Cinnamon Poppy Seed Cake
Submitted by myself
Buttermilk Bundt cake with poppy seeds and a cinnamon sugar swirl baked through the center. Light, tender crumb with a warm spice ribbon in every slice.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsThis Bundt cake has a cinnamon sugar swirl running through its center like a marble cake, but with spice instead of chocolate. Half the batter goes in the pan, a layer of cinnamon sugar gets sprinkled on, then the rest of the batter covers it. When you slice it, you see that gorgeous spiced stripe.
Whipped egg whites folded into the batter are what make this cake exceptionally light for a Bundt. Most Bundt cakes are dense and rich. This one has an airy, almost angel food-like quality while still being buttery and moist from buttermilk and a full cup of butter.
Six tablespoons of poppy seeds add a subtle crunch and nutty flavor that complements the cinnamon without competing with it.
Pro Tips
- Generously butter the Bundt pan, getting into every groove. This cake sticks badly in an under-greased pan, and the cinnamon sugar layer makes it worse.
- Fold the whipped egg whites in gently in two additions. Dumping them all at once and stirring collapses them, and you lose the lightness.
- Alternate the flour mixture and buttermilk in three additions each, starting and ending with flour. This prevents the batter from curdling.
- Cool in the pan for exactly 10 minutes, then turn out. Too long and the cinnamon sugar cements the cake to the pan.
Variations
- Add a simple glaze of powdered sugar and milk drizzled over the cooled cake.
- Swap poppy seeds for toasted sesame seeds for a different nutty crunch.
- Fold in the zest of one orange for a cinnamon-orange poppy seed cake.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Generously butter 12 cup Bundt pan.
Combine ½ cup sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl.
Using electric mixer, beat butter and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy.
Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until mixture is smooth.
Beat in egg yolks 1 at a time.
Mix in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions each.
Fold in poppy seeds.
In medium bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy.
Gradually add remaining ½ cup sugar, beating.
Fold whites into batter in 2 additions.
Spoon half of cake batter into prepared pan.
Sprinkle with half of cinnamon sugar.
Spoon remaining batter over. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 10 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely.
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