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1
Stir together yeast and water in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
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2
(If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
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3
Heat milk with 6 tablespoons butter and granulated sugar over low heat, stirring, until mixture is warm (105 to 115F), butter is melted, and sugar is dissolved.
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4
Sift together flour and salt into bowl of standing mixer.
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5
Make a well in flour and add yeast mixture.
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6
Add warm milk in a slow stream, mixing at low speed with paddle attachment.
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7
Increase speed to medium and beat in eggs 1 at a time, then beat in raisins and zest.
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8
Continue to beat until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
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9
(Dough will be very sticky.)
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10
Butter kugelhopf mold with remaining tablespoon butter.
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11
Put 1 almond in each depression in bottom of mold (the almonds are only decorative; you can skip them altogether if your mold has no depressions), then scrape spoonfuls of dough evenly into mold (dough will be very elastic).
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12
Cover top of mold with oiled plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a warm place until it fills pan, about 2 hours.
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13
Preheat oven to 400F.
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14
Remove towel from kugelhopf and gently peel off plastic wrap.
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15
Bake kugelhopf in middle of oven 15 minutes, then loosely cover mold with foil and continue to bake until golden and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes more.
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16
Cool in pan 2 minutes, then invert cake onto a rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
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17
Dust with confectioners sugar.
