Poppy Seed Cake with Cherries and Streusel Recipe

Name: Poppy Seed Cake with Cherries and Streusel Recipe
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 440 min
Ingredients: 100 g Flour ((about 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp)); 50 g Butter ((about 3 1/2 tbsp; cold, cut into small cubes)); 30 g White sugar ((about 2 1/2 tbsp)); 1 Egg ((size L, separated)); 1/2 tsp Baking powder; 1 pinch Salt; 1 tsp Cold water ((only if needed)); 1 tbsp Rapeseed oil ((for the pan)); 350 g Jarred Morello cherries ((about 2 1/4 cups; very well drained)); 130 ml Sour cherry juice ((from the jar, about 1/2 cup)); 20 g White sugar ((about 1 1/2 tbsp; depending on the tartness of the cherries)); 15 g Cornstarch ((about 2 tbsp)); 1 pinch Cinnamon; 600 g Poppy seeds ((ground; about 4 cups)); 670 ml Whole milk ((about 2 3/4 cups plus 1 tbsp)); 75 g Butter ((about 5 tbsp)); 220 g White sugar ((about 1 cup plus 2 tbsp)); 50 g Fine wheat semolina ((about 1/3 cup)); 3 Eggs ((size L)); 1 Egg white ((reserved from the shortcrust pastry base) ); 2 tsp Vanilla paste; 1 Organic lemon ((finely grated zest)); 1 tsp Cinnamon; 1 pinch Salt; 125 g Flour ((about 1 cup)); 60 g White sugar ((about 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp)); 65 g Butter ((cold, cut into small cubes; about 4 1/2 tbsp)); 1/2 tsp Cinnamon; 1 pinch Salt; 25 g Pistachios ((chopped, unsalted and unroasted; about 3 tbsp))

Poppy seed cake with cherries and streusel topped with pistachios

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This poppy seed cake with cherries and streusel combines a thin shortcrust pastry base with a generous poppy seed filling and a delicate cherry layer. Chopped pistachios add texture, nutty flavor and a beautiful color contrast.

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Prep time: 1

Bake time: 1 20

Resting time at room temperature and in the fridge: 5

Total time: 7 20

Servings:

Author: Cake Mood Beyond

Nutrition Facts

Poppy Seed Cake with Cherries and Streusel Recipe

Serving Size

1 Slice

Amount per Serving

Calories

688

% Daily Value*

Fat

Saturated Fat

12.4

Sodium

134

Carbohydrates

70.3

Fiber

11.4

Sugar

38.4

Protein

16.7

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Equipment

Electric hand mixer
Springform pan (26 cm / about 10-inch diameter)
Silicone scraper (about 30 cm / 12 inches long)
Stainless steel cake lifter (about 28 cm / 11 inches wide)
Digital kitchen scale (with tare function, up to 5 kg / 11 lb)
Hand whisk

Ingredients

Very thin shortcrust pastry base

100 g Flour (about 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp)
50 g Butter (about 3 1/2 tbsp; cold, cut into small cubes)
30 g White sugar (about 2 1/2 tbsp)
1 Egg (size L, separated)
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 pinch Salt
1 tsp Cold water (only if needed)
1 tbsp Rapeseed oil (for the pan)

Sour cherry layer

350 g Jarred Morello cherries (about 2 1/4 cups; very well drained)
130 ml Sour cherry juice (from the jar, about 1/2 cup)
20 g White sugar (about 1 1/2 tbsp; depending on the tartness of the cherries)
15 g Cornstarch (about 2 tbsp)
1 pinch Cinnamon

Poppy seed filling

600 g Poppy seeds (ground; about 4 cups)
670 ml Whole milk (about 2 3/4 cups plus 1 tbsp)
75 g Butter (about 5 tbsp)
220 g White sugar (about 1 cup plus 2 tbsp)
50 g Fine wheat semolina (about 1/3 cup)
3 Eggs (size L)
1 Egg white (reserved from the shortcrust pastry base)
2 tsp Vanilla paste
1 Organic lemon (finely grated zest)
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 pinch Salt

