Festive Purple Sweet Potato Babka 🎉 -

Yes, yes, I got bit by the Ube bug… the bright purple potato that has been sweeping the baking nation. But fresh ube, which many mistake for one of the several purple sweet potato varieties, is pretty hard to attain in these parts. Luckily, the Stokes Purple sweet potato would be just as magical… and delivered right to my door. This babka loaf would be festive, originally conjured up to celebrate a friend’s birthday. But… quarantine happens. 🙁 So here it is for you, dear reader.

Purple Sweet Potato Filling

1 1/2 pounds purple sweet potato (I used Stokes Purple, purchased from Whole Foods.), peeled

1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoons canned coconut milk (I used “light” because that’s what I had.)

1/4 cup Nature’s Charm vegan sweetened condensed coconut milk

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

1/3 cup Earth Balance

1.) Wash and peel purple sweet potato. Slice into equal-sized chunks and steam in a double-boiler. I let them steam for 20 minutes, but then let them boil in the water after for 5 minutes. In my brain this was helping the potato retain more of their purple color, but I could be mistaken.

2) Once fork-tender, let the sweet potato cool slightly in the bowl of food processor for 10 minutes. Add all of the remaining ingredients except for the Earth Balance.

2.) Pulse sweet potato, coconut milk, condensed milk and sugar until mostly smooth. Add chunks of Earth Balance and process until smooth again. Scoop into a container and place in refrigerator to set while you carry on with recipe.

This filling was really good on its own. I’d also like to pipe it in some soft doughy rolls, like red bean bun-style. Luckily there is some left after making my babka!

Making & the Dough / First Proof

1 Tablespoon Active Dry Yeast

1/2 cup warm Soy Milk

3 Tbsp Coconut Sugar

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup Earth Balance

Pinch of salt

3.) Activate yeast. Warm soy milk in small sauce pan to 110 F, then pour into a medium bowl. Add active dry yeast and whisk gently. Then add coconut sugar and gently whisk again. Set aside for five minutes to activate the yeast.

4.) After yeast activates, add flour, yeast mixture and Earth Balance to the stand-up mixer bowl affixed with a dough hook. Turn on the stand up mixer at a low speed to begin to incorporate.

5.) After it is not so wet, add the salt and increase the speed to medium-high.

6.) Let the mixer knead until dough is shiny, elastic-y and pulling away from the bowl, about 5-10 minutes. If it is too dry, add some water until it forms a ball around the dough hook.

7.) After, remove dough off the hook and scoop all onto a lightly floured surface. Gentle manipulate dough into a rectangle with your hands. This will make it much more easy to roll out later on.

8.) Lightly oil a glass casserole pan and place dough inside. Spray some plastic wrap then cover with the oiled side inside. Set aside somewhere warm to rise until doubled, about an hour.

Second Proof

9.) Prepare a loaf tin by lightly greasing all sides. Then cut parchment sheets to line the interiors allowing some overhang to help with pulling the loaf out.

10.) Clear a large working space and dust with flour. Then flour your rolling pin.

11.) Place dough onto floured surface and stretch the rectangle, lengthening the dough with your fingers. Then use your rolling pin. You want to create a large rectangle with a thickness of 1/4 inch.

12.) Once the dough is to thickness, you may trim any uneven sides if you are all neat like that. Spread the purple sweet potato filling onto the dough. Leave about 1/4″ of one long side of dough clear of the filling. This will help seal the dough once you roll it. I should follow my own advice, but I was so eager an pleased to spread the beautiful purple about the dough.

13.) Now the all-important roll! Roll the dough carefully and slowly from the long side, opposite the filling-less side. Roll as tightly as you can to create the most layers.

14.) Once rolled, pull the dough log a little in both directions to seal layers. Then cut the dough in half lengthwise, leaving dough connected at one end.

15.) Now the beautiful part: Braid the dough. While you are braiding twist dough so you can have that those beautiful layers showing on top. It’s easier to see this process in a video.

16.) Once you’re done, carefully place in prepared loaf pan. Now it is ready to sit for a second proof. You can leave the loaf at room temperature for 1-2 hours until dough has doubled.

After second proof:

Almost Done! Bake & Garnish

17.) Once doubled in size, bake in an oven preheated to 325 F for 45 minutes. To test for doneness, remove loaf tin from oven, pull out loaf and tap its bottom. If it is firm and hollow-sounding, it’s done!

18.) Remove from pan immediately so condensation doesn’t moisten it and allow to cool for 10 minutes while you are preparing the sugar glaze and icing (optional).

1/4 granulated sugar

1/4 water

19.) Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat while stirring to dissolve sugar. Once it’s boiling take off the heat and set aside while you make the icing.

1/2 cup confectionary sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp soy milk

20.) Prepare icing by mixing all ingredients until smooth. Add more soy milk if it’s too lumpy.

21.) Brush on sugar glaze onto babka’s surface. It absorbs so spoon it on liberally. After, drizzle the glaze onto top of Babka, but don’t cover up the swirl completely!

22.) Optional–Sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles and allow to set. And you’re done!