Czech bábovka is a classic cake with an elegant shape and old-world charm. Slice it open, and you will find a beautiful marbled pattern, unique in every piece. I am here with a trusted recipe made with whisked eggs and oil, passed down to me by a seasoned Czech chef with years of experience.
I completely updated this Czech cocoa marbled bábovka recipe in May 2025. The original version from 2021 used yougurt / sour cream in the batter, and you can grab it here (PDF format, ready to print).
➜ Bábovka's backstory and a taste of what is to come
This beloved dessert dates back to the days when the Czech lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Bábovka was once served in Viennese cafés before making its way to Moravia and Bohemia as a refined treat. Today, it remains a weekend favorite in many Czech homes.
Bábovka is a round cake with a hole in the center, usually dusted with powdered sugar to highlight its graceful shape. Along with a good recipe, you will also need a special-though now easily available-bundt pan or mold to make it.
There are countless bábovka recipes across the Czech Republic, but after many trials, I have happily settled on one that is simple enough for home bakers and results in a wonderfully moist cake-known as "Olejová bábovka" (oil bábovka). The light batter is marbled with cocoa, adding a touch of character to every slice. Give it a try. You will not be disappointed!
→ Love bábovka bundt cakes? Be sure to try my other recipes for walnut bábovka and bábovka with a poppy seed filling!
➜ Ingredients for homemade bábovka
✅ See the recipe below with step-by-step photos and many helpful tips. Scroll down for the full printable recipe in both US cups and metric measurements.
- Eggs - at room temperature. Take them out of the refrigerator about an hour in advance. If you forget, place them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
- All-purpose flour - or plain flour. In the Czech Republic, I use so-called hladká mouka. Read my article about all-purpose flour in the Czech Republic
- Powdered sugar - whipping fine sugar with eggs creates a delicate, airy mixture that forms the base of a light and fluffy cake.
- Vanilla extract - for more flavor
- Baking powder
- Milk - at room temperature
- Oil - sunflower or canola oil. Both are neutral in flavor and ideal for baking.
- Unsweetened dark cocoa powder, plus a little milk to loosen the batter.
- Powdered sugar - to dust a baked cake before serving
- To prepare a bundt pan: Solid fat (Crisco, lard, butter) and fine, plain breadcrumbs are ideal for greasing and coating the bábovka pan. If you are in the US, Wondra flour-a slightly coarse type-is a good alternative to breadcrumbs. You can also use a small amount of all-purpose or plain flour.
➜ Kitchen equipment
- Bábovka bundt pan / mold (affiliate link) - The basic recipe yields a larger bábovka cake. I used a large 15-cup (3.6 liter) glass pan from the Czech brand Simax and I highly recommend it! The cake bakes evenly and pops out of the pan with ease. No sticking, no crumbling, no pan-flipping drama. Just a perfect bábovka, holding its beautiful shape!
- Electric mixer with whisk attachments (affiliate link)
- Rubber spatula (affiliate link) for better handling of batter
➜ Instructions
The instructions include detailed step-by-step guidance, helpful tips, and process photos. If you prefer a concise version, scroll down to the printable recipe card.
Before you start, gather all the ingredients listed in the recipe. Measure - or better yet, weigh - the exact amounts. Set out all the necessary kitchen tools on your work surface. French chefs call this method mise en place, everything in its place. It saves time, reduces stress, and makes cooking or baking much more enjoyable. 😊
NOTE: Do not forget to take the eggs and milk out of the refrigerator in advance, so they have time to come to room temperature!
STEP 1: Grease the pan
Melt the fat in a small pot. Use a pastry brush to thoroughly grease a bábovka pan. Sprinkle fine breadcrumbs into the pan, then shake and tilt it to coat all sides evenly. Tap the pan lightly on the work surface to remove any excess breadcrumbs.
Read this similar method on how to grease and flour a bundt cake
STEP 2: Preheat the oven
Set the oven to 320°F (160°C) for a fan oven, or 340°F (170°C) for upper and lower heat.
