Poppy Seed Cake Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Strawbery Banke Museum

Adapted by The New York Times

Updated Feb. 21, 2024

Poppy Seed Cake Recipe (1)

Total Time
90 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Rating
5(1,028)
Notes
Read community notes

Though the ingredient list of this cake is simple and pantry-driven, its prodigal use of poppy seeds makes it shine. Brought to The Times by Joan Nathan in 2009, this archival recipe from the Strawbery Banke museum would have been a more time-consuming endeavor when poppy seeds were harvested by hand, before they were widely available at American supermarkets. Ms. Nathan’s easy recipe calls for store-bought poppy seeds, rehydrated and plumped in hot milk, and whips egg whites with an electric mixer until fluffy to ensure airy results. Less labor-intensive than its original self, it’s just as delicious today – and, like the best family recipes, it’s timeless. —The New York Times

Featured in: Rosh Hashana, Circa 1919

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Ingredients

Yield:12 servings

  • 1cup poppy seeds
  • 1cup milk or soy milk
  • 1cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter or pareve margarine, plus more for greasing pan
  • 2cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting pan
  • 2cups granulated sugar
  • 3large eggs, yolks and whites separated
  • 2teaspoons vanilla extract
  • teaspoons baking powder
  • ½teaspoon salt
  • Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

437 calories; 22 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 56 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 36 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 204 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Poppy Seed Cake Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    In a small saucepan, combine the poppy seeds and milk. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and allow to rest until cool, about 20 minutes.

  2. Heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a large loaf or tube pan by greasing it with margarine and lightly flouring the inside of the pan.

  3. Step

    3

    In bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together butter or margarine and granulated sugar. Add egg yolks, vanilla, and poppy seed-milk mixture, and beat until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well; remove bowl from mixer and set aside.

  4. Step

    4

    Place a clean bowl in mixer, with a whisk attachment, and whisk egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gently fold into batter. Scrape into pan, and bake until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour.

  5. Step

    5

    Transfer cake to a rack. Unmold after 15 minutes. When cool, dust cake with confectioners’ sugar.

Ratings

5

out of 5

1,028

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Lorna

Good cake, similar to my aunt's recipe. I like it that the poppy seeds are dense in the cake. I made it in 2 nine inch cake pans baked for 25 to 30 minutes. I used a slightly sweetened raspberry sauce for filling between the layers and sweetened whipped cream, whipped with mascapone and vanilla for the icing. I let this sit in the refrigerator for more than 24 hours so that it could soak together nicely. YUM!

Daphne

I always find reader notes so helpful. Definitely skip the egg separation steps. I used 1 cup of sugar and find it plenty sweet. I used a Bundt pan and baked for an hour; the batter filled to just under half the pan, but the cake rises significantly. Happy accident: I applied a lemon glaze, but didn't wait before the cake had entirely cooled down, so the glaze melted into the cake...it's still delicious.

Judy

Good! Added a 1/2 lemon's zest and 1/2-3/4 t. grated ginger to the mixture. Good, and would add more next time.

Christine

First time I made it, came out too dense. The second time, I beat the eggs (not separated) for about 5 minutes. Came out so much lighter. I added the zest of 2 lemons, 2 tbsp lemon juice. Super yum!

Jeremy

What an incredible recipe! I've made this twice now. At first, I was worried that it looked dry on the outside, but I was very wrong and once we cut into the cake, it was moist with a perfect crumb. The poppyseed flavor really is accented by the quantity of vanilla and sugar. Great overall!

Gillian

I halved the sugar for this recipe and can not imagine using 2 cups! For the health of your readers, suggest cutting it down. :) I also did not separate the eggs, added zest from 2 lemons and the juice from 1. All together it was one of the most amazing cakes I've ever baked!! This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Valeria

I did some changes to this recipe. Reading the comments I just used 1 cup of sugar. I replaced the butter with 3/4 of olive oil and used almond milk instead of soy milk. The batter was very liquid but it turned out delicious with a very fluffy texture. I read the comment and added a lemon glaze and it was the perfect citric touch!

Loaf Pans

If you are planning to use 9x5 loaf pans like I did, definitely use two loads pans. This recipe rises a lot and started to overflow in the oven before it had fully set. Now I know for next time that it needs definitely a 9x13 as a cake, or two 9x5 for loafs.

Rich

A bundt pan is the only way I make it. I have made this cake many times (it's great!) a few times back I forgot to separate the eggs and didn't notice any difference in the cake. Skipping that step makes this recipe super easy and quick. I have a old hand mixer that is up to the task. Next time I'm going to add some fresh lemon.

Ali

Insanely good. Added 1 lemon's worth of zest and juice. Moist, delicious.

Jane

This recipe was excellent! Everyone who I shared the cake with loved it and I will absolutely make it again. I will say, I baked it for a little more than an hour and it was still underdone, so definitely make sure to test with a toothpick before taking it out of the oven.

