German cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Poppy Seed Cake

Sheet cake of yeast dough with a thick poppy seed filling of milk and semolina, topped with streusel.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 500 g flour
• 1 packet dry yeast (7 g)
• 250 ml lukewarm milk
• 80 g sugar
• 80 g soft butter
• 1 egg and 1 pinch salt
• 300 g poppy seeds (ground)
• 600 ml whole milk
• 150 g sugar for the filling
• 60 g soft wheat semolina
• 100 g raisins and 1 organic lemon
• 150 g flour, 100 g sugar and 100 g cold butter for the streusel

Instructions

1. Mix flour, dry yeast, 80 g sugar and salt, add the lukewarm milk, egg and soft butter, knead for 8 min. into a smooth dough and let rise covered for 45 min.
2. For the filling, bring 600 ml whole milk with 150 g sugar and the finely grated lemon zest to a boil, stir in the poppy seeds and semolina and let swell over low heat for 4–5 min., stirring, until the mixture falls thickly from the spoon.
3. Stir the raisins into the hot poppy seed mixture and let it cool to room temperature so it doesn't soak the yeast dough.
4. For the streusel, rub 150 g flour, 100 g sugar and the cold butter in flakes between your fingertips into coarse crumbs and chill.
5. Roll out the dough on a greased baking sheet, pull up a small edge, spread the poppy seed mixture evenly on top, scatter the streusel over it, and let rest for 20 min.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C top/bottom heat for 35–40 min. until the streusel is golden brown, then let cool on the sheet and cut into pieces.