Bring out the poppy seed flavor in every bite of this Poppy Seed Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. This is a crowd-pleasing cake that’s sure to get some praise. It’s fluffy and soft, but not overpowering. The cream cheese frosting makes a delicious addition to the flavors of the cake. You can make it as a round cake, a bundt cake, or in the form of a loaf. Either way, it’s sure to be a hit with the family!
Are Poppy Seeds Healthy?
Poppy seed plants go back in the ages. After the poppy flowers begin to dry up, their seeds start developing in the pods. Some may be skeptical of poppy seeds, but no worries: this is one of the parts of the plant that is legal to produce and acquire. 🙂
They add a crunch to baked goods in addition to adding some nutrients to your day. They provide a source of mineral, calcium, iron, and zinc; and that is just from a teaspoon of poppy seeds.
What You Need to Make a Poppy Seed Cake
This is the perfect dessert if you love poppy seeds! It’s a soft, moist, and buttery cake with a load of poppy seeds.
You won’t need to google ingredients when making this cake. As a matter of fact, you might even have the ingredients already in your kitchen! Here is a list of what you need to gather:
- Milk
- Poppy seeds
- Unsalted butter
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Large eggs
- Baking powder
- All-purpose flour, unbleached
- Salt (optional)
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup milk ( I used organic 2%)
- 1/2 cup poppy seeds
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (12 tbsp)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
- 1/4 tsp salt (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz softened cream cheese
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened (half a stick)
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Making the Cake
- Using a saucepan, bring 1 cup of milk to a boil. Turn off the heat and add in 1/2 cup of poppy seeds. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350F, and spray or use parchment paper in two 9” cake pans.
- Beat 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter for 1 minute, add 1 1/4 cups of sugar, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat together until creamy.
- In a large bowl, add together the dry ingredients: 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoons of salt. Mix with a spoon.
- On low speed add the dry ingredients into the mixer with the butter.
- Slowly pour in the milk along with poppy seeds into the batter.
- From 3 large eggs, separate the whites from the yolks.
- In a clean shallow mixing bowl on high speed, beat egg whites until white and fluffy.
- Add in the remaining sugar. Beat until stiff and glossy peaks form.
- With a large rubber spatula fold the beaten whites with sugar into the cake batter.
- Spoon half the batter into each of the prepared cake pans.
- Bake the two cake layers for 35 minutes. (Baking times may vary) Insert a toothpick and it should come out clean. On a wire rack cool the cakes.
How to Make a Cream Cheese Frosting
For a smooth and luxurious finish, you will want to make this cream cheese frosting. It’s light and fluffy, and tastes amazing! You will need:
- 8 oz softened cream cheese
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened (half a stick)
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- On medium speed, beat the softened 8-ounce cream cheese, 4 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Until smooth.
Putting the cake together:
- Place one of the cooled down cakes on a serving dish. Spread 1/3 of the cream.
- Place the second cake on top and spread the rest of the cream all over the cake.
- You may decorate it as you please. I added some jam on top.
Recipe inspired by the Golden Book of Baking.
I hope you enjoy this poppy seed cake, definitely make sure to check out these other cake recipes:
Equipment I Used
Poppy Seed Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup milk I used organic 2%
- ½ cup poppy seeds
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter softened (12 tablespoons)
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 cup all-purpose flour unbleached
- ¼ tsp salt optional
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter softened (half a stick)
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a saucepan, bring 1 cup of milk to a boil. Turn off the heat and add in 1/2 cup of poppy seeds. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Spray two 9″ cake pans.
- Beat 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter for 1 minute, add 1 1/4 cups of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat together until creamy.
- In a bowl, add together the dry ingredients 2 cups of all purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/4 teaspoons of salt. Mix with a spoon.
- On low speed add the dry ingredients into the mixer with the butter.
- Slowly pour in milk with poppy seeds into the batter.
- Separate the whites from the 3 large eggs.
- In a clean bowl on high speed, beat egg whites until white and fluffy.
- Add in the remaining sugar. Beat until stiff and glossy peaks form.
- With a large rubber spatula fold the beaten whites with sugar into the batter.
- Spoon half the batter into each of the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- On medium speed, beat the softened 8 ounce cream cheese, 4 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Until smooth.
- To put the cake together: Place one of the cooled down cakes on a serving dish. Spread 1/3 of the cream.
- Place the second cake on top and spread the rest of the cream all over the cake.
- You may decorate it as you please. I added some jam on top.
Nutrition
