Fluffy no-knead cake

I made this no-knead sweet bread for the first time about a week before Christmas to see how it turned out. I loved how simple it is and how much effort it saves. I repeated it for Christmas, and the only time it cracked was when I added too much filling. Other than that, it rose beautifully, wasn’t dry, and sliced well. Before I start, I take all the ingredients out to reach room temperature. Otherwise, it won’t rise properly.

Quick info

Total time: about 3 hours
Preparation: 60 minutes (including rising time)
Baking: 40-50 minutes
Servings: 2 large sweet breads
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: dessert, holidays (Christmas, Easter)

Ingredients

1 kg all-purpose flour or special flour for sweet bread
42 g fresh yeast
5 eggs
1 egg for brushing
400 g sugar
100 g butter (80% fat)
5 tablespoons oil
400 ml lukewarm milk
Zest of one lemon
Zest of one orange
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
400 g chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons raisins
8-10 pieces of colored Turkish delight
A splash of rum essence
A pinch of salt
1 packet vanilla sugar (for sprinkling on top)

Preparation method

1. Take all the ingredients out of the fridge a few hours before, so they are at room temperature.

2. Separate the 5 eggs. Beat the egg whites until frothy with half of the sugar (200 g). Mix this foam with the walnuts and cocoa powder — this will be the filling.

3. Sift the flour into a large bowl.

4. Make a well in the center of the flour. Add the yeast, 2 tablespoons of sugar (from the total), and the lukewarm milk. Let the yeast activate for about 10 minutes, until it starts to bubble.

5. Meanwhile, melt the butter and let it cool.

6. Once the yeast has doubled in volume, add the egg yolks, the remaining sugar, lemon and orange zest, rum essence, a little salt, oil, and the melted butter (it should be just warm). Mix everything with a spoon or spatula until all the flour is incorporated and a homogeneous, elastic dough forms. The dough doesn’t need to be kneaded, just mixed well.

7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour. The dough should visibly increase in size.

8. Grease your hands with oil and divide the dough into four equal parts. Flatten each piece with your palms, forming rectangular sheets.

9. Spread the walnut and cocoa filling over each sheet. Sprinkle the raisins and add the chopped Turkish delight pieces.

10. Roll each piece up, then twist two rolls together to create two braided sweet breads.

11. Place each sweet bread in a greased and floured baking pan.

12. Let the pans rise for another hour at room temperature.

13. Beat the egg separately and brush the sweet breads. Sprinkle vanilla sugar on top.

14. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake the sweet breads for 40-50 minutes. Check them after 40 minutes to prevent drying out. They are done when they turn golden and pass the toothpick test.

15. Remove them from the oven, let them rest in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Why I make this recipe often

It doesn’t require kneading, and the result remains fluffy and fragrant. It’s efficient for busy days, especially when you need multiple sweet breads. It keeps well and doesn’t harden quickly.

Tips and variations

Tips

- Don’t use hot milk or butter. You risk killing the yeast.
- If you add too much filling, the sweet bread may crack on the surface.
- Make sure the ingredients are at room temperature — it really matters for rising.

Substitutions

- You can replace walnuts with hazelnuts or a mix of almonds if you have nothing else on hand.
- If you don’t have Turkish delight, leave it out or add more raisins.

Variations

- Add a bit of cinnamon to the filling if you want a different flavor.
- You can add small pieces of chocolate to the filling for a richer texture.

Serving ideas

- Slice thickly, pairs well with milk or coffee.
- You can serve it plain or dusted with sugar.

Frequently asked questions

1. Do I have to use fresh yeast?
Not necessarily, but I haven’t tried it with dry yeast. If you switch, check the packet for equivalence and adjust accordingly.

2. Can I put the filling directly on the dough without beating the egg whites with sugar?
Theoretically yes, but the texture won’t be as light and airy.

3. What if I don’t have a large sweet bread pan?
You can use two smaller pans or loaf tins, just make sure to grease and flour them well.

4. If I’ve never made sweet bread before, what should I watch out for?
Don’t rush the rising, don’t overheat the liquids, and don’t add too much filling.

5. Can the sweet bread be frozen?
Yes, it can be frozen either sliced or whole, after it has cooled completely.

Nutritional values

Approximately, for a medium slice (about 70 g):
Calories: 270-320 kcal
Protein: 6-8 g
Carbohydrates: 42-45 g
Fats: 8-10 g
Values are approximate and depend on how much filling you actually use and the thickness of the slices.

Storage and reheating

The sweet bread lasts 3-4 days at room temperature, wrapped in a cloth or foil. It doesn’t dry out quickly, but after 2-3 days you can warm the slices for a few seconds in the microwave or a few minutes in the oven if you want them softer. I don’t recommend storing it in the fridge, as it hardens. If there’s a lot left, you can freeze it.

 Ingredients: 1 kg flour type 000 or special for sweet bread, 42 g fresh yeast Dr.Oetker, 5 eggs + one for greasing the sweet breads, 400 g sugar, 100 g butter 80% fat, 5 tablespoons oil, 400 ml warm milk, grated zest of one lemon and one orange, 4 tablespoons cocoa, 400 g chopped walnuts, 2 tablespoons raisins, 8-10 pieces of colored Turkish delight, one bottle of rum essence, a pinch of salt, one sachet of vanilla sugar for sprinkling on top of the sweet breads.

 Tags:  fluffy cozonac no-knead sweet bread sweet bread recipe