A tradition to bake and prepare several dozens of dyed eggs for Easter goes deep in Russian culture. It is unheard of that a family will go without a colorful Paska Easter Bread Kulich on Easter! The most wide-spread recipes that most Russian families make in their kitchen the day before Easter are Easter Pound Cake, Dyed Eggs, and Paskha, the Easter recipe with unique combinations of Russian cottage cheese, vanilla bean, sugar, raisins and eggs.
The fun part of Easter in Russia is that everybody wants to share their food with you. Neighbors exchange their Easter foods with each other. Though the name of the recipes are the same, they taste different! So many families, so many recipes in reality.
Here’s one of my favorites – A Russian Easter Pound Cake known as KULICH. Roughly, Kulich can be interpreted as a small hill, hence its look. This recipe is a very easy one. Yet the final result will delight you. Decorate it in your own way. Just do know that the traditional decor is white glaze with a few sprinkles on the top. I did it exactly like the tradition calls for it.
Russian Paska Easter Bread with Sprinkles
KULICH Without White Frosting
It is totally OK to go without any frosting at all. Though not many families do it, it is just a way of personal preferences.
Decorating a Kulich cake with white frosting and sprinkles mimics church’s domes with golden crosses. That is why each Kulich proudly wears a white cape with sprinkles, reflecting the sunshine against the gold.
Cans Will Be Your Next Favorite Baking Form
In Russia, the majority of families use cans from canned foods to prepare their favorite Paska bread. From small cans to the giant ones, you will see many sizes of Easter bread! Besides the size, the taste each family bakes their recipe is very unique. That is why exchanging Paska Easter Bread on Easter Sunday is quite an experience! There won’t be any two kulichi breads alike!
This recipe I am sharing in this post is a really simple one. My sister shared it with me. These days, the recipes for Kulich has been updated. But I do like sticking to the tradition of baking the dough in a can! Makes my childhood memories come up to the surface in no time.
Russian Easter Pound Cake Celebration
The recipe you will find in this post is the one shared with me by my sister. I love its simplicity and the final taste. You also can add your own berries or leave them out if you do not like them in your baked goods. But preserving the kulich recipe as is would be to truly experience what it tastes like.
Orthodox Easter Unique Kulich Recipe
The colorful combination of dyed eggs and glazed baked kulich bread is something that is truly cherished and preserved in each Russian and Ukranian family. Though kulich recipes could be similar, you won’t find any two alike throughout the vast territories of the Russian land. And that’s what makes each kulich a truly unique experience. So, in this post, you’ll your own unique kulich recipe that I hope you’ll enjoy.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1.5 cups sugar (use coconut sugar for a more low glycemic recipe)
- 4-5 oz cottage cheese
- 1.5 cups corn starch
- 2 sticks butter, melted
- 1/2 Tbsp baking soda
- 1.5 cups flour
- 1 cup raisins
- 4 oz wallnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Combine eggs with sugar.
- Add cottage cheese to the egg/sugar mixture. Keep mixing all ingredients together well.
- Add corn starch and melted butter. Continue your mixing, making sure all ingredients are gradually incorporated into the texture of the dough.
- Add baking soda and flour to the above mixture.
- While mixing the above mixture, add raisins and wall nuts.
- The dough will be liquidy, a perfect consistency to pour into the baking forms.
- I use the empty cans from olives (14 oz cans). Make sure the edges do not have the preventative barrier for the cooked cake to fall out of the can.
- Use olive oil or butter on the inside walls of the baking forms.
- Bake at 400F for about 25 minutes.
- Watch your mini cakes after 20 minutes in the oven to prevent the burnt edges.
- Decorate with glaze and sprinkles.
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 Tbsp powdered sugar
- Beat up the above two ingredients for a minute or two. Apply the glaze over the "Kuliches'" tops.
47 thoughts on “Paska Easter Bread Kulich the Russian Pound Cake Recipe”
This is such a fun informative post! I have never heard of Kulich before. Now I must try it. Thanks!
I want to stop eating so many sweets and cakes but this one looks so delish! And I love pound cake, so this could be really good to try!
Yanitza,
It is OK to eat a piece of a good dessert every now and then Enjoy it.
My orthodox friends are always telling me about this! I’ll have to try making my own.
Rachel,
Bake it and take a few to your friends when they celebrate Orthodox Easter. Surprise!