STEP 3: Prepare the batter
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with powdered sugar and vanilla until the mixture is light and fluffy. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment.
Start at low speed to gently break up the eggs, then gradually add the powdered sugar. Increase the speed and beat for about 5 minutes, until the mixture lightens and becomes airy.
STEP 4: Add dry and wet ingredients
Sift the flour with the baking powder into a separate bowl. While mixing on low speed, gradually add it to the egg mixture, alternating with the milk and oil. Be sure to add the ingredients in portions, not all at once.
STEP 5: Make the cocoa batter
Pour off about one-third of the batter into another bowl. Stir in the cocoa powder and one tablespoon of milk until fully combined.
STEP 6: Layer the batter
Pour half of the light batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the cocoa batter on top, then finish with the remaining light batter.
TIP: A rubber spatula (affiliate link) helps a lot when scraping batter from the sides of the bowl.
Elevate the bábova pattern: simple swirls and layers
- If you want a more decorative pattern, poke the layered batter in a few spots with a skewer and gently pull it through. Or give it a light swirl in several places to create a more sophisticated marbled effect.
- For a zebra-like effect, layer the batter in five alternating layers-starting and ending with the light one. Pour a small amount of light batter into the prepared pan, then add a layer of dark, followed by light, dark, and finish with light again.
STEP 7: Bake
Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour. To check for doneness, insert a wooden skewer into the center of the cake-it should come out clean, with no wet batter. If raw dough sticks to the skewer, bake for another 10 minutes and test again.
⇢ Learn how to tell when my bundt cake is done
The exact baking time for a bundt cake depends on the type of pan you use.
Glass and metal pans conduct heat well, so the cake will bake through within the usual time. Heavier stoneware or cast iron pans may require an additional 10 to 15 minutes, as heat penetrates these materials more slowly. Always check for doneness with a wooden skewer, as described above.
The middle of the cake usually puffs up during baking-no need to panic, this is completely normal. If the rise keeps the cake from standing flat on a tray, simply trim off the bump. Give that extra piece to whoever helped the most. It makes a perfect little reward!
STEP 7: Cool and unmold
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Wearing oven gloves (affiliate link), carefully turn the bábovka out onto a wire rack or wooden board.
Bábovka stuck in the pan? Try this trick
Thoroughly greasing and coating the pan is essential to help the cake release easily. If the cake does not come out right away, try this: soak a dish towel in cold water, wring it out, and place it over the hot, upside-down pan. Let it sit for 5 minutes-the steam should help loosen the cake from the sides of the pan.
➜ Serving
Dust the cooled bábovka with powdered sugar just before serving. Some people like to drizzle it with melted chocolate or add another glaze, but we Czechs usually keep it simple-a light dusting of sugar lets the beautiful shape shine.
Slice the cake into wedges and serve it with a cup of coffee or tea-it makes a perfect little treat. It is also great as a quick sweet snack when you need something comforting.
The cake looks so lovely that it deserves a spot right in the middle of the table, whether you are hosting family, entertaining friends, or heading to a potluck. It is a delicious way to show off a bit of Czech baking magic!
➜ How to store
- At room temperature: To properly store a bábovka, allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or place it in a cake dome or airtight container. Keep it at room temperature in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days. For a longer shelf life, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: The cake also freezes well. Wrap individual slices (or the whole cake) tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, let the cake thaw at room temperature-no need to reheat unless you prefer it slightly warm.
➜ Watch a quick video of me slicing bábovka!
➜ Little tips for baking a better bábovka
- Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar only after it has completely cooled. If the cake is still warm, escaping steam will melt the sugar and spoil the finish.
- Bábovka is my go-to when I need a quick, no-fuss dessert. The eggs are beaten whole-no separating required-so the batter comes together in one bowl. Well, almost... you will need a smaller one for the cocoa swirl!
