness (allow it to cool completely first).
Allow to defrost at room temperature and warm through gently to refresh it before serving.
More Vegan Bread Recipes:
Vegan wholemeal maple cinnamon rolls
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Vegan Chocolate Babka
Ingredients
Dough:
- 300 g (2 ½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour or white bread flour plus extra as needed
- 40 g (3 Tablespoons) caster (superfine) sugar
- 7 g (2 ¼ teaspoons) instant/fast action yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 180 ml (¾ cup) unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy is best) lukewarm
- 80 g (⅓ cup) vegan butter/margarine softened
Filling:
- 60 g (¼ cup) vegan butter/margarine
- 60 g (2 oz) dark chocolate chopped
- 20 g (2 Tablespoons) cocoa powder
- 30 g (2 ½ Tbsp) light brown soft sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- pinch salt
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate or pecans
Syrup:
- 60 g (¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon) granulated sugar
- 60 ml (¼ cup) water
Instructions
- Ideally you should start the day before you want to bake the babka. Place the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix to combine.
- Add the lukewarm milk and mix to form a rough dough. Knead until it forms a smooth ball then add the softened butter.
- Continue to knead until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and elastic. It may seem greasy and messy at first but keep kneading and I promise you the butter will all mix in and the dough will become smooth.
- Once the butter is fully incorporated the dough should look smooth and silky and it should pull away from the sides of the bowl cleanly. It should still be soft and slightly sticky but if it seems too wet then you can knead in a little more flour; be careful not to add too much however.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise for an hour or so at warm room temperature, until the dough has almost doubled in size, then place in the fridge to rise overnight.
- The following day remove the dough from the fridge and set aside to warm up a little while you prepare the filling.
- Place the butter, chopped dark chocolate, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a small pan over a low heat. Stir constantly until melted and smooth then remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 20 minutes. It should thicken slightly but still be spreadable. If it gets too firm then you can rewarm it very gently until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
- Punch down the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle about 30x40cm / 11x15in.
- Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1cm border. Sprinkle over the chocolate chips, chopped chocolate or pecans and press them down gently.
- Roll the dough up tightly from one of the long edges into a sausage. Use a sharp knife to cut the sausage in half lengthwise, exposing the filling.
- Twist the two halves together into a braid. Grease an approx 11.5 x 21.5 cm / 4.5 x 8.5 in 2lb loaf tin and line it with baking parchment. Place the babka in the loaf tin, squishing it to fit if need be.
- Loosely cover the tin and set aside to rise until doubled in size, about 1 ½ - 2 hours depending on how cold it is. It is ready to bake when it looks puffy and if you gently press some of the exposed dough with a finger it springs back slowly most of the way but leaves a small indentation. If it springs back quickly and fills in completely then it isn't ready yet.
- When the dough has nearly finished rising, preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4.
- Bake the babka for about 40-50 minutes until deep golden. A probe thermometer inserted into the centre should reach at least 90°C/195°F.
- While the babka is baking prepare the syrup. Place the sugar and water in a small pan over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup comes up to a simmer. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- When the babka is ready, remove it from the oven and brush generously all over the top with the syrup. Keep going until you have used all of the syrup.
- Leave the babka to cool in the tin for 15-20 minutes while it absorbs the syrup then turn it out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.
- You can use either bread flour or plain flour. Bread flour will give the babka a slightly more chewy texture but both are good. You can also use a combination of the two.
- The syrup helps to keep the babka moist for a few days so don’t skip it. It may seem like a lot of liquid but trust me and use it all!
- The best way to tell if a loaf of bread is cooked in the middle is to use a probe thermometer. It is impossible to give a one-size-fits-all baking time as ovens vary so much. The babka should be done when it reaches 90°C / 195°F.
- I know it’s hard, but you really should wait for the babka to cool completely before slicing it. It carries on cooking as it cools and slicing it too soon can cause it to be dense or gummy in texture.
Enid
This was delicious! It was my first time making Babka and it turned out amazing. I wanted to make it in a day so just proved the bread as usual instead of overnight in the fridge and it was still wonderful.
Thank you Hannah, will definitely make again 🙂
George Todd
Absolute love this recipe! Made it a few times now and turns out perfect every time.
If you are lazy like me nutella or Biscoff spread also works really well inside to mix it up a bit.
Thanks for the fantastic recipe!
Alison
I've made this multiple times now and it is always awesome! Probably my favourite thing to bake at the moment.
I recommend being generous with the quality of the chocolate though, it makes a big difference.
Lisa
Made this for Easter. Followed the recipie exactly and it came out perfect! Will def make again!
KL
This is my go-to "show stopper" when I want to impress my friends. It's pretty simple as long as you're patient and plan ahead. I always think that my chocolate filling is cool enough to spread, but it never is, so the only modification I make is to roll it, wrap it in plastic wrap, and then chuck it in the fridge for 15-30 minutes before shaping. this makes shaping SO much easier and less messy!
Jessi
Love this recipe, I made it 2 times and turned out perfectly.
Thank you for sharing the recipe!
C
Why would the chocolate filling have split and gone oily?
Hannah
Hi Candice, it sounds like it got too hot when you were melting it, chocolate splits if it gets too hot. Keep the heat really low and take it off as soon as the chocolate is melted, or even when there are a few small pieces left.
