Cakes & biscuits
Poppy seed cake with butter crumble
A thick, soft poppy seed layer sits between a thin pastry base and golden butter crumble.
- Total time
- 100 min
- Servings / pieces
- 16
- Topic
- Cakes & biscuits
A thick, soft poppy seed layer sits between a thin pastry base and golden butter crumble. The seeds are ground and cooked with milk for the filling; dry whole seeds would not produce the same creamy texture. Semolina binds excess liquid, while an egg stabilises the cooled mixture during baking. This cake cuts best when completely cold. Choose a tin with reasonably high sides and allow at least two hours of cooling after baking. Small rectangular pieces pair particularly well with coffee or plain black tea.
Method
Step by step
- 01
Make base and crumble
Rub the flour, 200 g cubed butter, 150 g sugar and salt into crumbs. Set aside about 200 g of this mixture in the fridge for the topping. Add one egg to the remainder and bring into a dough. Chill for 20 minutes.
- 02
Cook the poppy filling
Bring the milk and 90 g sugar to the boil. Sprinkle in the ground poppy seeds and semolina and cook over low heat, stirring, for three to four minutes. Stir in 30 g butter and the lemon zest. Remove from the heat and cool for 15 minutes.
- 03
Line the tin
Heat the oven to 180°C conventional. Line the tin with baking paper. Press the base dough in evenly, taking it about 1 cm up the sides, and prick with a fork. Keep the corners no thicker than the centre.
- 04
Add the layers
Stir the second egg into the now lukewarm poppy mixture. Spread evenly over the base. Scatter the cold crumble loosely on top, leaving some larger pieces for crunchy patches. Do not press it into the filling.
- 05
Bake and cut
Bake on the lower middle shelf for 40–45 minutes. The crumble should be golden and the filling set around the edges. Cool completely in the tin, lift out using the paper and divide into 16 pieces.
Times are a guide. Your hob, oven and ingredients affect the result; use the cooking cues as well as the clock.
Choosing poppy seeds
Use unsweetened ground baking poppy seeds or grind whole seeds freshly. Sweet prepared poppy filling cannot be substituted by weight because it already contains sugar and liquid. Keep ground seeds cool and use promptly.
Allowing the filling to set
The poppy layer seems softer while warm than after cooling. Avoid extending baking until the centre is hard. Cover loosely with paper if the topping darkens, then assess at the scheduled time.
Kitchen questions
One more question?
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Bake a day ahead, cool completely, cover and refrigerate. Let portions stand briefly before serving.
Does it freeze?
Yes. Wrap cold pieces individually and freeze. Thaw in the fridge; the crumble loses a little crispness while the filling stays soft.
.jpg){kind=link}
