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Put this poppy seed cake at the top of your to-do list. It’s a winner! The hint of rum, salted pistachios over chocolate ganache, the (not overly sweet) fluffy frosting and super soft and moist cake layers make this an amazing cake.
This was my sister Anna’s Birthday cake. I sneakily figured out that my poppy seed cake roll was her favorite. I then decided to turn that very popular recipe into a delicious beauty of a cake. Everyone at her party gave rave reviews.
The base of this cake is a European sponge cake called Biskvit, which is the best because it holds moisture really well and you can bake and freeze the cake layers months in advance. Biskvit can be used for just about any cake you can dream up. I tweaked my usual recipe a teensy bit and ended up with some seriously fluffy cake layers. As usual, I included step-by-step photos so you can easily master this recipe, like a BOSS.
Ingredients for Biskvit Poppy Seed Cake:
6 eggs + 2 egg whites, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup cake flour (make cake flour with 2 ingredients!)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup dry poppy seeds
*Watch our easy video tutorial on how to measure correctly
For the Rum Cake Syrup:
1 cup very warm water
4 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/3 cup golden rum (I use Bacardi) or 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (if you must)
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened at room temp
3/4 cup granulated sugar
To Decorate the Poppy Seed Cake:
1/2 recipe chocolate ganache (click for recipe)
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
6 oz fresh blackberries
How to Make The Poppy Seed Sponge Cake:
Watch the video before you get started:
Prep: Preheat Oven to 350˚F and line bottoms of two (9-inch) cake pans with parchment paper (do not grease pans).
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer (this is the one I have), beat 6 large eggs plus 2 whites with whisk attachment 1 min on high speed until foamy. With mixer on, gradually add 1 cup sugar and continue beating on high speed 8-10 min until thick and fluffy.
2. Whisk baking powder into flour then sift flour in two additions into batter, folding gently with a spatula between each addition, scraping the bottom of the bowl to ensure you don’t have hidden pockets of flour. Fold in 1/4 cup poppy seeds until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Do not over-mix or you may deflate the batter.
3. Divide batter evenly between 2 prepared cake pans (perfectionists: feel free to weigh the cake pans). Bake at 350˚F for 23-28 min (mine took 25 min), or until top is golden and springs back when poked slightly. Once out of the oven, remove from pan by sliding a thin spatula around the edges then transfer to a wire rack, peel back parchment paper and cool to room temp. Slice cake layers in half (I use this bread knife).
How to Make Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:
1. Beat cold heavy whipping cream on high speed with whisk attachment for 1.5 to 2 min until stiff and spreadable then transfer to a separate dish.
2. In the same mixing bowl (no need to wash it), beat together 2 pkgs cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar on medium speed until smooth, scraping down the bowl a couple times, then increase to high speed and beat 2 min until fluffy. Using a spatula, fold in whipped cream.
Make your ganache now since it needs about 15 minutes to cool and become a pourable consistency.
Assembling the Poppy Seed Cake:
1. Combine syrup ingredients and stir until sugar dissolves. Place the first base layer onto a cake platter. Brush 1/4 of the syrup onto the cake then spread with frosting. Repeat with remaining layers. Wipe cake plate clean then Frost the sides and top with just enough to smooth out the cake.
2. Transfer 3/4 cup frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star Wilton 1M tip (These are are the 3 tips I pretty much only use).
3. Put remaining frosting on sides to get a solid white edge. Keep frosting on top to a minimum since you’ll be covering it with ganache anyways. Refrigerate cake. Once ganache is a pourable consistency, pour it over the top of the cake allowing excess ganache to pour off the sides then refrigerate 10 min to set. Pipe frosting around the borders of the cake, top with blackberries and chopped pistachios as shown.
Poppy Seed Cake with Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
For the Poppy Seed Cake Layers:
- 6 eggs + 2 egg whites, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cup cake flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup dry poppy seeds
For the Rum Syrup:
- 1 cup very warm water
- 4 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup golden rum, I use Bacardi or 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (if you must)
Frosting Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
- 2 packages, 8 oz each cream cheese, softened at room temp
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
To Decorate the Cake:
- 1/2 recipe chocolate ganache, found on natashaskitchen.com
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
- 13 fresh blackberries
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat Oven to 350˚F and line bottoms of two (9-inch) cake pans with parchment paper (do not grease pans). In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 6 large eggs plus 2 whites with whisk attachment 1 min on high speed until foamy. With mixer on, gradually add 1 cup sugar and continue beating on high speed 8-10 min until thick and fluffy.
