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5.0 from 30 votes

Bábovka – Czech Bundt Cake

Here is a classic old-fashioned Czech recipe for Cocoa Marble Bábovka cake that is easy to make and doesn't call for any of those crazy fad ingredients!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 239 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Czech

Ingredients

Bábovka batter:
  • 3 eggs at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ cup plain greek yogurt (or sour cream)
  • ½ cup sunflower oil (or canola)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 Tablespoons dark powdered cocoa unsweetened
  • 2 Tablespoons milk to thin the cocoa batter
Misc.:
  • 1 Tablespoon solid fat to grease the mold (shortening, butter, or lard)
  • 2 Tablespoons sifted breadcrumbs to dust the mold
  • 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar to dust baked Babovka cake

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Before you start cooking: First, prepare the bundt cake mold. Grease it thoroughly with 1 Tablespoon solid fat (for example, Crisco) and sprinkle with about2 Tablespoons sifted breadcrumbs.
  2. Crack 3 eggs in a large bowl. Beat them with an electric mixer, slowly at first, then increase the speed. Gradually add 1 cup granulated sugar until you have used it all. After about five minutes, you should get a light, fluffy egg mixture.
  3. Make Bábovka batter: Combine 1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour with 1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder. Reduce the mixer speed to the minimum. Gradually add the flour mixture, ½ cup sunflower oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt to the egg mass.
  4. Separate less than half of the batter and put it in a clean bowl. Add in 3 Tablespoons dark powdered cocoa and 2 Tablespoons milk to keep the cocoa batter from being too thick. Briefly whisk with a mixer.
  5. Fill the bundt cake pan: Pour half of the light batter into the prepared bundt mold. Cover with all of the cocoa cake batter, and finish with a layer of the remaining light cake batter.
  6. Bake the Bábovka cake: Preheat the oven to 350 °F and set it to upper and lower heat. Bake the Bábovka cake for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the type of mold.

Notes

  • The basic recipe makes 1 smaller Bábovka cake / 12 slices. I used 8-cup bundt cake pan.
  • At the end of baking, test for doneness. Insert a wooden skewer into the center of the cake. If it comes out dry, the cake is done. If there is any raw dough left, bake for another five minutes and repeat the test.
  • SERVING: Sprinkle the cake with icing sugar, cut into pieces, and serve with a cup of coffee or tea.
  • The baking time depends on the material of the pan. If you have a stoneware or cast iron pan, the cake will take longer to bake in the oven. Light metal and silicone pans allow the cake to bake faster.
  • The center of the cake usually puffs up during baking. You can cut it off to make the cake flat and help it sit better on the platter when served.

Nutrition Information

Calories 239kcal (12%) Carbohydrates 32g (11%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 11g (17%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g Monounsaturated Fat 3g Trans Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 42mg (14%) Sodium 94mg (4%) Potassium 56mg (2%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 19g (38%) Vitamin A 72IU (1%) Calcium 69mg (7%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12slices

Amount Per Serving

Calories 239

% Daily Value*

Calories 239kcal 12%
Carbohydrates 32g 11%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 11g 17%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g 29%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g 15%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 42mg 14%
Sodium 94mg 4%
Potassium 56mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 19g 38%
Vitamin A 72IU 1%
Calcium 69mg 7%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.