Fluffy Japanese Poppy Seed Cake with a Hint of Orange - photo 1
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Fluffy Japanese Poppy Seed Cake with a Hint of Orange

Cakes and Bakes Christmas Desserts Christmas Eve Dinner 180 min Medium 13 wyświetleń ~53.16 PLN - (0)
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Description

Here is my original version of the classic Japanese poppy seed cake, enhanced with the fresh, citrus aroma of orange. This cake is the absolute opposite of heavy, traditional poppy seed pastries. Its secret lies in the incredibly moist and fluffy texture, which resembles a delicate cheesecake or luxurious brownie more than a typical poppy seed cake. The base consists of cooked and triple-ground poppy seeds, juicy grated apples that add moisture, and a large number of eggs, whose whipped whites make the cake light as a cloud. The addition of orange zest and juice cuts through the sweetness and gives the whole a refreshing character. The cake is naturally gluten-free, as we use potato starch instead of wheat flour. It is perfect for the holiday table, especially during Christmas Eve, but it is also an excellent dessert for any special occasion. Served with orange icing and sprinkled with almond flakes, it looks and tastes phenomenal.

Ingredients (15)

Servings:
12
  • Blue poppy seeds, dry 250 g
  • Apples (e.g. gray renet) 3 szt.
  • Chicken eggs (size L) 6 szt.
  • Butter (min. 82% fat) 150 g
  • Cukier drobny do wypieków 13.3 łyżek
  • wildflower honey 50 g
  • Orange 1.3 szt.
  • Potato starch 60 g
  • Baking powder 10 g
  • Almond flakes 50 g
  • Walnuts 50 g
  • Powdered sugar 150 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.0 szczypt
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Dried cranberries 50 g
  • Candied orange peel 30 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~53.16 PLN (4.43 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of the poppy seed filling

1

Start by preparing the poppy seeds. Pour the dry poppy seeds into a very fine sieve and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water, mixing with your hand. Then transfer the poppy seeds to a medium-sized pot, cover them with boiling water so that the water reaches about 2 cm above the level of the poppy seeds. Cook on low heat for about 20-25 minutes, until the poppy seeds absorb most of the water and become soft. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom.

Ingredients: Blue poppy seeds, dry
Use a heavy-bottomed pot to prevent the poppy seeds from burning. Rinsing the poppy seeds is important to remove any impurities and bitterness. After cooking, the poppy seeds should be soft when bitten into.
2

Drain the cooked poppy seeds thoroughly in a fine sieve, pressing down with a spoon to remove as much water as possible. Leave them in the sieve for about 15-20 minutes to cool completely. Once cooled, grind the poppy seeds three times in a meat grinder, using the finest mesh. This is a key step for achieving a velvety texture in the cake.

Ingredients: Blue poppy seeds, dry
If you don't have a meat grinder, you can use a very powerful food processor or a blender, grinding in batches with a little milk or water, but a traditional grinder gives the best results. Grinding three times is absolutely necessary!

Preparing the dough

3

Prepare the baking pan. A rectangular pan measuring about 25x35 cm will work best. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and thoroughly grease the sides with butter. Preheat the oven to 170°C with the convection function on (or 180°C in top-bottom mode).

Ingredients: Butter (min. 82% fat)
Lining the bottom with paper ensures that the cake won't stick and will be easy to remove. Greasing the sides with butter allows the cake to rise evenly.
4

Peel the apples, remove the cores, and then grate them on a coarse grater. Wash the orange thoroughly, scald it with boiling water, and then zest it on a fine grater. Squeeze the juice from the same orange – you will need about 4 tablespoons for the dough and 2 tablespoons for the icing.

Ingredients: Apples (e.g. gray renet), Orange
Use a grater made of stainless steel or plastic. After grating the apples, you don't need to drain them – their juice will further moisten the dough. Grate only the orange part of the peel (the albedo, the white part, is bitter).
5

Now the most important part – separating the yolks from the whites. Prepare two large, clean, and dry bowls. Carefully crack the egg against the edge of the bowl or a flat surface and, transferring the contents from one half of the shell to the other, let the white flow into one bowl while keeping the yolk in the shell and transferring it to the second bowl. Repeat with all the eggs.

Ingredients: Chicken eggs (size L)
Egg whites will not whip if even a little yolk or fat gets into them. Therefore, make sure that the bowl and tools are perfectly clean. It is best to crack each egg over a small bowl and only pour the clean egg white into the large bowl.
6

In a large bowl, place the soft butter and sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the ingredients on medium speed for about 7-8 minutes. The mixture should become very light, almost white, and fluffy. Then, without stopping the mixing, add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing for about a minute after each addition, until the ingredients are perfectly combined into a smooth cream.

