Orange-Flavored Easter Cake

Ingredients

Sugar 0.75 cups

Flour 500 g

Milk 1 cup

Eggs 4

Butter 120 g

Yeast 2 tsp

Salt 0.5 tsp

Raisins 50 g

Candied fruit 80 g

Orange juice 2 tbsp

Orange zest 1 tbsp

Icing sugar 80 g

Dissolve a tablespoon of sugar and yeast in warm milk. Gradually add about 150-200 grams of sifted flour, stir to avoid lumps, cover with a clean towel, and place the dough in a warm place.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Refrigerate the whites. Whisk the yolks with the sugar. Melt the butter and cool. When the dough has doubled in size, add the egg yolks beaten with sugar (reserve one yolk for brushing), melted butter (cooled to body temperature), salt, vanilla sugar, or vanillin, and mix well.

Whisk the chilled egg whites until foamy. Carefully fold in the egg whites and remaining flour. Mix with a mixer fitted with a screw attachment (special dough hooks) until air bubbles appear in the dough. This means the dough has been sufficiently oxygenated and you can stop mixing.

The dough should not be too thick, but it should be well-kneaded and should easily pull away from the sides of the bowl (the consistency is thinner than pie dough, but thicker than pancake dough). Cover the dough and place it in a warm place to rise.

When the dough has risen, add the raisins, candied fruit, zest, and orange juice and mix again. Place the dough into prepared small molds (you can make one large kulich) and let it rise again. For a fluffier kulich, fill the mold 1/3 full; for a denser kulich, fill it 1/2 full.

Bake the kulich at 180°C for 40-60 minutes (depending on the size of the kulich).

Carefully remove the finished kulich from the mold (be careful not to break it) and place it on its side on a towel-lined pillow or bed. Cover with a towel and turn it periodically until the kulich has cooled.

After cooling, you can top the kulich with whipped egg whites and powdered sugar and decorate it to your liking.

Enjoy!