Vanilla Poppy Seed Swirl Cake Recipes

POPPY SEED CAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, soak poppy seeds in milk for 30 minutes. Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes., In another large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with poppy seed mixture, beating well after each addition. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into batter. , Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Spread over cake. Store in the refrigerator.

POPPY SEED TEA CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Center a rack in the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8 1/2-inch loaf pan. Place the pan on 2 stacked baking sheets or an insulated baking sheet.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Put the sugar in a large bowl, add the lemon or tangerine zest, and rub together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and aromatic. Add the eggs, one by one, whisking each vigorously before adding the next. Whisk in the juice and vanilla, and then whisk in the heavy cream until smooth.
• Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, using the whisk to gently stir the dry ingredients into the batter. When the flour is incorporated, add the butter in 2 additions, again stirring gently with the whisk. You should have a thick, smooth, shiny batter. Switch to a flexible spatula and stir in the poppy seeds. Scrape the batter into the pan.
• Bake until the cake has risen and cracked along the center and, most important, a tester inserted deep into the cake comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. Take a look at it after about 45 minutes and tent it loosely with foil if it's getting too dark too fast.
• Transfer the pan to a rack, cool for 5 minutes, and then run a table knife between the cake and the sides of the pan. Unmold the cake, then turn it right side up onto the rack. Cool to room temperature.
• Make the glaze, if you like: Stir together the confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until smooth. If needed, add more juice, a drop at a time, until you have an icing that falls slowly from the tip of a spoon. Spread it over the cooled cake to coat evenly, sprinkle with poppy seeds and let stand until set. Wrapped well, the cake will keep at room temperature for about 4 days; unglazed, it can be frozen for up to 1 month.

VANILLA POPPY SEED CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy with an electric mixer.
• Add egg yolks and beat until combined.
• Add sour cream and beat again.
• Mix baking soda into flour.
• Mix flour, vanilla and poppy seeds into butter mixture.
• Beat egg whites until stiff.
• Fold gently into butter mixture.
• Pour batter into ungreased bundt pan.
• Bake about 1 hour or until tester inserted into cake comes out clean.

BUTTERMILK-POPPY SEED SKILLET CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Place butter into a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Place skillet into an oven and turn on to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) to allow butter to melt, 2 to 4 minutes.
• While butter melts, mix together flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom in a large bowl.
• When butter has fully melted, remove skillet from oven and gently swirl to coat bottom with butter. Pour melted butter over the dry ingredients, and set skillet aside. Stir melted butter into dry ingredients a few times to allow it to cool slightly. Add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and almond extracts and mix just until batter has no dry clumps of flour in it.
• Pour batter into the skillet and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle halved strawberries evenly over the top and place skillet into the oven.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs, 55 to 60 minutes. If cake begins to over-brown at any point during baking process, turn the oven temperature down to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and continue to bake until done (baking time will vary with a lower oven temperature). Allow cake to cool before slicing.

STRAWBERRY & POPPY SEED CAKE

Steps:

• Dry-fry the poppy seeds in a pan over a gentle heat for 2 mins or until aromatic. Let cool. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line 2 x 20cm sandwich tins.
• Mix together the flour and baking powder, then set aside. Put the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using electric beaters, whisk until thick, pale and foamy. Pour in the cooled butter and vanilla extract, and briefly whisk again. Sift in the flour mix, add 3 tbsp poppy seeds then, using a large metal spoon, carefully fold into the cake mixture until even. Pour the mixture into the tins and bake for 25 mins or until golden and springy to the touch. Cool in the tins for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack.
• To make the syrup, warm the orange juice and 50g of the sugar in the microwave for 30 secs. Stir in the liqueur, if using. Using a large serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally to make a total of 4 circles. Brush the cut side and edges of each circle with plenty of the warm orange syrup.
• To make the filling, beat together the yogurt, crème fraîche, remaining sugar and orange zest until thick and spreadable. Stack the cakes with the creamy filling and strawberries, finishing with a creamy layer on top. Sprinkle the remaining poppy seeds over the top, then let the cake sit for 30 mins before slicing.