- This small detail makes a big difference: Bábovka is even moister the next day! While many baked desserts are best enjoyed fresh, this one breaks the rule. Bake it a day in advance-you will not be disappointed!
➜ Pronunciation
I have recorded a short audio clip about pronouncing the Czech word Bábovka. The first word in the audio is "Bábovka", and the second is "Mramorová bábovka," which means marble bundt cake.
More Czech desserts:
- Žemlovka - apple bread pudding
- Lívance - yeasted pancakes covered in cinnamon sugar
- Míša řezy - black & white sheet cake
- Poppy seed bundt cake - maková bábovka
- Walnut bundt cake - ořechová bábovka
Tried this recipe?
Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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📖 Recipe
Bábovka - Czech Bundt Cake
Tap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup milk at room temperature
- ¾ cup baking oil sunflower or canola oil
- 1 ½ Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoon milk to dilute cocoa batter
For preparing the bundt pan
- 1 Tablespoon solid fat Crisco, lard, unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons breadcrumbs fine (or Wondra flour, all-purspose flour)
Misc.:
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar to sprinkle on baked bábovka
Instructions
- Prepare the Pan: Melt 1 Tablespoon solid fat in a small pot. Using a pastry brush, thoroughly grease a bábovka (Bundt) pan. Sprinkle in 2 Tablespoons breadcrumbs, then shake and tilt the pan to coat all sides evenly. Tap out any excess by gently knocking the pan on the counter.
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to
320 °F for a fan oven or 
340 °F for a conventional oven (top and bottom heat). - Prepare the batter: In a large mixing bowl, beat 4 eggs with 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until the mixture is light and fluffy-about 5 minutes. Start on low speed to break up the eggs, then gradually add the sugar and increase to medium-high speed.
- In a separate bowl, sift together 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour and 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, alternating with 1 cup milk and ¾ cup baking oil. Mix just until combined.
- Make the cocoa batter: Pour about one-third of the batter into a separate bowl. Stir in 1 ½ Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 Tablespoon milk until smooth.
- Layer the batter in the pan: Pour half of the light batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the cocoa batter on top, then pour the remaining light batter over it. Do not mix-let the layers settle naturally.
- Bake the cake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour. Test for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer into the center-it should come out clean. If batter sticks to the skewer, bake for another 10 minutes and test again.
- Cool and unmold: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Carefully turn it out onto a wire rack or wooden board and allow it to cool completely. Before slicing sprinkle 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar on top.
Notes
- The basic recipe makes 18 pieces of bábovka.
- I used a large 15-cup (3.6 liter) glass pan for this recipe.
- The Czech name for this is "olejová bábovka" (bábovka cake made with oil).
- Highly recommended: Before you start, gather all the ingredients listed in the recipe. Measure-or better yet, weigh-the exact amounts. Set out all the necessary kitchen tools on your work surface. French chefs call this method mise en place, everything in its place. It saves time, reduces stress, and makes cooking or baking much more enjoyable.
- Baking time depends on the type of pan. Glass and metal pans bake the cake within the usual time, while heavier stoneware or cast iron may need 10-15 minutes longer. Always check doneness with a wooden skewer.
- Bábovka stuck in the pan? Try this: Greasing and coating the pan well is key. If the cake sticks, place a cold, damp dish towel over the hot, upside-down pan for 5 minutes. The steam will help release it.
- SERVING: Dust the completely cooled bábovka with powdered sugar just before serving. Then slice the cake into wedges and enjoy!
- STORAGE: Let the bábovka cool completely, then wrap it well or store in an airtight container. Keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap slices or the whole cake tightly and place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- This small detail makes a big difference: Bábovka is even moister the next day! While many baked desserts are best enjoyed fresh, this one breaks the rule. Bake it a day in advance-you will not be disappointed!
Nutritional estimate pro serving
Bábovka is an ideal treat for mornings; Czechs like to eat a slice of this bundt cake for breakfast!
