Baba Au Alcohol Free Cake

This is a yeast cake, baked golden brown and then soaked in some vanilla and citrus flavors.  Tastes great when served with a dollop of whipped cream. You can also add some fresh or dried fruits on top as well.

Ingredients

1/4 c. hot tap water
1 pkg dry yeast, or 2 1/4 tsp.
1/4 c. sugar
3 eggs (room temperature)
1/2 c. milk, warmed
3/4 stick butter or margarine, softened
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 to 2 1/4 c. flour
1 c. raisins

Syrup

1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. orange juice
1 Tbs. vanilla or rum flavoring
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Directions

Set oven temperature to 350°.  Generously grease and flour a 2-quart ring mold or bundt pan.

In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, and sugar.  Let stand for 10 minutes in a warm location until the mixture blooms or becomes bubbly.

Add eggs, milk, butter, salt and 1-cup flour.  Beat well with a wooden spoon, or beat on high speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until the batter is smooth. 

Stir in enough additional flour to make a thick batter. The mixture should be smooth and all the flour incorporated into the batter.

Stir in the raisins. 

Cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap and place in a warm location until bubbly.  This takes about 1 hour. 

Stir down the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared bundt pan or ring mold. Smooth the top of the batter, so it is evenly distributed in the pan.  Cover the pan with a sheet of plastic wrap and place for about 30 minutes.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown.  As the cake is baking, prepare the syrup.

In a saucepan, combine sugar and water.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves. Remove from heat.

Stir in orange juice, vanilla extract and nutmeg.  

Remove the cake from the oven when the cake is done. Immediately prick the surface of the cake with a fork. 

Slowly pour the Syrup over the cake.  After the syrup's absorbed into the cake, remove the cake from the pan.

Notes

If you want a Baba Au Rum cake, change the vanilla to rum in the syrup.