Page "Babka (cake)" Paragraph 6

The Polish and Belarusian noun babka and the Belarusian, Ukrainian, and Russian baba means " grandmother ," and as applied to the pastry probably refer to its shape, a tall cylinder, sometimes with corrugations resembling a skirt ’ s pleats.

The name of the pastry entered the English language from Polish, via French, although " babka " is also sometimes used in its original sense (" grandmother "), especially among those of Eastern European descent.