Jitka says
Lovely cake, it looks delicous!
Petra says
Hello Jitka, happy you like this bábovka cake!
margarita says
came out Delicious! my first time making it. Everyone loved it!
Petra says
Ahoj Margarita, thanks a lot for your comment, and I’m happy you liked the bábovka recipe! 🙂
David says
I am glad I found your site. My grandmother and my mother are both deceased and I have had to figure out how my grandmother made all that delicious food by looking for Czech people online like you. I am in the Boston area and there are no restaurants anywhere near me that feature German or Slavic food. Staru, made a cake that featured crushed walnuts in the dough and chocolate chips and raisins, and it was a hard time finding how to make it. She called it babovka, which I thought was specific to her cake, but is apparently coffee cake. It’s like a Bundt cake, but it doesn’t have the scallop shapes, just big one piece straight all around with a hole in the middle.
Ingredients:
2 sticks butter (or margarine), melted
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour, divided into 2 cups
1 pint sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 teaspoons baking powder
10 ounces chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
enough extra flour to coat chips and nuts
confectioners sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Beat together melted butter and sugar with an electric mixer until golden. Add eggs and salt; beat thoroughly. Add two cups of flour and beat until incorporated.
Combine sour cream and vanilla in a bowl; then add to mixture and beat until golden. Add additional two cups of flour along with baking soda and baking powder. Beat thoroughly.
Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts until just incorporated.
Pour batter into an ungreased tube or bundt pan.
Bake for 60 minutes or until done. Let cool. Before serving, dust with confectioner's sugar.
Alexandra says
So delicious and moist, very easy to make. We are UK based but my partner is Czech and was very pleased with this! We shall be trying mote recipes x
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Hello Alexandra! Thank you for your comment, I am very happy your partner was satisfied! Greetings from the Czech republic.
Jana says
London calling!
How did you make this bábovka without the precise measurements can’t see any weights and guessing. 😆
Petra | Cook Like Czechs says
Hello Jana! The measurements are included in the recipe, but if you need them in the metric system, you can easily convert them.
At the top of the recipe in the ingredients section, there is a button to convert from cups to metric.
I hope that helps. Happy cooking 🙂
Sabrina Koleilat says
Petro, dekuji moc za recept! Dnes bude pect! Jsem moc rada, ze jsem vás našla! Happy New Year!
Petra says
Hello Sabrina, thanks a lot for your kind comment, I hope bábovka will turn great out. Moc zdravím a samozřejmě v novém roce i vám jen to dobré!
Radka says
Hello from Canada!
So happy I came across your website. It does not happen very often I'd be craving something but I did want to have babovka the other day! Your Babovka was a hit and will make it again. I appreciate that your recipe does not call for 6 eggs, 4 cups sugar and 2 cups oil if you know what I mean. 🙂 Take care and keep it up, best wishes from the Rockies.
Petra Kupská says
Ahoj Radka, what a nice comment, thank you!
I have heard that abroad cakes similar to Czech bábovka are made much sweeter, and the home cooks top them with various glazes or frostings. Czechs are advocates of simple recipes; they usually just dust the surface of the bábovka with icing sugar. I think it looks good that way and tastes just enough to have a sweet life still 🙂
Best wishes from North Bohemia, Petra
Chris says
I loved the old recipe. it was the perfect size for our old traditional glass Czech form.
Is there any chance of getting a copy.
love the website and we use it frequently
Bianca says
looks and smells great so far, cant wait to taste.
I was looking for a Bábovka recipe as I fondly remember the ones my Grandma and my Babi would make for me as a child. This is one of the recipes that I never leaned from them so am so grateful for your blog!
Petra Kupská says
Oh, thank you so much for such a sweet comment and for remembering your Grandma and Babi! I truly hope you enjoy the bábovka cake, and as we say: dobrou chuť!
kristena says
This is a fantastic recipe. I had written you a few months back to tell you how excited I am to find Czech recipes in English. You and your son did a great job!
