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German Pastry Chef, home

Cream Cakes, Cakes, Layer Cakes

Strawberry Poppy Seed Cake

by Lisa

Trained pastry chef

Strawberry poppy seed cake topped with whipped cream rosettes, fresh strawberries and chopped pistachios

5.0 (1)out of 5, 1 rating

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Prep
45 min
Bake
30 min
Total
1 hr 15 min
Makes
14 slices

Welcome to my home kitchen, dear sweet tooths, home bakers and food lovers! Today I'm opening my treasure chest of recipes to show you a tempting masterpiece: the irresistible strawberry poppy seed cake! 🍰🍓

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In this detailed tutorial I'll gently guide you through every step of making this heavenly creation. With fresh, in-season strawberries, a light sponge that melts in your mouth and a creamy vanilla pudding (cooked, cooled vanilla pudding; in the US use homemade or cook-and-serve vanilla pudding made with milk, in the UK a thick custard made from custard powder) and schmand cream (schmand is a thick cultured cream with about 20 to 24 percent fat, richer than American sour cream; in the US use full-fat sour cream, or half sour cream and half crème fraîche, and in the UK soured cream mixed with an equal amount of crème fraîche) that melts on your tongue like a gentle kiss, this cake promises to be a feast for the senses.

Fruit cake lovers and layer cake fans alike will be thrilled when they bake this recipe in their own kitchen. From making the shortcrust pastry to decorating with fresh strawberries and crunchy pistachios, I share all my tips and tricks so your cake turns out a complete success. 🎂

As a trained pastry chef with a passion for creations made of dough and icing, I want to share my years of experience and expertise with you. Every cake I bake carries a story and a pinch of magic, and I'd love to share that with you now.

Come along with me on this culinary journey and let's celebrate the art of baking together. 🎉

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Let's dive into the world of sweet treats together and enjoy the smell of freshly baked cake in our kitchens! 🍰✨

Happy baking and snacking, from your Kuchenfee Lisa! 🍓🍰

Ingredients

Makes 14 slices

Poppy seed sponge

  • 4large eggsRoom temperature
  • ½ cup plus 2 tbsp120 ggranulated sugar
  • 1 pinchsalt
  • 2 tspvanilla sugar1 packet = 2 tsp (8 g). Sugar flavored with real vanilla, sold in small packets of about 8 g. In the US use 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar for each 8 g packet; in the UK, vanilla sugar sachets from the baking aisle, or 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar per sachet.
  • 1 cup130 gall-purpose flourIn German recipes plain flour means soft wheat flour Type 405 unless stated otherwise. In the US use all-purpose flour; in the UK, plain flour.
  • 2 ¾ oz80 gpoppy seedsGround. Blue poppy seeds; for fillings German recipes grind them first. In the US and the UK use poppy seeds, ground in a spice grinder.
  • 1 pinchbaking powderAs much as fits on the tip of a knife. German baking powder is sold in 15 g packets, each meant for about 500 g (4 cups) of flour. In the US and the UK use baking powder, 1 tbsp plus ¾ tsp per 15 g packet.
  • 1 ½ tbsp20 gunsalted butterMelted. German butter is unsalted and has about 82 percent fat. In the US use unsalted butter; European-style unsalted butter is closest. In the UK use unsalted butter.

Filling

  • 17 ½ oz500 gberries
  • 4 tbspgranulated sugar
  • 2 ½ tsp10 gagar-based gelling powderEnough to set 2 cups (500 ml) of liquid. A plant-based gelling powder made with agar; it has to be boiled briefly to set. In the US and the UK use agar agar powder, using the amount on its package because strengths vary.
  • 2 cups500 mlheavy creamCold. German cream for whipping has about 30 to 32 percent fat. In the US use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream; in the UK, whipping cream (double cream also works but whips faster, so watch it).
  • 2 tbspwhipped cream stabilizer2 packets; 1 packet = 1 tbsp (8 g). A packet of modified starch and sugar that keeps whipped cream firm; one packet is used for about 1 cup (250 ml) of cream. In the US use whipped cream stabilizer powder (sold online and in some baking aisles), or about 1 tbsp nonfat dry milk powder per cup of cream; in the UK, cream stabiliser powder (sold online), or a spoonful of mascarpone whipped in with the cream.
  • 4 tspvanilla sugar2 packets = 4 tsp (16 g)

Decoration

  • 1 ¼ cups300 mlheavy creamCold
  • strawberriesTo taste
  • pistachiosTo taste
  • 1 tbsp20 gstrawberry jamIn everyday German any jam, not only citrus marmalade. In the US use jam or preserves (seedless if the recipe needs a smooth spread); in the UK, jam (seedless if the recipe needs a smooth spread).

Method

Sponge

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C) convection (fan). Line the bottom of a 10-inch (26 cm) springform pan with parchment paper.

  2. Beat the eggs, salt, sugar and vanilla sugar vigorously for about 10 minutes.

  3. Mix the flour, poppy seeds and baking powder, sift them over the egg mixture and fold them in with love.

  4. While you fold, drizzle in the melted butter and fold it in as well.

  5. Pour the batter into the springform pan and bake in the preheated oven until golden, then let it cool upside down in the pan.

  6. Release the cooled sponge from the pan and cut it in half horizontally to make two layers.

  7. Close the springform ring around the bottom layer again.

Filling

  1. Gently bring the berries and sugar to a boil in a saucepan and cook until they are soft and juicy. Add a splash of water if needed.

  2. Stir in the agar-based gelling powder and keep cooking for about 2 minutes, stirring all the time. Then pour the mixture over the bottom layer in the springform pan and spread it out. Let it cool.

  3. Whip the cream with the vanilla sugar until stiff, adding the whipped cream stabilizer just before the end. Spread about ¾ of it over the cooled berries in the pan, smooth the top and place the second layer on top, then spread on the rest of the cream.

  4. Now chill the cake for at least 3 hours.

Garnish

  1. Whip the cream with the whipped cream stabilizer and vanilla sugar until stiff and spoon it into a piping bag.

  2. Stir the jam until smooth and spread it over the cream in the center of the cake.

  3. Pipe rosettes with the piping bag and garnish with strawberries and pistachios.