Growing up in Croatia, Easter morning always started the same way. My family would carry a basket of food to church for blessing: ham, eggs, horseradish, and right in the center, a fresh pinca still warm from the oven. That bread was the first thing we ate when we got home. It is Easter. As much a part of it as the liturgy itself, and every household has a version they swear is the right one.
Pinca is a sweet enriched dough scented with lemon and orange zest, and my version folds in dried cranberries soaked in fresh orange juice. The crumb is soft and slightly brioche-like. It tears apart easily. I score a cross into the top before baking, which is traditional, and brush the surface with egg wash so it comes out a deep golden brown. It takes patience, about two hours from start to oven, but the actual hands-on work is short.
How to Make Croatian Easter Cake (Pinca)
Prepare the Dough and Let It Rise
Combine 7g (2 tsp) active dry yeast with 1 teaspoon sugar and 150ml (5 oz) warm milk. Wait 5 minutes until it foams. 
Sift 500g (5 cups) flour into a large bowl and mix in 100g (1/2 cup) sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, the zest of 1 lemon, and the zest of half an orange. Add 100g (7 tbsp) melted butter, 2 eggs, and the yeast mixture. Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Drain the cranberries that have been soaking in orange juice for an hour and fold them in. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled.
Shape and Bake
Preheat your oven to 175C (350F). Punch down the dough and shape it into one round loaf or divide it into smaller buns.
Score a cross on top if you like. Brush with beaten egg. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until deep golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let it cool on a wire rack before tearing into it.
How to Make Croatian Easter Cake (Pinca)
Prepare the Dough and Let It Rise
Combine 7g (2 tsp) active dry yeast with 1 teaspoon sugar and 150ml (5 oz) warm milk. Wait 5 minutes until it foams.
Sift 500g (5 cups) flour into a large bowl and mix in 100g (1/2 cup) sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, the zest of 1 lemon, and the zest of half an orange. Add 100g (7 tbsp) melted butter, 2 eggs, and the yeast mixture. Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Drain the cranberries that have been soaking in orange juice for an hour and fold them in. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled.
Shape and Bake
Preheat your oven to 175C (350F). Punch down the dough and shape it into one round loaf or divide it into smaller buns.
Score a cross on top if you like. Brush with beaten egg. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until deep golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let it cool on a wire rack before tearing into it.
Easter in Croatia and traditional Easter cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 1 large loaf or several buns 1x
Description
This traditional Croatian Easter cake, known as pinca, is a sweet, citrus-infused bread enriched with cranberries, perfect for celebrating the holiday.
Ingredients
- 5 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (7 g) active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 7 tbsp (100 g) butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1/2 orange
- 5 oz (150 ml) warm milk
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- Juice of 1 orange
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 egg, for egg wash
Instructions
- Combine the active dry yeast with 1 teaspoon of sugar and 150 ml of warm milk. Let it rise for 5 minutes until foamy.
- In a separate bowl, combine the dried cranberries with the juice of 1 orange and let them soak for 1 hour.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour and add the granulated sugar, salt, and lemon and orange zests. Mix well.
- Add the melted butter, eggs, and the yeast mixture to the flour mixture. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
- Drain the cranberries and fold them into the dough until evenly distributed.
- Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down and shape it into a round loaf or divide it into smaller portions for buns.
- Place the shaped dough onto the prepared baking sheet. If desired, cut a cross on the top of the loaf as a symbol of Christianity.
- Beat 1 egg and brush it over the top of the dough for a shiny finish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
For a more decorative look, you can braid the dough instead of shaping it into a loaf. Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can substitute dried cranberries with raisins if preferred. Ensure the dough rises in a warm, draft-free area for the best results.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pinca and how is it different from other Easter breads?
Pinca is a Croatian sweet bread served specifically at Easter, similar to Italian colomba or Greek tsoureki but with its own character. It leans heavily on citrus zest and has a tighter, more cake-like crumb than most enriched holiday breads.
Can I use raisins instead of cranberries in this pinca recipe?
Raisins are actually more traditional. Cranberries are my preference because I like the slight tartness against the sweet dough, but golden raisins soaked in orange juice work just as well.
How should I store Croatian Easter cake?
Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that, slice and toast it; it crisps up nicely with a bit of butter. You can also freeze the whole loaf, wrapped tightly, for up to a month.
A friend of mine told me he made Croatian Easter Sausage, of which I never heard of, so I looked it up online.
That’s how I came across your cake recipe, by looking at different Croatian recipes. Your recipe sounds divine.
I am taking a tour of Croatia, Slovenia and the Adriatic Coast in the Fall.
This will be my first time in Croatia. After reading about all these different Croatian recipes, I can’t wait to go, so I can try your native food.
I am looking for a recipe for Nadif. My grandma lived in Croatia but near the Slovenian border. We always had this on holidays. If you found the recipe, would you please share it with me?
Do you have a recipe for Nadif? A stuffing that my grandma made with lots of eggs. We always had it on holidays, but certainly on Easter