For me, the recipe is perfect. However, my cooktime was less than recommended. I live at 2500 above sea level and used 340. It was done after 40 minutes for me. Maybe next time I will try 325.
Again, I appreciate these recipes. It makes me so happy..
Petra Kupská says
Hi Kristena, thank you for writing in again! Your comment made me happy and of course, I'll let my son know too, I'm sure your words will please him. I am surprised that altitude affects baking time - nature works wonders and we have to adapt 🙂 Anyway, I'm glad you had success with the bábovka cake and that your loved ones enjoyed it! Many greetings from the Czech Republic, Petra
kristena says
I'm making it again - I have found that 335 for 45 minutes is the trick. Also, I have one of those thick non-stick bundt pans, so that may impact baking time too.
Everyone loves this cake. My husband takes it to work and they asked for the recipe! Thanks again.
Petra Kupská says
Thank you very much for the feedback on the bábovka cake. It's true that a lot of seemingly little things affect the baking method or time. What is important is the result, which was a success, and that is the best praise for any home baker!
Milena Bartik says
Wow, I have never made or eaten such a fine(jemnou) babovku. That yogurt makes such a difference,
Petra Kupská says
Oh, thank you for such a lovely comment 🙂 You're right, and I can confirm that sour cream (or Greek yogurt) will ensure that the bábovka cake is soft and moist (not dry). I'm glad the bábovka cake was a success with you! ????
Milena Bartik says
Just a question, do you think that the yogurt would make a difference in gluten free(bezlepku) babovka? So far any gluten free baking from scratch was not success for me.
Sandy says
My husband’s cousin who recently passed away used to make something she called Babovka. She must have been using the wrong name because this is not at all what she made. Her’s was a poppy seed filled very light bread type roll shaped more like a strudel. Does this sound familiar to you? Do you know what the correct would be? I’m going to have to give this “real” babovka a try. It looks delicious.
Petra Kupská says
I suppose it could be either a classic poppy seed strudel or a sweet pastry made from yeast dough called "babka." The word babka is similar to the phrase bábovka. Babka pastry is a slice of yeasted dough, coated with a filling of ground poppy seeds (or chocolate, walnuts,...), then rolled and baked. Please try a google image search for the word "babka poppy seed," it might be what you are looking for. Otherwise, the classic Czech bábovka cake is baked in a particular mold (see recipe) and tastes wonderful 🙂 If you decide to give the bábovka a try, I'd love it if you'd post how it turned out. Best wishes, Petra
Andrea says
This babovka is delicious! Feels like “home”, thank you so much for the recipe 😉
Petra Kupská says
Thank you for your nice words, Andrea! 🙂
Christine says
My Gramma used to make this. Her ingredients were slightly different. She mixed by hand. Always stirring in the same direction. Stirring for a long time. I use to watch her make it. I actually wrote down the recipe as she made it. Since she passed, I have never made. Thank you so much for sharing.
Andrea De Jager says
Tried it yesterday and it came out fantastic! Just like my grandma's! Will make again soon. Thank you.
Petra Kupská says
Thanks a lot for your feedback, Andrea! Happy to hear that the Bábovka was a success with your family.
Petra Kupská says
Thanks for your comment, Christine. If you try this recipe, let me know how it turns out!
Helena Johnson says
Dobry den Patro, manzel nasel tvuj recept, ja mam formu - jsem z Plzne a je to stara Ceska forma - budu pect zitra, dnes vyrabim susenky. Ziji v Anglii uz 53 let, cesky mluvim s manzelem, on je Anglican. Moc mu chutna moje vareni a peceni. Jestli bys chtela, podivej se na muj blog
letitgrowblog.me
Petra Kupská says
Hezky den, Helenko, dekuji za mily komentar! Mate krasnou cestinu, na to, ze jste z Cech tak dlouho pryc. Babovku vyzkousejte, jen recept je na mensi formu. Pisu, protoze kazda forma je jinak velika. Z tveho blogu na me dycha pohoda, drzim moc palce pri tvorbe prispevku!