- Whisk baking powder into flour then sift flour in two additions into batter, folding gently with a spatula
- between each addition, scraping the bottom of the bowl to ensure you don’t have hidden pockets of flour. Fold in 1/4 cup poppy seeds until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Do not over-mix or you may deflate the batter.
- Divide batter evenly between 2 prepared cake pans. Bake at 350˚F for 23-28 min (mine took 25 min), or until top is golden and springs back when poked slightly. Once out of the oven, remove from pan by sliding a thin spatula around the edges then transfer to a wire rack, peel back parchment paper and cool to room temp. Slice cake layers in half.
How to Make Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Beat cold heavy whipping cream on high speed with whisk attachment for 1.5 to 2 min until stiff and spreadable then transfer to a separate dish.
- In the same mixing bowl (no need to wash it), beat together 2 pkgs cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar on medium speed until smooth, scraping down the bowl a couple times, then increase to high speed and beat 2 min until fluffy. Using a spatula, fold in whipped cream.
Make your ganache now since it needs 15 minutes to cool and become a pourable consistency.
Assembling the Poppy Seed Cake:
- Combine syrup ingredients and stir until sugar dissolves. Place the first base layer onto a cake platter. Brush 1/4 of the syrup onto the cake then spread with frosting. Repeat with remaining layers. Wipe cake plate clean then Frost the sides and top with just enough to smooth out the cake.
- Transfer 3/4 cup frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star Wilton 1M tip.
- Put remaining frosting on sides to get a solid white edge. Keep frosting on top to a minimum since you'll be covering it with ganache anyways. Refrigerate cake. Once ganache is a pourable consistency, pour it over the top of the cake allowing excess ganache to pour off the sides then refrigerate 10 min to set. Pipe frosting around the borders of the cake, top with blackberries and chopped pistachios as shown.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Make this poppy seed cake for your sweetheart this weekend. Have a lovely Valentine’s Day my friends!
I’ve made it!!!!!! Yeah first time tried and it’s works. Thank you so much for such a detailed tutorial video. Love you recipes.
You’re welcome Alla! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed that!
I’m SO excited I found this recipe, I’ll be making this for my boyfriend’s birthday. Is it possible to use Monkfruit sweetener instead of sugar, and would it taste similar? Just trying to limit sugar.
Hi Robyn, I have not tested that with Monkfruit to advise. I don’t see any comments made with that either. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Should poppy seeds be soaked first or left dry? I usually soak in other recipes.
Hi SJ, that is a great question. This recipe does not require them to be soaked.
I followed the directions exactly and beat those eggs in my 6 qt Kitchenaid professional mixer for 8 minutes. The eggs were at room temperature and the batter would just not ribbon. I extended the beating time to 10 minutes and it still wouldn’t ribbon. I made my own cake flour, I sifted the flour twice, and I added it in batches. The mixer parts were clean and I watched the video and I was very gentle and careful in folding in the flour but since the eggs never ribboned the cakes came out flat. Is it possible to over beat the eggs and sugar?
Great question, Yolanda! Yes it is easy to overbeat heavy cream and if you do, it turns buttery. It can be rescued by beating in a little bit more liquid cream.
Hi Natasha,
I will be trying this one for my husbands birthday…. I am a little nervous as my oven is not big enough for the two 9″ tins, can I put both of them in on different racks?
Hi Laura, you can definitely try that. One might cook better than the other at different levels from the heat source. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi Natasha, all your cakes with liquor, are kids 3 and older ok having it? or is it adult friendly only?
Hi Kathy, with the teeny tiny amount that will actually be in a slice, I have never worried about it both for flavor or alcohol properties. If you are concerned that your kids might not like the flavor, you could easilly cut the amount of rum in half so it’s just a hint of extra flavor. Or leave it out completely and just use a sugar water or even something like sprite.
Hi,Natasha. I want to try to make this cake,but in a rectangle pan,do I need to double the recipe?
Hi Olga, I would double it and make it in two separate batches or it would overwhelm most mixers that aren’t industrial sized. That is what I did with my strawberry cake in a rectangular pan.
