The tall, cylindrical Russian Easter bread traditionally topped with icing and colorful sprinkles is kulich.
Kulich is a sweet, enriched yeast bread associated with Easter in Russia and other Eastern European Orthodox communities. It is baked in a tall cylindrical mold, then often covered with white icing and decorated with colored sugar or sprinkles. The crumb may contain raisins, candied fruit, spices, or citrus flavor.
After baking, kulich may be taken to church for blessing before it is eaten. Families commonly serve slices with paskha, a separate sweet cheese preparation that can be molded into a pyramid shape. The two foods are linked in the Easter meal but are not the same dish.
Kulich is sometimes mistaken for Greek tsoureki or Romanian pasca because all are Easter breads. Their shapes, recipes, and regional traditions differ.