Diane says
Made your recipe for first time and it came out fantastic!!! Baked up perfectly and popped out of bundt pan like a champ! Lovely consistency and so light. Very mild flavor with just the vanilla extract. Was thinking of trying orange extract with zest next time to give a little flavor pop. Thank you for great recipe!! I am in USA but heritage is 50% Czechoslvakian.
Daniela says
No idem vyskusat, ja mam slovensky recept a neni to z tej all purpose flour to prave orechove. Dak si drzim palce, nesiem zajtra na pohostenie na meeting. Dakujem!
Petra Kupská says
DanielO, dekuji za komentar a budu rada, kdyz das vedet, jak se babovka povedla! S moukou muze byt problem. Pecu z ceske hladke, měla by nejvic odpovidat AP mouce v USA.
Erena says
Where in the world do you find 10% Greek yogurt? I have not seen that anywhere here in the USA. I have 2% yogurt and hope that will work.
Petra Kupská says
I'm from the Czech Republic, where 10% fat Greek yogurt is readily available. If you can't find 10% yogurt in your store, please try a light sour cream with a similar fat content instead.
Carol Lecian says
My grandmother made this cake and is my Mother's favorite of all the desserts my grandmother made. I'm so thrilled to have found this recipe (my grandmother never wrote it out for anyone). I'm going to surprise my Mother with this cake for Christmas.
Thank you, again!!!
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Hi Carol, thank you for your comment! I am happy to hear that - what a thoughtful idea! I hope your mother likes the surprise, please let me know afterwards! 🙂
Greetings from the Czech Republic.
Milena says
Ahoj Petro - I am a keen follower of your recipes and do have other cookery books. one item which is interesting that all babovkas separate the yolks and fold the whisked whites in the last mix.. I think all your recipes are super and am still waiting for the book which would make a great present for young aspiring czech cook especially living in a foreign country. Still hoping to meet you one day in Prague. srdecne zdravim Milena. I hope you have seen the film Jeden Zivot
Petra Kupská says
Ahoj Mileno, glad to read your nice words again! I also used to separate the yolks from the whites, but I found that if you beat whole eggs (that are at room temperature), you get a nice fluffy mixture. What surprises me is that most recipes call for baking powder anyway. I try to reduce the amount of it in my pastries. I know the movie Jeden Život was recently released. I haven't seen it yet, but I know that Sir Winton is closely associated with your life.
lynn says
Fabulous recipe, this cake is perfect in every way! Thank you for all your hard work.
Petra Kupská says
I am so glad the bábovka turned out well for you. Thank you, you're very kind!🙂
Joanne Rezac Scott says
Hi Petra...This bábovka looks so yummy, and I love making recipes that connect me to my father's ethnicity. Since my family is vegan and we don't eat eggs, I'm going to try making this using four ripe bananas in place of the four eggs. I substituted ripe bananas for eggs in a recent cake recipe you posted, and it worked out perfectly. I'll let you know how it works out with this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing so many wonderful Czech recipes.
Catherine says
I prefer the previous version of your recipe with 3 eggs and sour cream, etc. I have made that original recipe of your many times and it's always perfect!
klara says
i tried this updated recipe, but it’s only half as good as the previous one! so sad i didn’t save the original one with greek yogurt, that was fabulous! any chance you could send me the previous recipe please? 🙏
Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs says
I am so sorry, I don't believe I have the previous one anymore. If I happen to find it again the I will let you know.
For the time being you could try walnut bundt cake it has a yogurt in it. So it might fit your tastes better. 🙂
https://www.cooklikeczechs.com/walnut-bundt-cake/#recipe
Zoey says
Hi I am going to try and make this for a school project and had a quick question. I was wondering if there was a specific type of breadcrumbs or if it was optional. I only have panko bread crumbs and was unsure if I was able to use them?