Poppyseed Cake With Milk Chocolate Icing

The Importance of Poppyseed in Poland

In Poland, poppyseed is closely connected with Christmas. As per one of our traditions, we should have at least one poppy seed cake or dessert at the end of a proper Polish Christmas Eve dinner. Another Christmas tradition is that we should at least try each of the 12 dishes served for that dinner. And this is probably the only reason why my husband usually ends up with a tiny piece of a poppyseed cake, as he works his way through the 12 dishes. Because the truth is that unlike me, a huge fan of poppyseed, he is not that keen on it. But all this changed in the summer of 2019.

Ingrid’s Poppyseed Cake

Last July we went to Austria. Although the reason for that trip was sad, we took the opportunity to meet family members and friends while we were there. So, we could not miss the chance to visit our family friends – Ingrid and Hannes. They are a wonderful couple, who in their eighties still have an inspiring and active life. And it is always such a pleasure to spend time with them and listen to their stories.

They are very fit, which I am sure is thanks to both their sporty lifestyle and, also Ingrid’s cooking. Whenever we are there, we have opportunities to sample some delicious and healthy lunches she prepares for us. And they always end with scrumptious desserts. Last time we visited them, Ingrid baked such an incredible yummy poppyseed cake that my husband even asked for the recipe. An unusual step for someone who was not keen on poppyseed!

However, I wasn’t that surprised as the cake was truly delicious. It was incredibly moist thanks to the addition of yoghurt and oil used instead of butter. Another advantage (especially from the baker’s point of view) is the preparation. Firstly, you have to mix all the ingredients. Then you transfer the batter to a baking tin, and voila, you can put it straight to the oven! When the cake cools down a bit, you cover it with milk chocolate ganache. And then try to resist and not have a piece before the icing sets (I couldn’t!).