Kulich is the centerpiece of the Orthodox Easter table — a rich, sweet yeasted bread baked once a year, which is part of why it feels so celebratory. Unlike everyday baking, kulich dough is enriched with a generous amount of eggs and butter, which makes it wonderfully tender but also a bit more demanding to work with.

The real secret to a good kulich is patience during proofing. Enriched dough with this much fat rises more slowly than a plain loaf, so there’s no rushing it — the dough needs to fully double at each of its two rises, or the finished kulich comes out dense rather than the light, airy texture it’s meant to have.

Tossing the raisins and candied fruit in a little flour before folding them in helps them stay evenly distributed instead of sinking to the bottom during baking. It’s also worth filling the molds only about a third full with dough — between proofing and baking, it will rise several times over, and an overfilled mold means the dough spills over the top.

The classic white glaze, made from just powdered sugar and lemon juice, isn’t only decorative — its light tartness balances the sweetness of the enriched dough. It should go on only once the kulich has cooled completely, or it will run off instead of setting into a neat cap.

Traditionally, kulichi are baked on Maundy Thursday or Holy Saturday, ready to be blessed at church and shared on Easter Sunday alongside dyed eggs and paskha, the sweet cheese dessert often served alongside it. Wrapped in a clean towel, kulich keeps well and stays soft for several days.