Streusel layer

125 g Flour (about 1 cup)
60 g White sugar (about 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp)
65 g Butter (cold, cut into small cubes; about 4 1/2 tbsp)
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 pinch Salt

Pistachios

25 g Pistachios (chopped, unsalted and unroasted; about 3 tbsp)

Instructions

Prepare the very thin shortcrust pastry base

Line the base of the 26 cm / about 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Line the inside of the springform ring with a strip of parchment paper about 6 cm / 2 1/2 inches high. Lightly brushing the ring with rapeseed oil helps the parchment paper adhere securely. Preheat the oven to 175 °C / 350 °F top and bottom heat. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Quickly work in the cold butter with your fingertips until fine crumbs form. Separate the egg. Add the egg yolk and briefly bring everything together into a smooth dough. Add up to 1 tsp cold water only if needed. Spread the dough evenly over the base of the pan and press it down to a thickness of 2.5–3 mm using the flat bottom of a glass. Do not form a raised edge. Prick the base several times with a fork and chill for 10 minutes. Pre-bake the base on the middle rack for 15 minutes. Then brush it very thinly with a little egg white and bake for another 2 minutes. Reserve the remaining egg white for the poppy seed filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 170 °C / 340 °F.

Prepare the sour cherries

Whisk about 30 ml cold sour cherry juice with the cornstarch until smooth. Bring the remaining juice to a boil with the sugar and cinnamon. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook for about 1 minute, until the juice thickens. Carefully fold in the cherries, bring briefly back to a boil and remove from the heat. If the mixture becomes very thick, stir in a little water. Allow the cherry mixture to cool for 15–20 minutes. It should be lukewarm, spreadable and clearly thickened.

Prepare the poppy seed filling and streusel

Heat the milk, butter, sugar, vanilla paste, lemon zest, cinnamon and salt in a large saucepan until the butter has completely melted. Stir in the ground poppy seeds and fine wheat semolina. Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes to allow it to thicken. Do not simmer any longer, or the mixture may become too firm. Transfer the poppy seed mixture to a large bowl and allow it to cool for about 20 minutes. It should be only lukewarm before the eggs are added. Add the three eggs one at a time, stirring each one in thoroughly. Then stir in the egg white reserved from the shortcrust pastry base. The finished poppy seed filling should be soft, creamy and easy to spread. Work the flour, sugar, cold butter, cinnamon and salt with your fingers or dough hooks until small, fine streusel forms. Do not knead for too long. If the streusel becomes soft, chill it for 10 minutes. Keep refrigerated until the cake is assembled.

Assemble the cake

For the cherry layer, spread the lukewarm cherry mixture over the sealed shortcrust pastry base. Lightly press down the cherries and mixture, then spread them into a thin, even and completely covered layer.
Spoon the lukewarm poppy seed filling over the cherry layer in several portions. Carefully smooth it all the way to the edge without disturbing the cherry layer.
Spread the fine streusel evenly and thinly over the entire poppy seed filling. Do not press it down.

Baking

Bake the cake at 170 °C / 340 °F top and bottom heat in the lower third of the oven for about 60–65 minutes. Check the browning after about 45 minutes. If the streusel becomes too dark, loosely cover the cake with parchment paper. Sprinkle the 25 g chopped pistachios loosely over the streusel only when the cake is expected to need about 5 more minutes of baking. Do not use the broiler function or any additional top heat. The cake is done when the streusel is light golden brown, the edges feel firm and a wooden skewer inserted into the center shows no liquid poppy seed filling. A few moist poppy seed crumbs are fine.

Notes

Cooling and finishing

Remove the cake from the oven after 60–65 minutes and allow it to cool in the pan at room temperature for about 60 minutes.

Carefully remove the springform ring and the strip of parchment paper. Allow the cake to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Remove the cake from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

Add the pistachios only during the last 5 minutes of baking so they stay green. Do not use the broiler function or any additional top heat.

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