Regina
I can’t believe how easy this was and how delicious it turned out. Has the lightness and flavor of a brioche. Like if brioche and pain au chocolat had a baby. Wonderful recipe.
MORT
My yeast and almond milk mixture never foamed or rose. I made it twice and used fresh yeast. When I made the yeast mixture with warm water, honey, and yeast, then it worked.
Why doesn’t the milk work?
Hannah
Hi Mort, I never bake with fresh yeast, only fast action. Are you warming the milk up and adding a bit of the sugar?
Mort
Hi Hannah-
I’m using SAF Instant Yeast. The mixture worked when it was warm water, and 1 T honey. Can I use that mixture instead of milk? Or maybe my milk was too warm?
Hannah
Hi Mort, yes the milk could have been too warm, it should be around body temperature; did you add a bit of the sugar to the milk? However, if you are using instant yeast then there is no need to activate it first, just add it to the dry ingredients as per the recipe.
RT
Hi! Tried this today and it turned out delicious! Do you think this can be made with whole wheat flour as well? Thanks!
Hannah
Hi RT, I wouldn't, I think it would turn out too dense. At the absolute most I would do 50/50 white and whole wheat, ideally more like 70/30 white to whole wheat.
Morgan
Have you ever frozen this or similar, either when finished or part baked? I would like to make a few for a party but will have quite a lot to do, so I'm thinking of ways to make ahead of time.
Hannah
Hi Morgan, I haven't tried freezing it before but I think that it would be fine to freeze as soon as it has fully cooled. I would let it defrost at room temperature then maybe warm it through slightly in a low oven to serve.
Elizabeth
I was naughty and left the dough in the fridge for more like 24 hours, thinking "it'll be grand like". It wasn't grand - don't do it! Accidentally made two bizarre, enormous, unplaitable chocolate croissants. Heh there are worse things!!
Warren P Silberstein
I used instant yeast as recommended. I warmed the soy milk to 110 deg F (the same temp as recommended for other yeast recipes I've done). My dough did not double in size. Not even sure if it rose at all. It was quite dense when I punched it down. It hasn't risen much since i put it in the loaf pan. I hope it doesn't come out like a brick. What did I do wrong.
Hannah
Hi Warren, sorry to hear you had issues. I think some people's fridges run colder than mine so the dough struggles to rise. I have ammended the recipe to give the dough a head start at room temperature before refrigerating. The second rise can take a while as it is such an enriched dough and will vary depending on the room temperature, it is important to go by when the dough is ready rather than a specific time.
Tamar
Another amazing recipe! Thanks so much. You made me very proud of myself
Keren
Hello, I am planning on making this for Christmas. How many loaves does this make? Thank you!
Hannah
Hi Keren, it makes 1 loaf.
Michal Martin
A truly excellent recipe! My first time making a babka and following your recipe pretty much exactly, it came out perfect and delicious. I plan to make again next week for other family members. Thanks so much!
Elaine
Made this for the first time for a (leavened rules relaxed) passover sedar. I've never made a vegan dessert before so I was a little nervous but everyone loved it! 50/50 AP and bread flour. The only thing is I realized my chocolate chips weren't vegan! Luckily the vegans at the gathering were relaxed and tucked in anyways but I wish there had been a reminder or a note in the ingredients to make sure to use vegan chocolate chips. Helpful for non-vegans like myself who don't even keep margarine on hand and had to buy it special for this recipe.
L
I've made this twice and it turned out delicious both times! Very impressive results
Jordan
I have made this recipe so many times (both with non dairy and dairy ingredients) and it always turns out great. Do you think I could make individual babka buns and bake them in muffin tins instead of a loaf ?
Hannah
Hi Jordan, glad you enjoy it! Yes but they would be quicker to bake, probably about 20 minutes though I can't say for sure without testing it.
Jordan
Hi Hannah, thank you for your response. Just to make sure, the internal temperature for doneness would still be 195 F correct ? And would the 20 min be for a normal muffin tin for 12 or a large muffin/popover tin of 6 ?
Hannah
Hi Jordan, yes, same internal temp. The bake time is just a guesstimate, I really can't say how long without testing it myself. I would start testing for doneness at 15 minutes.
Sophie
Delicious and surprisingly easy for the amazing result!
Ayala
Hey, made this 3 times, using oil instead of vegan butter. The first time, came out perfect. The other two times, the dough became really scraggly and kind-of separated, not smooth at all. No matter how much I kneaded, it didn't work out. Any ideas why?
I'll say that the first time I kneaded by hand, the second time also by hand and the third time with a mixer.
Would love some insight. Thanks in advance.
Hannah
Hi Ayala, without seeing it I'm really not sure what the problem could be. By separated do you mean that the fat wasn't mixing in? Were you using the gram measurements?
Karolina
Amazing recipe!!! Easy to follow and nothing too advanced for your average house baker! It turned out perfect and so chocolatey, loved it!
Glenda
Hi! Don’t have much hope you’ll see this in time, but jus in case… you state to use a 8.5x4.5” 2lb loaf pan, but I’m confused because these measurements match my 1lb pan… not sure if I should use the smaller one (to match measurements) or a bigger one (to match volume).
Thanks!
Hannah
Hi Glenda, unfortunately loaf tins tend to differ in size wildly between brands, I would go for the 2lb one to be on the safe side.