JacAttack

Pretty good recipe if you have an excess of poppy seeds in your fridge. I subbed almond milk in for regular/soy milk and added lemon zest and juice from one lemon. I’d add more lemon. I also didn’t separate the eggs and only used 1.5 cups of sugar. I baked them in lines muffin tins for 20 minutes at 355. Great little treat as we approach spring in California!

cobinx

Great recipe! Next though I would use half of the sugar, it was too sweet!

M

Some changes (listing so I remember next time I make) - reduced to 1.5 cups sugar, only had ~1/2 cup poppyseeds which worked perfectly, did not separate eggs, used a bundt pan (it filled to halfway and then expanded to fill the whole pan while baking). I baked for 1 hour and it got a little dark, next time will reduce to 50-55min and check on it. The overbaking resulted in a crunchy top that actually made it taste even better. Eaten with a cup of milk - delectable.

mbk

Great! Go to poppy cake. Halfed sugar, didn’t separate eggs. Can add chocolate chips

Erin

I want to sub almond extract for the vanilla next time!

Alexandra

Made a loaf and also got 8 muffins out of this.I only used 1/2c of poppy seeds and it was great and plenty flavorful.Zest from two lemons and juice from two lemons made it much better (having tried the batter before and after). Didn't separate eggs.

EB

Made this cake as the comments indicated: add lemon, halve the sugar, bake till 210. It was dry as a bone. Sugar adds sweetness it it’s also hydrostatic which means it holds moisture which makes for a moist cake. Will try with all the sugar next time.

Edye

Finally a lemon poppy seed recipe I would make again! Used about 1.5 cups sugar, zest from 2 lemons plus 1 tbs juice, did not separate the eggs — maybe would zest one more lemon but mine were on the smaller side. As recommended I put my pan on the scale and poured in 900 grams batter, the rest made 5 smaller muffins, I’d do 4 next time. Muffins came out after 20, 25min keep an eye on them. The loaf at just an hour. Delicious!

Alan O’Malley

Absolute disaster. Overflowed in the oven, set the building fire alarms off. Define the cooking vessel capacity.

hwdooley

I love almond and poppy together. Seeing lots of good tips in the comments for adding lemon; what would you suggest for almond flavor? Extract - how much; anything else?

eliza383

I followed the recipe as written except that even my unopened jar of poppy seeds was not a full cup lol and we keep oatmilk, not soy milk, around so I made that change as well.Perhaps they were critical changes - or perhaps I’m not sufficiently experienced to follow a bare bones recipe like this - but the loaf fell apart when removing, and had ballooned out over the edges making a Smokey mess. Tastes okay but not amazing

HomeChefCooking

Made this with oat/pecan milk, and 3/4 cup olive oil instead of butter, as a dairy-free modification. Reduced sugar to 1 and 1/3 cup, added zest of two lemons, and topped with a simple lemon glaze. Really delicious, would make again

caryn

Excellent recipe. I added 2t lemon zest and made a lemon glaze of 54 grams of confectionery sugar and a tablespoon of lemon juice.

BM

I wish I read the comments before making. Thiught unload pan looked a bit full but I proceeded any and made a massive mess inside my oven. This recipe definitely requires either two loaf pans, or a bunt pan. Standard sized loaf pans won’t cut it.

Susan

I’m excited to make this cake. I have a gluten free household member and last week made the lemon poppy using KA 1:1 gf flour and one extra egg and it was delicious. I will try the same for this recipe.

Sam T

Highly recommend an orange glaze to top it off! (Include some vanilla and almond extract in that glaze, too!) so delicious, just how Mom made it.

Pascal

Butter and caster sugar for dusting the loaf pan. Just liners needed for cupcakes, very clean bake. 2/3 full on the cup. I think these would be great mini-cupcakes maybe with cream cheese icing.

Tim

Delicious recipe. Quite a lot of poppy, which I like, but was problematic for our younger kids. They called it Poopy Seed Cake due to the changes they saw in their movements.

Jill Cooks

So glad I read all the notes before making this cake. I used 1c sugar, zest from 2 lemons and juice from one of the lemons. I soaked the seeds but didn’t cook them.I didn’t separate the eggs.Cooked in a Bundt pan in my steam oven. Cake didn’t rise much and it was dark brown. I took it out of the pan right away. I glazed with 1/2c sugar and juice from 2nd lemon. I poked holes in the cake and poured on/in the glaze.The cake was absolutely delicious-moist inside, nice crust outside.

