Ukrainian Paska: Cottage Cheese Easter Cake with Vanilla
This Paska is my favorite way to celebrate spring — a tall, tender Ukrainian Easter cake enriched with eggs and butter, studded with plumped raisins and wrapped around a silky cottage cheese filling. It smells like vanilla and lemon as it bakes and cuts into a soft, slightly sweet crumb that feels like a warm family hug.
The cottage cheese filling brightens the bread and keeps each slice moist; it's lightly sweetened and lemon-kissed so the finished cake feels fresh rather than heavy. Make it for a holiday table or a special weekend breakfast — it’s a lovely thing to share.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Warm the milk until just warm to the touch (about 100–110°F). Stir in 1 tsp of the granulated sugar and the yeast; let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
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2
In a large bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups of the flour, remaining granulated sugar, and salt.
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3
Beat 3 eggs with the melted butter, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Stir the foamy yeast mixture into the egg mixture.
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4
Add the wet ingredients to the flour mix and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Gradually add remaining flour a bit at a time and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
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5
Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding a tablespoon of flour if dough is too sticky. Fold in the plumped raisins if using during the last minutes of kneading.
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6
Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
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7
While dough rises, make the cottage cheese filling: drain cottage cheese well, then blend in a food processor or with a fork until smooth. Stir in powdered sugar (1/3 cup) and 1/2 tsp vanilla if desired; chill until ready to assemble.
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8
Punch down the risen dough and shape into a tall round loaf to fit a 6–8 inch tall round pan or greased springform (line with parchment if desired). Make a shallow well in the center of the dough and spoon the cottage cheese filling into it, leaving a 1/2 inch border; bring dough up around the filling to enclose it slightly or leave as a visible topping, depending on preference.
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9
Cover the assembled cake and let it rise another 30–40 minutes until puffy.
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10
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the top with the remaining beaten egg (reserve 1 egg for wash earlier) or melted butter for a rich crust.
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11
Bake for 35–45 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted into the dough (not the filling) comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil.
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12
Remove from oven, brush with 2 tbsp melted butter, and let cool on a rack.
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13
Whisk powdered sugar (1 cup) with lemon juice until smooth to a glaze consistency and drizzle over the cooled cake. Sprinkle additional lemon zest or a few reserved raisins on top for finish.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour:5 cups
- Whole milk:1 1/4 cups
- Active dry yeast:2 1/4 tsp
- Granulated sugar:1/2 cup
- Unsalted butter (melted):6 tbsp
- Large eggs:4 pieces
- Salt:1 tsp
- Vanilla extract:2 tsp
- Lemon zest:1 tbsp
- Cottage cheese (full-fat, well-drained):1 1/2 cups
- Powdered sugar (for filling):1/3 cup
- Raisins (optional, plumped in warm water):1/2 cup
- Butter for brushing:2 tbsp
- Powdered sugar (for glaze):1 cup
- Fresh lemon juice (for glaze):1 tbsp
Tips & Notes
- Drain cottage cheese well (use cheesecloth or a fine sieve) so the filling is thick and not watery.
- If you don’t have a warm proofing spot, preheat your oven to 200°F, turn it off, and let the covered dough rise inside with the door slightly ajar.
- For a smoother filling, blend cottage cheese in a food processor or blender until creamy before adding sugar and flavor.
- Tent the cake with foil if the top is browning too fast; a gentle brush of butter right after baking keeps the crust soft and shiny.