I’m in love with this cake! Seriously, my new favorite now. I’ve made this cake 3 times already and every time it came out sooo delicious. Thank you for this great recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Hi Natasha! I have been going through your blog trying to settle on which new cake to make for a family gathering I have decided on this one, but wanted to add a few things to it and wanted your opinion. My mother loves complicated cakes, with a variety of creams and especially nuts and caramel. To make this cake sweeter I wanted to cover each sponge layer with a thin layer of cooked dulce de leche in addition to everything else, and add candied walnuts instead of pistachios. Would that preserve the texture or do you think that would be out of character for this cake? Last question, would adding a layer of bezhe, similar to Kievsky tort, be a little too much for this cake?
Hi Nina, I haven’t tried that combination, but I think a layer of dulce de leche sounds tasty, but I suggest allowing the rum mixture to soak in a few minutes before applying the dulce de leche or it would be difficult to spread without getting pieces of cake caught up in it. Candied walnuts should work fine. A layer of meringue would be too much since it is a moist cake and would make the meringue mushy.
It is really a great recipe using Poppy seeds. I haven’t found any cake with it in our locality thought Poppy seeds is widely available. I think I have to suggest your recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe Mobasir!
Hi natasha. I’m doing this cake for the second time now and I’ve experienced the same issue both times: all nice and good but after it’s baked (I don’t open the ovens door during baking) it flattens. 🤔😩 what am I doing wrong? Maybe I should add a bit more flour? The texture is lovely, very soft and airy. The only thing that bothers me is that it loses almost a quarter of its height. Thanks a lot for the recipe. We love it!
Hi Amelia! I’m more than happy to troubleshoot! If the eggs and sugar are not beaten sufficiently, then the cakes won’t rise. The cake relies on the whipped eggs and sugar for volume – it acts as the leavening which makes the cake rise in the oven but if they are not beaten per the instructions (with a reliable stand mixer), they will end up flat. Was anything altered in the recipe? Did you use dry poppy seeds? 🙂
Thank you for your quick response. I have a stand mixer and I did leave them for 10 minutes. The eggs get very foamy and triple in size. And yes, I used dried poppy seeds. All the time I follow your recipes word by word 😊
Hi Natasha, thank you for the recipe. I feel like I might be doing something wrong with the batter. The amount of batter is only enough for one 9 inch tin and comes only half way. the images show two 9 inch tins and almost both of them are full. Help 🙂
Hi Dalya, the primary reason for this cake not to rise is under-beating the eggs and sugar. Watch our video on how to make the classic European sponge cake base (which also has troubleshooting tips in the post). I hope that helps!
Hello! We dont like chocolate ganache, is there something else to replace it with or is there a way to make it sweeter? thank you!
Hi Vicki, you could skip the ganache and just use the cream. I would add a little more sugar to the frosting as well as the syrup to make it sweeter. I hope you love this poppy seed cake! 🙂
What brand cake flour do you like? I’ve made your poppyseed cake roll many times, we love it so I know this cake will be a hit as well. I want to make it for my mom’s birthday this Saturday. Thank you ☺️
Hi Jenny. Often times we make our own. If you click on the link that says “make it with two ingredients” it takes you to my cake flour recipe. You can make your own cake flour with 2 ingredient. It’s just all-purpose flour + corn starch if you wanted to make homemade cake flour 🙂
Hello,nice share.
So happy you liked it! Thank you!
Hi Natasha! What’s the purpose of using 6 eggs and 2 egg whites? Will it turn out with 7 whole eggs instead? Thank you!
Hi Deana, the 2 extra whites make the cake super fluffy. You can still make it work well with 7 whole eggs instead.
Hi Natasha,
Thank you for the great recipes! I have tried a few of your recipes so far, including this cake and they were all a big success 😀 Will be trying more of your recipes !!!
Hello Victoria, I’m happy to hear how much you’re enjoying the recipes! Thanks for following and sharing your encouraging comments!
I quadrupled this recipe and made a huge cake for my husbands and little girls 1st birthday. The cake turned out to weight about 17lbs! It was delicious and the frosting and ganache held up really well outside at the park all day where we were celebrating 🙂
Wow, that sounds glorious! I’m glad to hear the recipe was a huge success, lol. Thanks for sharing your wonderful review Lena!
Can I omit corn starch and just use flour by it self?
Hi Oksana, the corn starch creates more of a cake flour and makes the crumb softer. It would still work without it but the texture would be slightly different.
Hi Natasha
Can I use potato starch instead corn starch for the cake flour?
Hi Oksana, I honestly have not tried that substitution so I am not certain. You might try googling something like “cake flour potato starch” and see if anyone has experimented. Sorry I can’t be more help!