German Poppy Seed Cake sandwiches great flavor with an amazing crust! On the bottom and on top is a golden-brown, buttery, and crumbly streusel-like crust, which is just to die for on its own! But in the middle is a creamy, nutty poppy seed filling, with a hint of smooth, smoky, sugary rum! This is an unconventional dessert, but German Poppy Seed Cake absolutely makes a great impression!
Ingredients
For the pastry and streusel:
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla sugar
- 1 egg
- 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For the filling:
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 scant cup semolina flour, finely ground
- 2 1/2 cups freshly ground poppy seeds, using a spice grinder and high-quality poppy seeds for a sweeter, less bitter taste
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 tablespoon rum, can substitute vanilla extract
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Line a 12×15-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 3 –In a medium mixing bowl, add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the softened butter, 1 cup of the sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract and beat using a handheld mixer until well-combined.
Step 4 –Add the egg to the butter mixture and beat until well-combined.
Step 5 –Add the all-purpose flour and beat until the mixture resembles crumbly dough.
Step 6 –Place 1/2 of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and press it out using the back of a spoon, until it fully covers the baking sheet in an even layer. Note: using a spoon here is critical, as it keeps the pastry from getting too warm from direct hand contact.
Step 7 –In a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat, add the milk and the remaining sugar and stir until the sugar completely dissolves.
Step 8 –Slowly add in the semolina flour to the milk mixture, adding a few tablespoons at a time and continuing to stir until all of the flour has been added.
Step 9 –Bring the milk mixture to a low boil (if it is not already at a low boil) and cook the milk mixture, stirring constantly, until everything is well-incorporated and any raw flour smell is gone, about 2 minutes.
Step 10 –Add the ground poppy seeds and stir to combine.
Step 11 –Add the remaining butter and cook, stirring constantly, until the butter is fully melted and incorporated into the mixture.
Step 12 –Transfer the pot from the heat and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.
Step 13 –Add the rum to the mixture and stir to combine.
Step 14 –Spread the filling mixture evenly over the dough layer on the baking sheet.
Step 15 –Break the remaining dough into a streusel topping and sprinkle it on top of the filling mixture.
Step 16 –Bake until the streusel and pastry are golden-brown and cooked through, about 40 minutes.
Step 17 –Allow the cake to cool, then slice and serve.
