Poppyseed Cake - Blue Monday

Poppyseed Cake with Sour Cream Glaze


Photo courtesy of Little Orange Kitchen

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This lovely European-style cake was brought to the prairies of the United States by immigrants and refugees from Central Europe. I discovered the recipe in an old Farm Journal Cookbook and was surprised to find it there, only because it's not as sweet as the cakes they usually feature. That's not to say it's not delicious. I love poppyseeds and any dessert or bread made with them. I will, however, never understand how the import and sale of Sichuan peppercorns could be banned for years in our country while the sale of poppyseeds was allowed to continue. Interesting, no? The only part of the opium poppy that can be imported here is its seed. It's completely legal to import, sell and buy them, but once you plant them you become a drug lord. That doesn't compute, at least in this old brain. Now, I have no intention of planting the few seeds I have left after making this cake, but I don't understand the way we pick and choose what's important to us. I digress. One of the instructions in the recipe calls for soaking the poppy seeds. This is not done to remove narcotic properties. Many folks have problems digesting the seeds and it's been found that soaking softens the hull and negates the problem. I'm also faithfully following the Farm Journal recipe for the cake glaze. Just between you and me, you can substitute your best cream cheese frosting for the glaze. It's lovely but the frosting is easier to make and its creaminess will take the cake to another level. The cake and glaze are simple to make, and if you are looking for something a bit different to serve your family and friends, this recipe has your name on it. Here's how it's done.

Poppyseed Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Farm Journal

Ingredients:
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1 cup milk
2/3 cup unsalted butter or vegetable shortening
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites, stiffly beaten

Directions:
1) Add poppy seeds to milk and let stand for 1 hour.
2) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch pan. Set aside.
3) Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4) Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in another bowl.
5) Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
6) Fold in egg whites, half at a time. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in several areas comes out clean. Let sit in pan for 10 to 15 minutes before removing to a rack to complete cooling.

Sour Cream Frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup + 3 tablespoons sour cream, divided use
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts

Directions:
1) Blend 1 cup sour cream and sugar in a 3-quart pan. When smooth, add water. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until soft ball stage (235 degrees F.) is reached. Remove from heat. Cool slightly.
2) Add vanilla and reserved 3 tablespoons sour cream. Beat with a hand mixer until creamy. Spread quickly on top of cake. Top with nuts if desired. Yield: 12 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Lemon Poppyseed Bread - One Perfect Bite
Kaiser Rolls - One Perfect Bite
Buttermilk Cluster with Blue Poppyseeds - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday