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Poppy Seed Cake

Do you love poppy seeds? You’ll adore this luxurious poppy seed cake with two types of frosting—it tastes amazing and looks stunning. The combination of a delicate butter-poppy frosting, a light and fresh cream cheese frosting, juicy apples, and crunchy walnuts creates a harmonious flavor that the whole family will love. Despite its elegant appearance, it’s straightforward to make—just follow the step-by-step instructions, and even baking beginners will succeed.

Perfect for special occasions, celebrations, or simply a Sunday coffee treat—this cake always disappears fast!

Baking time: 35 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C)

Pan: 8-inch (20 cm) springform

Poppy Seed Sponge Cake Layers

Ingredients:

9 oz (250 g) unsalted butter (e.g. Kerry Gold, Plugrá, or Challenge)
6¾ oz (190 g) demerara sugar or 5¼ oz (150 g) granulated white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp Amaretto (optional sweet liqueur)
1¼ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour (UK/US/CA – can substitute with buckwheat flour)
1 tsp baking powder
6 large eggs (room temp)
7 oz (200 g) ground poppy seeds (e.g. Lust and Flavour, or Milata)
1 cup (250 ml) milk (whole)
1 cup (250 g) plain yogurt (e.g. Müller, Danone)
Optional: black food coloring for contrast between cake and cream.

Instructions:

Cream butter, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla until light and fluffy.

Gradually add flour with baking powder, poppy seeds, milk, and yogurt.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, and gently fold them into the batter by hand (do not use an electric mixer).

Divide evenly into two parchment-lined 8-inch cake pans.

Bake for 35 minutes at 350°F (180°C). Test with a toothpick.

Plum Jam + Rum

First, mix the plum jam with a little rum and gently warm it up to make it easier to spread. Then apply a thin layer onto the cake layers. This creates a protective barrier between the sponge and the cream filling, preventing the cake from soaking up moisture from the cream. The sponge stays nice and fluffy, while the cream remains smooth and moist. In addition, the cake gets a subtle fruity-rum note that beautifully complements the poppy seed flavor.

Butter-Poppy Frosting

Ingredients:

5 ¼ oz (150 g) granulated sugar
3 egg whites
10½ oz (300 g) unsalted butter (soft)
0.7 oz (20 g) ground poppy seeds (or 1.4 oz prepared mix)

Instructions:

In a double boiler, whisk the egg whites and sugar for 15–20 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens.

Remove from heat and whip until fluffy, white peaks form.

Fold in softened butter piece by piece, then stir in poppy seeds.

Fluffy Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients:

¾ cup (200 ml) heavy cream (minimum 30–35% fat; e.g. Anchor, Horizon, President)
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
6 oz (175 g) cream cheese (e.g. Philadelphia, Tillamook)
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions:

Preparation of Ingredients:

All ingredients should be well chilled – especially the whipping cream and cream cheese. This will make it easier to whip the cream and ensure it holds its shape. Using ingredients at the same temperature also prevents the cream from curdling.

Whip the Cream with Sugar
Pour the cream into a mixing bowl, add the sugar, and whip using a mixer—first at medium speed, then, as the cream begins to thicken, increase to high speed—until you reach a medium-stiff consistency. Be careful not to overwhip!

Add the Cheese and Lemon
To the whipped cream, add the cream cheese and lemon juice. Gently but thoroughly mix with a whisk until all ingredients are combined into a smooth and fluffy cream.

Chill

If using the cream as a cake filling, let it set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This will make it easier to spread and help it hold its shape.

Tips:

You can flavor the cream with vanilla or lime zest.
It works well as a filling for cakes, pavlova, cupcakes, or in dessert glasses with fruit.

Apple-Caramel Filling

Instructions:

1 large apple (e.g., Gala, Jonagold – juicy but not too soft)
50 g walnuts (roughly chopped)
15 g granulated sugar
Ground cinnamon (to taste, e.g., ¼–½ tsp)

Instructions:

Prepare the Ingredients:

Peel the apple, core it, and cut it into small cubes.

Roughly chop the walnuts.

Caramelize the Sugar:

Heat the granulated sugar in a dry pan over medium heat.

Let the sugar melt slowly – do not stir, just tilt the pan occasionally!

Let it caramelize until it reaches a golden caramel color.

Add the Apples:

Add the diced apples directly into the hot caramel and stir. The apples will release juice, the caramel will harden, but will then melt again and create a sauce.

Stir in the Walnuts:

Finally, stir in the roughly chopped walnuts.

Mix everything well and let it cool.

Flavoring:

Sprinkle with cinnamon (according to taste).

Continue sautéing for 3–5 minutes until the apples slightly soften but do not fall apart.

Tip:

You can also add a pinch of salt or a few drops of lemon juice for a more balanced taste.
This filling is excellent for pies, turnovers, cake layers, or just served over pancakes or porridge.

Assembling the Cake

Cut the chilled cake layers in half to get four layers, and spread each with a thin layer of plum jam diluted with rum and heated in a small saucepan.

Pipe a border of poppy seed buttercream around the edge of each layer using a piping bag to form a firm frame that will hold the filling inside.

In the center, spread the apple-caramel filling with walnuts and cover it with the cream cheese filling.

Place the second cake layer on top, spread with diluted jam, and repeat the process until all four layers are used.

Wrap the entire cake tightly with a cake collar to even out the edges and then freeze, or refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up.

Remove the cake collar from the cake. Spread the sides and top of the cake with a layer of poppy seed buttercream and smooth it with a spatula.

Wrap the entire cake tightly with a cake collar to even out the edges and then freeze, or refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up.

Tip:

Freezing:

If you need the cake for later, you can freeze it. However, it is essential to wrap it properly! Protecting the cake is crucial for maintaining quality, because otherwise, it may dry out or absorb unpleasant odors from the freezer, even if you can’t smell anything yourself.

Therefore, let it firm up first, then wrap it carefully in clingfilm, followed by aluminum foil, and finally another layer of clingfilm. Under the last layer of film, place a label with the name of the cake and the date it was frozen. If you have a suitable box, you can place the cake inside, but it is not strictly necessary, as the three layers of wrapping will protect it for a fairly long time. According to hygiene standards, the cake can be stored frozen this way for up to 2 months.

Defrosting should be done gradually – ideally overnight in the fridge, to avoid the cake becoming soggy.