I have never seen pound cake made this way before. I am definitely going to have to try this recipe out myself.
I have never heard of this cake before. It looks delicious and perfect for Easter!
Heidi,
It is a very unique Kulich with a very specific flavor. Trying it once in a lifetime is worth it.
This looks so tasty!!! Could it be made gluten free? such a fun thing to make around Easter
Bella,
I have not tried it gluten free. But trying a different, gluten free flour is worth the test.
Ouu, yummy! This looks like such a great recipe to try out myself over the upcoming long weekend!
Emily,
We bake it once a year, that’s it.
Oh my gosh, it’s really pretty and I’ll bet it tastes delish!
Krysten,
True, one of my favorites that we make once a year.
I haven’t heard of this cake, but it looks delicious and yummy. I will try out this recipe!
Monidipa,
The recipe is one of my favorites. But I am prejudiced, as I grew up with it.
This is the first time I hear about this pound cake. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Love the sentiment behind it.
Wanda,
It’s not really a pound cake, but the closest comparison to give.
The recipe and the flavor is very unique. Try it.
I’ve never heard of these pound cake treats before! I can’t wait to give them a try as we love trying new things for each holiday.
Kita,
I am excited about your willingness to try out this unique recipe for my Kulich.
Let me know if you liked it.
I’ve never had anything like this before. I love pound cake. Can’t wait to try this!
Heather,
The recipe is not a pound cake per se. It is the closest comparison I could find to relate what it looks, tastes like. But the taste is very unique.
Also, do keep in mind that the ingredients actually taste different in different parts of the world. This recipe tastes a bit different after you baked it in two different kitchens that are separated by the Atlantic ocean.
This sounds like a delicious dessert for Easter. I will have to make it.
Tara,
This recipe is really, really easy. I remember making and baking it with my mom during my childhood. And that recipe was super complicated. I remember we had to bake all those Kuliches deep into the night.
I’ve never had this cake before. It sure does look good. I’ll have to try it out.
Kathy,
This recipe is a really simple one. My sister shared it with me. These days, the recipe have been updated.
But I do like sticking to the tradition of baking the dough in a can! Makes my childhood memories come up to the surface in no time.
I knew it. Hehe. Cans are great for baking molds. Thanks for the pics. Now I can show my wife how’d it looked like.
Ryan,
That’s what we used for our baking needs in the Soviet Union. There were no forms for baking ever. Maybe here or there, but they were not sold in a regular store and had to be fished out from the black market. Yes, the Soviet Union was known for its thriving black market for anything you wanted. But the majority did not have money to buy anything from that market any way.
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Wow this is interesting. I bet the kids would have fun eating this~
Kiwi,
The adults would like the taste of this traditional dessert/bread to the same extent as kids!
The flavors are unique for sure.
These look like they would be absolutely delicious. I totally need to give these a try!
Becca,
This season is the time to make it in your own kitchen!
The Russian celebration of Pascha is dear to my heart. The music, the food and the faith are so rich and beautiful!
Anne Marie,
The celebration of Paskha is one of the most elaborate in the Russian culture. The foods that are made are not many. But each family has their own recipe twist that makes each recipe unique and different tasting.
These Russian Easter cakes are so unique and I assume that they taste heavenly too. I like it having raisins and walnuts. Always a lovely addition in any cake.
Annemarie,
Raisins and nuts are optional, as some families prefer making a Kulich without any of them. But my family always adds raisins as the minimum.
Interesting. Love seeing different ethnic ideas.
Kristin,
Same here. I am amazed at the variety of recipes every culture celebrates their important events.
I love the texture of this Paska Easter Bread! I am sure it tastes heavenly!
Catalina,
Ditto, this recipe is amazing, light and very unique in its taste.
These look so neat! My aunt used to make banana nut bread in cans. I have always want to try it.
Stefani,
This recipe has been modernized a bit, as in the initial recipe, there are some ingredients that can complicate it.
But this recipe is delicious as well.
I love a meal or a dessert that is based on family traditions/culture, such as this. I think it looks delicious and it looks like a fun recipe!
Thank you, Kerrie,
This is one of the best recipes ever. Tastes great and is eaten without leftovers!
Sounds like a yummy treat to me! I will have to make these for my family!!
Robin,
I hope you’ll enjoy the taste. It is very unique.