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Poppy Seed Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you need to soak poppy seeds before baking? ›

The first step before you make the batter for these Poppy Seed Muffins is to soak the poppy seeds in either hot water or hot milk. We do this step because poppy seeds have a hard outer shell which can be hard to digest if you don't soak them for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

What do poppy seeds add to a cake? ›

Baking: Add them to your favourite baked goods for a nutty flavour and crunchy texture. They are commonly used in muffins, bread, cakes, and cookies. Sprinkle them on top of dough before baking or mix them into the batter for an extra burst of flavor.

Why do bakers use poppy seeds? ›

Poppy seeds perform several functions in baked goods such as: Flavor: provide a rich nutty flavor, may be intensified by toasting. Aroma: provide a mild nutty aroma. Texture: contributes a crunchy texture.

Is poppy seed cake good for you? ›

Poppyseed drink also decreases the levels of cortisol in the body and help reduce stress levels. Incorporating poppy cake into your diet may provide additional nutritional benefits. It is a valuable byproduct of poppy seed processing that offers new food options.

How long should poppy seeds be soaked? ›

Soak poppy seeds in some water for at least 5-6 hours. After soaking, grind them in a jar. Use a little water, if required.

What happens when you soak poppy seeds in water? ›

Drinking poppy seed tea is possibly unsafe. Poppy seed tea is made by soaking poppy seeds in water. When poppy seed is soaked in water, the morphine and other opiates on the outer surface of the poppy seed can seep into the water. Drinking this water can cause side effects or death due to the opiate content.

Are poppy seeds good for you? ›

Poppy seeds are great sources of many of the nutrients the body needs to stay healthy. These include protein, fiber, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. The seeds do come from the same plant that manufacturers use to make opioids such as heroin.

Can I bake with poppy seeds from my garden? ›

All parts of poppies except the seeds are toxic, but they can be easily contaminated if not prepared properly. This is something that should only be done by a reputable company, so it is important to only buy poppy seeds for use in baking from one of these companies.

What country is poppy seed cake from? ›

Makowiec (pronounced: Mak-ov-yetz) is a strudel-like, yeast poppy seed cake that's one of Poland's most popular desserts. It's main attraction is the filling spun inside, made of finely-ground poppy seeds, honey, butter, raisins and walnuts. When made right, the cake is absolutely delicious.

Why are poppy seeds banned in some countries? ›

"But because drug tests are exquisitely sensitive, consuming certain poppy seed food products can lead to positive urine drug test results for opiates - specifically for morphine, codeine or both." Countries in East Asia often have very strict anti-drug rules and long jail sentences for offenders.

Do poppy seeds go bad? ›

Poppy seeds usually don't spoil, but they can go rancid due to their oil content. Your senses will guide you in determining their freshness. Sight is not a very reliable indicator for poppy seeds but smell can be quite telling. Fresh poppy seeds have a sweet, nutty smell.

Why do lemon and poppy seed go together? ›

Often used in Middle Eastern and Eastern European cuisine, poppy seeds can be used in both sweet and savory recipes. I was curious why poppyseeds are often combined with lemon, and it turns out this combo is popular because the acidity of the lemon helps balance out the richness of the poppy seeds.

Why do you have to soak poppy seeds before baking? ›

It is not absolutely necessary but some bakers like to soak the poppyseeds in warm water or warm milk to soften the slightly hard outermost part of the poppyseed. I like that little crunch with poppyseeds but if you don't, soak the poppyseeds in the milk you'll be using in this recipe.

Are poppy seeds good for high blood pressure? ›

Poppy seeds come with rich and heart-friendly nutrients like potassium, calcium, and magnesium. It also promotes blood pressure regulation by reducing the risk of hypertension.

Are poppy seeds difficult to digest? ›

However, larger quantities of poppy seed may cause digestive issues due to blocking the bowels.

Should you soak seeds before baking? ›

Most seeds are absorbent and can make a dough and bread too dry if you don't account for their thirstiness. You can soak seeds overnight, strain them, and add them to a bread dough during mixing (easiest) or during an early round of stretching and folding the dough (better gluten development).

How do you wash poppy seeds for baking? ›

Prepare poppy seeds for consumption by thoroughly washing seeds in very hot liquid (≥140°F) disposing of the liquid, baking the seeds at 400°F to dry. Do not ingest poppy seed wash or liquid made from washing the poppy seeds; its ingestion is dangerous and may be fatal. Keep this product out of reach of children.

Can you bake with any poppy seeds? ›

A: Poppy seeds for baking come from Papaver somniferum, commonly known as breadseed or opium poppy. This is the same poppy that opium comes from and while it is legal to grow them in the garden and buy and sell the seeds, it is illegal to manufacture opium from them.

Do you need to rinse poppy seeds? ›

Depending on the methods of harvesting and geographical origin of the plant, unwashed poppy seeds may have higher amounts of Schedule II opium alkaloids such as morphine, codeine, and thebaine on their seed coats when compared to washed poppy seeds. The poppy seeds themselves possess no opium content.

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