Holiday baking: Elevate poppy seed cake with pudding twist

The holidays are a time when we all want to surprise our loved ones with delicious and unique flavours. That's why I add a secret ingredient to the traditional poppy seed cake, which makes it disappear from plates in the blink of an eye. I invite you to discover a simple recipe for poppy seed cake with pudding that will delight your taste buds and save valuable time in the kitchen.

This poppy seed cake with pudding is not only simple to prepare but also delights with its flavour. The secret to its uniqueness is the addition of ground almonds, giving the cake a delicate, nutty aroma and flavour.

To prepare poppy seed cake with pudding, you'll need the following ingredients:

                        
• 200g of butter,
• 1 egg,
• 400g of flour,
• a pinch of salt,
• 1.5 cups of sugar,
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder,
• 750mL of milk,
• 2 packets of vanilla pudding powder,
• 250g of ground poppy seeds,
• a few drops of almond extract,
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar,
• bread crumbs for dusting the pan,
• powdered sugar for decoration.

Preparation:

Sift the flour with the baking powder, then add the sugar and salt. Incorporate the cold butter and egg, and quickly knead the dough. Wrap it in foil and place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Execution:

Set aside 250mL of the milk and dissolve the pudding mix in it. Boil the remaining milk with half a cup of sugar and vanilla sugar. Then, add the pudding mixture, cooking and stirring constantly until the pudding thickens.

Mix thoroughly with the poppy seeds, ground almonds, and almond extract to the cooled pudding.

Line a 25 x 35 cm (10 x 14 inch) baking tray with baking paper or grease it with butter and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Place 2/3 of the shortcrust dough on the bottom of the tray. Pour the poppy seed mixture over it, then sprinkle the remaining 1/3 of the dough, crumbled into pieces.

Bake the poppy seed cake in an oven preheated to 180°C (355°F) for about 50 minutes. After baking, let the cake cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar. This is my favourite holiday treat, and it is always appreciated by my family and guests.

If you are looking for a recipe for a Christmas poppy seed cake that will impress all your guests, this is it. Enjoy!