Poppy seed is the main ingredient in this cake, as evident from its dark color. The combination of poppy seed and apples is a classic, and the flavor is heavenly. Similar cakes are popular in Eastern Europe and in Israel as well, some are mainly poppy seed, some combined with chocolate, lemon or apples, all of which work really well with poppy seed.
Poppy seed and apple cake
Course: Cakes and cookies, Hungarian, Israeli, Polish, PurimCuisine: Jewish, Israeli, Hingarian, PolishDifficulty: easy16
servings20
minutes40
minutes1
hourYou can make the cake parve by replacing the butter with oil. It will come out perfectly.
Poppy seeds are available in bulk online, and at most Eastern European and Middle Eastern supermarkets. Alternately, you can buy a few jars of poppy seeds from the spice rack at any chain supermarket.
This recipe requires you to grind the poppy seed. You can do it with either an electric coffee grinder or with a blender, preferably a powerful one, such as Vitamix. Try to grind the poppy seed close to when you’re ready to cook with it, as it becomes rancid pretty quickly, especially when grounded. If you have to grind in advance, keep it in a sealed container in the freezer until you’re ready to use.
As with most pound cakes, this cake will taste better the day after.
Yields 2 loafs 8½” x 4½” x 2½” OR a round 9″ cake.
INGREDIENTS
Oil spray
4 eggs, at room temperature
1⅓ cups sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted (or ¾ cup mild flavor oil)
6 oz. finely ground poppy seed (see note above)
6 oz. apple sauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
2 medium-sized apples, peeled and diced to ¼”
DIRECTIONS
- Oven to 325 F degrees. Line 2 loaf pans (8½” x 4½” x 2½”) or one 9″ round pan with parchment paper and spray with oil. Set aside.
- Use a coffee grinder, a spice grinder or a strong blender to ground the poppy seeds, until they become very fine and black. See note above.
- Put eggs in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with balloon whisk and start whipping on medium speed. With mixer running, slowly add sugar in a steady stream, increase speed to medium-high and whip eggs for 6 minutes until they become thick, pale yellow and quadruple in volume.
- In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Reduce mixer speed to medium and pour butter in. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in flour mixture, ground poppy seed, apple sauce, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Lastly, fold in diced apple.
- Divide batter between the 2 loaf pan (or popup into the round pan,) shaking them a little to straighten the top. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a tester in the center of the cake comes out with crumbs.
- Transfer cake to a cooling rack and cool completely. Keep the cake covered in the fridge up to 5 days. You can serve the cake at room temperature or cold (my favorite.)