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Monday, March 1, 2010

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

44 comments:

  1. I do love poppy seeds! (And agree with your rave about the strange laws!) This cake looks lovely - it is the glaze that intrigues me! I would like to try it!

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  2. I love poppy seed cake! Looks delicious and the glaze sounds wonderful.

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  3. This looks fantastic. I'm new to poppy seed baking, but ironically enough I posted one today too!!

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  4. Mary, I love your posts- I always learn something! I love lemon poppyseed bread, so this will be put on my list to make. Thank you
    xoxo Pattie

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  5. i hav enever tried poppy seed cake..maybe now I will...it looks delicious ! ^^

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  6. I love poppyseed anything and I was looking at a poppyseed cake recipe yesterday -- it, too, called for soaking the poppyseeds. I think I may be in the mood for a poppyseed cake. Would be great for tea!

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  7. The blue in that poppy seed packet is stunning. If the flowers turned out that lovely it would be so fun to grow them....

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  8. Poppyseed cake is one of my all-time favorite cakes! I've actually been craving it for a while but can't find a store that sells the seeds in bulk. As soon as I do...it's going on the menu. This looks gorgeous!

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  9. Wow looks yummy can i have some? Happy blue Monday.

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  10. I had thought that the US had banned the Sichuan peppercorns because of the numbing properties until recently I read that it was because of something they carry that could affect US crops. They are legal now, the imported ones are lightly pasteurized to kill off the problem.

    I love the idea of soaking the poppy seeds - that makes total sense to me.
    Delicious cake - perfect tea and coffee fare.

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  11. I have never had poppy seed cake but it looks delicious! Love the history you give us too!

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  12. Poppy seed cake has been a favorite of mine since childhood. The sour cream frosting sounds like a lovely touch.

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  13. I love these adult looking cakes. HMM, I just don;t see a
    frosting with this... maybe a different glaze. i like the looks and sound of a glaze for this better.

    BTW, I am on a quest now for an ultimate rum cake. Come take a look at what I did and see if you have suggestions on how I can get mine moister

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  14. Mary, I love anything with poppy seeds, but add cream cheese icing and I'm in heaven!

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  15. Um, I love the taste poppy seeds brings to a dish, but hate those black specks that catch in my teeth! Happy Blue Monday.

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  16. I will let you continue to do the cooking. I will certainly enjoy eating it with you. Take care.

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  17. I absolutely LOVE anything with poppy seeds. I like your version, which looks very light and tender. The frosting is the real bonus. Great photo of the icing drizzling over. Looks like I need Mary "fix" by making another one of your many fantastic recipes.

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  18. very interesting about the seeds! who knew? wow.

    you know...your imagery of the cake, and the way the colors play off one another, remind me of the design board I just completed for a client's master suite. a lovely blend.

    i bet the icing just melts in your mouth! :)

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  19. What a lovely recipe, Mary! I love the unique beauty of this cake - very pretty!

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  20. Poppy seeds, go figure. This looks so delicious and the sour cream glaze sounds wonderfuls. Lots of good uses for that I bet. I referred to you in my blog this morning. I'm starting to try the whole bread thing.....very scarey! Do you have a way for me to get e-mail notifications of your blog?? ~LeslieMichele

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  21. Love poppy seed anything! My boys always joke about me using them..

    Cake looks delicious...

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  22. I made poppy seed cake this past week and loved it! It was my first time making it from scratch. Next time I make the cake, I will have to try out your sour cream topping. Have a great week!

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  23. Sounds wonderful, Mary. Yum!....Christine

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  24. Interesting thoughts on what is legal and not legal these days. I learned a new thing today. Love the frosting topping recipe. I love to make lemon poppy seed cake when I have a tea party.
    Joyce

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  25. Mary, What a happy coincidence..we all made poppyseed cakes this week for the Heavenly Cake Bakers. I just posted my version. P.S loved the white chocolate lime bars. Thanks.

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  26. hmm..That is one beautiful piece of poetry

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  27. I LOOOOVE sour cream frosting...funny that that's what stood out to me :) Happy Blue Monday!

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  28. This looks delicious and I love the recipe for the sour cream frosting! Yumm!

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  29. I love poppy seed cake! This looks and sounds delicious. I just love how you fit recipes into various days like Blue Monday and Pink Saturday. So creative. :)

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  30. OMG!! YUM!! I am so all over this tomorrow!!

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  31. Looks lovely and old-fashioned! I like poppy seed anything, although I don't like contending with seeds in my teeth. I'm willing to risk it though, for a good piece of cake.

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  32. lovely. it looks soft like a pillow but with terrific little crunchies scattered throughout. and that glaze--so unique, so scrumptious!

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  33. This looks amazing. Poppy seeds are often used in polish cakes and I remember my grandmother making a roll cake with poppy seeds. There is also a popular Polish childrens song that talks about poppy seeds. Really great photos too!

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  34. Hi Mary, I have to tell you my favorite muffin is poppy seed and lemon. This cake would probable be a fave too. I loved reading your little history of the poppyseeds Imagine a druglord. HA! I'll buy mine! The soaking makes sense.

    I hope your shoulder is on the mend. Mine is much better but loves to remind me it hurts from time to time.

    Happy baking!!!
    Hugs, Jeanne

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  35. LOL about planting the seeds and becoming a drug lord. I never knew that those seeds were plantable, only bakeable!

    The cake looks very very good!

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  36. Yes, I'm a poppy-seed lover. The sour cream glaze is perfect. I love your info and discoveries of old recipes.

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  37. Now I want to plant some poppy seeds - just to see what comes up! I haven't had a poppy seed cake in a loong time... this looks really good with that glaze on it.

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  38. I haven't tried poppy seed cake yet! But this looks reeeeal good :)

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  39. I love poppies too- both in bloom and in my cake or bread.

    And no I certainly do not understand it either Mary. Go figure. I guess its more about who the country is friends with and who is lining their pockets.

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  40. Looks yummy! I'm a fan of poppy seeds :)

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  41. Very scrumptious poppyseed cake.

    Thank you for your kind comment on my blog. I've also seen lots of interesting posts to read at yours.
    I'll sure come back. ;)

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  42. I miss Poppyseed cakesss. Tried them while I was on exchange in the states. Unfortunately, they banned poppy seeds in my country :(

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  43. Mary, it looks so moist and delicious!

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