By Brandie Majeau
Every Easter season, kitchens across Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, and other
Slavic nations fill with the warm, sweet aroma of two time-honored breads: Paska and
Babka. Though often confused — or used interchangeably, these two Easter breads
each carry their own rich history, distinct character, and deep cultural meaning.
Paska is the more ceremonial of the two. A large, round loaf with roots in the
Byzantine Empire and the traditions of Eastern Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholicism,
Paska is made from a rich, fluffy dough lightly sweetened with milk, butter, eggs, flour,
and sugar. What sets it apart is its elaborate decoration: intricate dough ornaments
adorn its surface, with a cross as the central motif — a symbol of abundance and divine
blessing.
In Ukraine, the bread plays a starring role in one of the favourite Easter rituals.
On Holy Saturday, families fill woven baskets with Easter eggs (pysanky), paska,
sausage, butter, salt, and other ceremonial foods and bring them to church. After the
Easter morning liturgy and the blessing of the basket, families return home to break
their Lenten fast with the sacred meal.
Babka tells a different story and it begins with its name. In Ukrainian, “baba”
means grandmother, and “babka” is its affectionate diminutive. The name is said to nod
to the bread’s tall, round, skirt-like silhouette, which some say resembles a
grandmother’s full skirt. Where Paska is round and ornate, Babka is tall, airy, and sweet.
Richer than its counterpart, it often features dried fruit, nuts, and flavourings like
chocolate, cinnamon, or apple, topped with a glossy icing glaze. There are no dough
ornaments, Babka lets its dramatic height do the talking.
What is the secret to that height? The dough is so light and airy that it triples in
size during baking, requiring a tall container to support its spectacular rise. Traditionally
baked in cylindrical European molds, Babka found an unlikely new baking pan once
immigrants found their way to the western world…that of the humble coffee can.
When Eastern European immigrants brought Babka to new shores, they adapted
with remarkable resourcefulness. The cylindrical shape of 1- or 2-pound coffee cans
proved functionally perfect for the dough’s dramatic upward rise, and during the Great
Depression, when nothing was wasted, the tradition of baking Babka in coffee cans was
born. Bakers would fill the cans only one-third of the way, allowing the dough room to
triple and crown above the rim in its signature shape. It was a thrifty, practical solution
that happened to work beautifully and the coffee can Babka became a tradition in its
own right.
While Paska and Babka are distinct in form and function, the line between them
blurs depending on region and family custom. In Western Ukraine and other parts of
Eastern Europe, Babka is considered more of an everyday bread, while Paska is strictly
reserved for Easter. Elsewhere, the two names are used interchangeably, passed down
through generations with as much variation as the families who bake them. However,
both breads represent the same thing, the joy of Easter, the warmth of tradition, and the
enduring power of food to connect to one’s heritage, one fragrant, golden loaf at a time.