Christmas Poppy Seed Cake

 

 

Merry Christmas to You guys! May your life be filled with warmth, love, peace and good cheer this Holy season!
 

During the Christmas holidays in Poland, beside the gingerbreads we bake sweets filled with poppy seeds, rum and dry fruits. Oh, there is so many of them! Delicious cheesecake, layer cake, bread plait and buns. When I was a little girl we had all this sweets on our Christmas table, now I bake just one...or two.

 

 

 

Today I'm making poppy seed butter cake layered with fluffy mascarpone cream. The cream is my personal addition, back then it was just one layer cake glazed with chocolate. A little bit of mascarpone cream will give this already wonderful cake a dessert touch, perfect as a Christmas dessert.

 

 

 Poppy Seed Butter Cake

cake

250 g unsalted butter

250 g sugar

5 eggs

250 g all purpose flour

50 g potato starch  

2 tsp baking powder

zest of one small orange

2 tbsp sour cream

1x 500 g can of ready to use poppy seed filling
 ( you can find it in polish delicatessen or order HERE )
2 egg yolks
40 g candied orange peel, chopped
40 g dried prunes, finely chopped
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp dark rum or amaretto liqueur (optional)

cream
250 g mascarpone cheese
250 g whipping cream
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tbsp dark rum or amaretto liqueur (optional)

Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Butter and line with baking paper two 20cm round cake pans.

2. In a medium size bowl mix together the flour, potato starch and the baking powder. Set aside.

3. In a bowl of a stand mixer beat butter and sugar until fluffy and airy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4. Add flour mix in three batches, beat until well combine, scraping sides of the bowl ones or twice. 5. Add the sour cream and orange zest and beat for couple of minutes more.

6. In a separate bowl mix the poppy seed filling, soda, egg yolks, candied orange peel, prunes and the alcohol if you are using.

7. Using two tablespoons dollop the cake batter and poppy seed mixture into the pans alternately, creating checkers. When all mixtures has been used up, gently tap the bottom of the pans on your work surface. Smooth the top if necessary. Bake the layers 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Turn out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.

8. While the cake is cooling make the mascarpone cream. Beat all the ingredients together until you have light and fluffy cream. keep in the fridge until needed.

9. Assemble the cake. If the tops of the layers are rounded, even them out with the knife. Place first layer on the cake board or a plate. Spread half of the cream evenly and place the second layer on top, cut side down. Top with the rest of the cream, creating decorative pattern. Sprinkle with some poppy seeds if you like.

Happy baking and Merry Christmas!