Poppy Seed Bread with Rum

Elena Butuc

I was planning to share a different recipe today, but this cake was so well-received and vanished from the plate in just 5 minutes at the picnic where I served it.

As for its taste and texture, it is soft and tender, melting in your mouth. I never expected the combination of poppy seeds, rum, and butter to create such an extraordinary flavor. According to the recipe's author, the cake's texture improves over time, becoming more delicate and tastier on the second and third day - unfortunately, it always gets eaten too quickly for me to verify that claim.

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Ingredients

Metric US

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Egg

3 pieces

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Butter

200 g

softened at room temperature

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Sugar

250 g

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Rum flavour

3 tbsp

brandy or amaretto can also be used, plus a hint of vanilla or cinnamon

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Baking powder

10 g

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Milk

280 ml

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Poppy seeds

200 g

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White flour

300 g

Step by step

Step 1

Separate the egg whites from the yolks.

Step 2

Beat the egg whites until stiff using a mixer.

Step 3

In a separate bowl, combine the softened butter and sugar, mixing well.

Step 4

Add the egg yolks, baking powder, and rum essence, then mix thoroughly.

Step 5

Warm the milk slightly on the stove or in a microwave and pour it into the bowl, stirring gently to avoid spills.

Step 6

Incorporate the poppy seeds, mixing gently.

Step 7

Add the flour and mix well to ensure there are no lumps.

Step 8

Finally, gently fold in the beaten egg whites from step 2 using a spatula, with circular motions from top to bottom.

Step 9

Pour the batter into a large cake pan. If your pan is small, avoid pouring all the batter, allowing space for it to rise during baking. I made 6 extra muffins with the remaining batter.

Ensure there's at least 1 cm of space from the batter to the edge of the tray.

Step 10

Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 150°C and bake for an additional 20 minutes. The cake should be golden, risen, and pass the toothpick test.

Don't worry if it cracks, that's normal. I used a classic glass cake tray, which is smaller in size.