Poppy Seed Cake

Name: Poppy Seed Cake (Makowiec)
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 45 ml/3 tbsp sour cream; 50 g/2 oz fresh yeast or 2 packets active dried yeast; 50 g/2 oz fresh yeast or 2 packets active dried yeast; 400 g/14 oz/3½ cups strong white bread flour; 115 g/4 oz/1 cup icing (confectioners’) sugar; 15 ml/1 tbsp grated lemon rind; pinch of salt; 3 eggs, beaten; 500 g/1¼ lb/5 cups poppy seeds; 200 g/7 oz/scant 1 cup butter; 200 g/7 oz/1 cup sugar 115 g/4 oz/1 cup chopped almonds; 200 g/7 oz/1 cup sugar 115 g/4 oz/1 cup chopped almonds; 30 ml/2 tbsp currants; 60 ml/4 tbsp honey; 45 ml/3 tbsp finely chopped candied peel; 1 vanilla pod (bean); 3 egg whites, lightly beaten; 15 ml/1 tbsp rum or cognac; 15 ml/1 tbsp rum or cognac

Makowiec

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Food and Cooking of Poland

By Ewa Michalik

Published 2008

About

This dark, dense cake, made from a sweet dough rolled with an aromatic poppy-seed filling, is made throughout the year, but especially at Christmas and Easter.

Ingredients

45 ml/3 tbsp sour cream
50 g/2

Europe
Poland
Cake
Vegetarian
Christmas
Easter
Eastern Europe

Method

To make the filling, place the poppy seeds in a fine mesh sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Boil a kettle and carefully pour boiling water over the seeds. Drain, then transfer to a bowl. Pour over enough boiling water to cover, then leave to soak for at least 3 hours.