Kulich is a rich, cake-like Russian Easter bread made with farmer's cheese, eggs, and butter, traditionally filled with raisins or chocolate chips and finished with a marshmallow glaze. This family recipe offers both classic and modern variations in a single dough.
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Place 150g of raisins in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them sit and soften while you prepare the dough.
In a large bowl, crack 4 eggs. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the eggs for a few minutes until they are light and frothy.
While continuing to mix, slowly and gradually add 430g of sugar to the eggs until fully incorporated.
Pour in 300g of melted butter, ensuring it's not too hot, and mix to combine.
Add 500g of farmer's cheese to the bowl and mix until well combined.
Sift in about 30% of the 500g of all-purpose flour and mix it into the wet ingredients.
In a separate small bowl, combine 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Stir until it fizzes.
Add the baking soda and vinegar mixture to the main batter and mix it in.
Continue to sift and add the remaining flour in batches, mixing after each addition, until the dough reaches the consistency of thick sour cream. You may not need all the flour.
Split the dough evenly between two separate bowls.
Drain the soaked raisins well. Add them to one half of the dough and stir to combine.
Add 150g of chocolate chips to the second half of the dough and stir to combine.
Fill special paper Easter cake molds (or panettone papers) about 70% full with the dough.
Let the filled molds rest on the counter for 15 minutes. While they rest, preheat your oven to 395°F (200°C).
Place the cakes on a baking sheet and put them in the preheated oven. Immediately lower the oven temperature to 330°F (165°C).
Bake for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. It is very important not to open the oven door for the first 45 minutes.
Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven and cover them with a clean kitchen towel to cool down.
For the glaze, place the marshmallows in a large, microwave-safe bowl and melt them in the microwave until smooth and liquid.
Once the cakes are cool enough to handle, carefully cut the paper molds halfway down the sides to make them easier to decorate and serve.
Dip the top of each cake into the melted marshmallow glaze, allowing any excess to drip off.
While the glaze is still sticky, decorate the cakes with assorted sprinkles, edible gold leaf, or any other desired toppings.
Wrap cooled kulich tightly in foil and store at room temperature for 3-4 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week; reheat gently in a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes. Freeze for up to 3 months wrapped in plastic wrap and foil.
Stand mixer (recommended for creaming and mixing) · Bundt pan or tall cylindrical mold (traditional kulich shape)
Kulich is a Russian Easter bread with a farmer's cheese base, while panettone is an Italian yeast bread. Kulich uses baking soda for leavening and has a denser crumb; panettone uses yeast and is more airy.
Farmer's cheese is essential to kulich's texture and flavor. Ricotta is the closest substitute but will produce a slightly different crumb structure.
Kulich stays fresh for 3-4 days at room temperature wrapped in foil, or up to 1 week refrigerated. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
The vinegar reacts with baking soda to create lift and a tender crumb. It also balances the richness of the butter and eggs.
Yes, this recipe offers both options. Use 150g semi-sweet chocolate chips as a direct substitute for raisins.
