🎂 Delicious Sweet Dough Cake with Dried Fruits and Nuts (Sweet Swirl Loaf)

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This rich, fluffy yeast cake is similar to a Povitica or a large sweet roll, with a delicious texture achieved through the use of milk, eggs, and butter.

⏰ Quick Glance

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes

  • Proofing Time: 2–3 hours (total)

  • Bake Time: 40–50 minutes

  • Yields: 1 large cake (9-inch round)

🛒 Ingredients

Category Ingredient Quantity Notes
Dough Warm Milk 400 ml (approx. 1⅔ cups) Warmed to $105^{\circ} \text{F}-115^{\circ} \text{F}$.
Dry Yeast 1 packet (7 g or 2 ¼ tsp)
Granulated Sugar 4 tbsp Plus 1 tsp for yeast activation.
Eggs 2 large Room temperature.
Oil (Neutral) 100 ml (approx. ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp)
Flour (All-Purpose) 780 g (approx. 6 cups) Adjust as needed; reserve some for dusting.
Salt ½ tsp
Enrichment Well-Softened Butter 70 g (5 tbsp) Room temperature.
Granulated Sugar 2 tbsp For mixing into the butter/dough.
Filling/Mix-ins Dried Fruits (Raisins, Currants, Dried Orange Peel) 1 cup Plumped in warm water or rum, then drained.
Chopped Nuts (Walnuts, Pecans) ½ cup Optional.
Egg Wash Egg Yolk 1 Mixed with a splash of milk.

👩‍🍳 Instructions

Part 1: Making the Sweet Dough

  1. Activate Yeast (10 minutes): In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.

  2. Mix Dough: Whisk the eggs and oil into the yeast mixture. Add the remaining 4 tbsp of sugar and the salt. Gradually add the flour (reserving about 1 cup). Mix until a shaggy dough forms.

  3. Knead: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.

  4. Add Butter: Flatten the dough slightly. Spread the well-softened butter and the 2 tbsp of sugar over the dough. Fold and knead the butter in thoroughly until the dough is smooth, soft, and no longer greasy (about 5–7 minutes). Add small amounts of the reserved flour if the dough is too sticky.

  5. First Rise (Bulk Fermentation): Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

Part 2: Shaping, Filling, and Baking

  1. Prep Filling: While the dough rises, ensure your dried fruits are plumped, drained, and mixed with any nuts.

  2. Shape the Spiral: Gently punch down the dough to release the air. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle (approx. $12 \times 18$ inches).

  3. Fill and Roll: Scatter the dried fruits and nuts evenly over the surface of the dough rectangle. Starting from the long edge, roll the dough up tightly into a long log.

  4. Coil: Coil the log into a spiral shape and place it carefully into a greased 9-inch round springform pan (as seen in the top image panel).

  5. Second Rise (Proofing): Cover the pan and let the cake rise again for 45–60 minutes, or until puffy and nearly doubled.

  6. Bake Prep: Preheat your oven to $350^{\circ}\text{F}$ ($175^{\circ}\text{C}$). Brush the top of the risen dough with the egg yolk mixed with milk.

  7. Bake: Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until the cake is deep golden brown (as seen in the bottom image panel) and sounds hollow when tapped. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.

  8. Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy this truly delicious Sweet Dough Cake!

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