To make the cake, dissolve the yeast in the milk. Put 2 cups of the flour in the bowl of a large mixer with the heavy-duty stirrer known as the paddle. Add the yeast mixture and mix for about 15 minutes or until well incorporated to make the sponge. Let the sponge rest in the bowl, covered, for about an hour, or until it doubles in volume.

To the sponge add the sugar, the remaining flour, salt, eggs or egg yolks, vanilla, and the orange and lemon zests. Using the paddle, work the ingredients for 10 minutes on medium speed until all the ingredients are incorporated. Melt the butter, cool slightly, and add in a very slow stream until it is completely worked into the dough. Continue mixing for another 3 to 4 minutes. The dough will be very soft. Leave the dough in the bowl, covered, until doubled in volume, about another hour.

Flour your hands, punch down the dough, divide it into 3 pieces, and place on lightly floured parchment paper on a tray, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight or until cold enough to handle.

The next day, blanch the raisins in boiling water for a minute or two, drain, then place in a small bowl with 4 tablespoons of the rum or enough to cover, and set aside while preparing the other fillings.

To make the almond filling, place the almond paste in a food processor with the steel blade, and soften it by pulsing on and off. Then add the butter, the sugar, the egg, the remaining tbsp of rum, and the vanilla. Pulse to incorporate. Then add the almonds and process until finely chopped. Set aside in a bowl.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Cool slightly.

To make the streusel, use your fingers to mix the 1/4 cup sugar, the flour, half the butter, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and the vanilla into a crumblike texture. Set aside.

Dust the board with flour. Shape 1 piece of the dough with your hands into a rough oblong, adding more flour if needed, and roll out into a rectangle about 13 x 6 inches, 1/4 inch thick.

Spoon on one-third of the almond filling, then, using a plastic spatula, spread one-third of the chocolate filling thinly over the dough, leaving about a 1/2 border. Sprinkle on a third of the rum-soaked raisins and finally approximately a third of the remaining 4 teaspoons sugar combined with the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon (both listed under Streusel). Brush the top and side border with the final egg mixed with the tbsp water to help seal. Repeat with the other 2 pieces of dough.

To assemble the babkas, roll up each piece of dough like a jelly roll, starting from the short end. Twist the rolled-up dough around and around to form a spiral, then place in 3 separate greased loaf or tiny Bundy pans. To form a large circular babka, place 2 pieces of the twisted dough into a greased bundt pan, joining them at the ends. Brush the top with the remaining 1/2 stick softened butter. Sprinkle two-thirds of the streusel mixture over the loaves. Let the babkas rise until the dough starts to fall over the top of the pan, about I hour. Sprinkle again with the remaining streusel.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the babkas for 45 minutes, or until the streusel is golden brown and the dough slightly hard to the touch.