Poppy Seed Cakes

Do you recall the first time you saw and or tasted poppy seed cake? I was in Nebraska for a convention in the seventies, the first one actually, for miniature (toy) glassware. We were hosted by the Smuckers and another couple who graciously executed the event in good order. There was a cake that stuck in my mind and Sandy graciously offered the simple recipe. That recipe encouraged me to go on to the next which is an all time favorite Solo poppy form cake from the label on the can of poppy seed filling necessary to the success of the cake. I still have the original label in my files. I adore this cake. It is very big, very moist and very delicious. It slices like a dream and keeps for ages. It is the perfect cake. Today I had begun thinking about poppy seed cakes for no apparent reason, especially since I have tested recipes for Stromboli for an entire week and my family and guests are now cautious about entering the kitchen because they have to taste and critique each offering. They are fed up with Stromboli, that's for sure. I discovered that once the dough is risen you can fill it with nearly anything, like a pizza, and the results are especially pleasing to men.

Solo Poppy Form Cake


14 to 16 servings

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup dairy sour cream
1-1/2 cups sugar
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 can Solo or 1 jar Baker Poppy filling
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan or 10-inch tube pan and set aside.

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add poppy filling and beat until blended. Beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and sour cream and beat just until blended. Stir flour, baking soda and salt until mixed, and add to poppy mixture gradually, beating well after each addition.

Beat egg whites in separate bowl with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites into batter. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely


Here is Sandy's very simple poppy seed cake and after that one with the addition of orange juice.

Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 tablespoons poppy seeds (I always used more)
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, stir together cake mix, pudding mix and poppy seeds. Make a well in the center and pour in water, oil, and eggs. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Ingredients for poppy seed cake with the orange juice and sour cream difference:
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup poppy seeds

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in oil, eggs, sour cream and juice. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 2 minutes on medium speed. Stir in the poppy seeds.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool 15 minutes in the pan. Remove from pan, then sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Poppyseed Rum Cake (from Cheeky Kitchen)
This moist butter cake cooks up rich and dense and full of flavor. As if that isn't enough, the cake is drizzled with a rich non-alcoholic rum and almond syrup that seeps into the skin, then sprinkled with powdered sugar that turns crisp-crunchy as it dries, adding the slightest crunch to the crust. Decadant and ridiculously simple.

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 1/2 tablespoons poppyseeds
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon rum flavoring
1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
1/3 cup water
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and continue to beat until creamy. Add the poppyseeds, vanilla, and flour and stir together until mixed. Spoon into a 9-inch cake pan that has been well-greased with nonstick cooking spray, and liberally floured. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 32-35 minutes, or just until the center of the cake is set. While the cake is cooking, place the second cup of sugar, flavorings, and water into a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the sugar in dissolved. Remove cake from the oven, cool slightly, and turn out onto a large plate. Using a drinking straw, poke holes all over the cake. Spoon the sugar syrup into the holes of the cake. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm (or cold).