Ingredients: Butter (min. 82% fat), Cukier drobny do wypieków, Chicken eggs (size L)
The butter must be really soft, but not liquid. Take it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking. Long beating of the butter with sugar and egg yolks is the key to aerating the dough and achieving a delicate texture.
7

To the whipped butter mixture, add the finely ground poppy seeds and mix with a spatula or a mixer on low speed. Then add the grated apples, liquid honey, 4 tablespoons of orange juice, grated orange zest, almond flakes, and chopped walnuts. In a separate small bowl, mix the potato starch with the baking powder, then add it to the poppy seed mixture. Gently but thoroughly mix everything with a large spoon or spatula, just until the ingredients are combined. If using, add the dried cranberries now.

Ingredients: Blue poppy seeds, dry, Apples (e.g. gray renet), wildflower honey, Orange, Potato starch, Baking powder, Almond flakes, Walnuts, Dried cranberries
Do not mix the batter too long after adding the dry ingredients. The goal is just to distribute them evenly. Overmixing can make the dough tough.
8

In a second, perfectly clean bowl, place the egg whites and add a pinch of salt. Using a mixer with clean whisks, start beating the egg whites on low speed. When they begin to foam, increase the speed to maximum and beat for 3-5 minutes until the foam becomes thick, white, and stiff. Properly beaten egg whites should not fall out when the bowl is turned upside down, and the mixer whisks should leave distinct, upright peaks in the mixture.

Ingredients: Chicken eggs (size L), Salt
This is the most important step for the fluffiness of the cake! Be careful not to 'overbeat' the egg whites – they will become watery and lumpy. Stop whipping as soon as you achieve stiff peaks.
9

Now very gently fold the egg white foam into the poppy seed mixture. Add 1/3 of the whipped egg whites to the poppy seed mixture and mix quite vigorously with a spatula to loosen it slightly. Then add the remaining foam in two batches and mix very gently, making movements from the bottom of the bowl upwards, as if you were 'scooping' the mixture. Mix only until the ingredients are combined and no white streaks of foam are visible.

Use a wide silicone spatula. The goal is to retain as much air in the foam as possible. Do not use a mixer at this stage! Gentle folding will ensure the cake's lightness.

Baking

10

Carefully transfer the prepared mixture to the previously prepared mold. Smooth the top of the cake using a spatula or the back of a spoon, trying to make the surface as flat as possible.

Work quickly but gently so that the foam doesn't deflate. A level surface will ensure that the cake bakes evenly.
11

Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes. After about 45 minutes, check the cake with a wooden skewer. Insert it into the center of the cake – if it comes out dry and without any crumbs sticking to it, the cake is ready. If it is moist, continue baking, checking every 5-7 minutes.

Every oven bakes differently, so the baking time is approximate. If the top of the cake starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
12

Remove the baked cake from the oven and leave it in the pan for about 15-20 minutes to cool slightly. Then, carefully run a knife along the edges of the pan to separate the cake, and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. The cake is very delicate, so do this gently.

Cooling on a rack ensures air circulation, preventing the bottom of the cake from becoming damp and 'soggy'. Do not decorate the cake until it is completely cold.

Decoration

13

Prepare the orange icing. In a bowl, sift in the powdered sugar. Gradually, one teaspoon at a time, add freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 tablespoons), vigorously mixing with a fork or a small whisk. Add the juice until you achieve a smooth, fairly thick, but still pourable consistency.

Ingredients: Powdered sugar, Orange
The key is to gradually add the juice. If the icing turns out too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it's too thick – a little more juice. Sifting the powdered sugar will prevent lumps from forming.
14

When the cake is completely cool, drizzle it with the prepared icing, spreading it evenly over the entire surface using a spoon or spatula. Allow the icing to flow freely down the sides. Before the icing sets, sprinkle the top of the cake with candied orange peel and/or toasted almond flakes. Set aside for about 30 minutes for the icing to fully set.

Ingredients: Candied orange peel, Almond flakes
To toast almond flakes, place them in a dry, cold pan and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they become golden and start to smell fragrant. Be careful, as they can burn very easily!

Fun Fact

💡

The name 'Japanese poppy seed cake' is a Polish phenomenon and has nothing to do with Japan. It probably originated from the incredibly light and fluffy texture of the cake, which for Poles in the 70s and 80s might have been associated with the delicacy and exoticism of Japanese desserts, such as 'castella' cake.

Best for

Wigilia i Boże Narodzenie Wielkanoc Eleganckie przyjęcie Podwieczorek dla gości

Tips

🍽️ Serving

The cake tastes best at room temperature. Cut it into neat squares with a sharp, thin knife, dipped in hot water and wiped after each cut to achieve even edges. It is delicious on its own, but you can serve it with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It pairs perfectly with black coffee, Earl Grey tea, or a glass of orange liqueur.

🥡 Storage

Store the poppy seed cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. In the refrigerator, it will stay fresh for up to a week. Interestingly, on the second and third day, it tastes even better as all the flavors meld together. The cake can also be frozen (without icing) - wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, it will be good for 3 months.

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