By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- About 1 hour 35 minutes
- Rating
- 4(219)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Because this is made with whole wheat flour and honey it doesn’t look like most white fluffy poppy seed cakes; it’s dark and golden, with a wonderful moist texture plus the slight crunch of the poppy seeds (which are another good luck food, at least in Poland). The formula is much the same as the one I used for my walnut apricot Bundt cake modeled on Peter Reinhart’s formulas for quick breads and muffins, with ricotta standing in for some of the buttermilk.
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Ingredients
Yield:1 generous ring, 20 to 24 slices
- 383grams / about 3 cups whole wheat flour
- ¾teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1tablespoon baking powder
- 1¼teaspoons baking soda
- 145grams / 5 ounces / 1¼ sticks unsalted butter, melted
- ½cup mild honey, such as clover
- 3eggs, at room temperature
- 1¼cups / 296 milliliters buttermilk
- 6ounces / ¾ cup / 170 grams ricotta
- 1½tablespoons lemon extract
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- Grated zest of 1 to 2 lemons (to taste)
- 2tablespoons poppy seeds
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (22 servings)
162 calories; 8 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 160 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a Bundt pan with melted butter and lightly dust with flour. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. In another large bowl beat together eggs, buttermilk, ricotta, melted butter, honey, lemon extract and vanilla.
Step
2
If using a stand mixer, fit with paddle and beat at low speed for about 30 seconds, then add liquids and beat for about 1 minute, or until thoroughly combined. Stop machine, scrape bottom of the bowl with a spatula to bring up any unmixed flour, and beat for another minute on low speed. If using a bowl and whisk, whisk together dry ingredients then whisk in wet ingredients until smooth. The mixture should be thick and, in the perfect words of Peter Reinhart, “soupy.” Stir in lemon zest and poppy seeds.
Step
3
Scrape batter into prepared Bundt pan and place in oven. Set timer for 45 minutes. Rotate pan 180 degrees and bake for another 25 to 35 minutes, until cake is nicely browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Remove from oven and allow to rest in pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack and allow to cool completely.
Tips
- For accuracy I recommend weighing the flour.
- Wrapped well in plastic, the cake keeps for 2 to 3 days. It also freezes well.
Ratings
4
out of 5
219
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Cooking Notes
SP
Superb texture, moistness and taste.
I replaced one cup of wwf with almond meal, used olive oil instead of butter. It is fantastic!
Janice
This is a sleeper of a cake--I wasn't wowed by it when I made it, but found myself reaching for a slice (I froze several) for a coffee or tea break, or as a snack on the go. Not flashy, but reliable and satisfying.
Ellen
I agree with an earlier contributor, this cake has a wonderful texture. It is both tender and light. I used substituted orange peel and orange extract for the lemon and was happy with the results.
Emma
Lovely breakfast cake with the perfect amount of sweetness, as confirmed by my weekend guests. Subbed almond extract for the lemon extract, added the zest of a grapefruit I had on hand, and made a simple glaze with the juice of the grapefruit and a little p. sugar--it absorbed nicely and just gave the cake a little more zing. I will up the zest next time, improving on an already pleasant, moist cake.
Martha Rose Shulman
Yes, definitely. If the yogurt is very thick, thin it with a little milk.
Hilary
A satisfying cake -- not very sweet but flavorful and the texture is great, especially if you use coarse ground flour.
Nathalie
Delightfully light and moist. Wholesome grains. Not too sweet. Also subbed some almond flour as I ran out of whole wheat. Used a combo of orange n lemon zest. This recipe is perfect as it is and could be endlessly versatile... add chopped walnuts, play with spices... a cranberry orange version comes to mind...
Remy
Can plain yogurt be substituted for the buttermilk? Should the amounts of baking powder and baking soda be changed?
NMill
I was excited to see this recipe with whole wheat and honey. However, the relatively large amount of baking powder yields that bitter, metallic taste that's typical of too much baking powder. The texture's great, and the sweetness level is low (which we like)-- it's just the baking powder that ruins this cake.
julie
Not sweet at all!! Would be better as a quick bread recipe. Disappointing…
Rochelle
I baked this cake earlier today and could not taste the poppy seeds at all. I was told by a friend that she always grinds the poppy seeds first to enhance the taste. Also, in my opinion I could have increased the honey because the cake is just not sweet enough for a "cake". I also substituted 1 cup of almond flour and the crumb was excellent.
Tcosmik
This has been a solid cake for monthly baking with my daughter. She actually dislikes too much sweet. This cake has let her enjoy a lovely treat without all the buttercream or chocolate
CN
Surprisingly light and moist given the whole wheat flour. Also subbed almond extract because I ran out of vanilla, and coated the top with a simple glaze. Tasted even better the next day and kept its moist, bright flavor! It’s a delicious snack or breakfast especially with coffee! However it is not a dessert like I was hoping for. Reminds me more of a tea bread or loaf than a cake. It’s still delicious but I would prepare expectations accordingly.
Jefe
Second time making this cake and it is delicious. I half the recipe, use 2 eggs, and make in a 6 cup Bundt pan. I do make the lemon glaze as comments suggested.
AW
Terrific cake! As others suggested, I cooked 3 T poppy seeds in the buttermilk and let it cool, used oil instead of melting butter, and added the juice from half a lemon. Made a maple cream cheese frosting to go with it.
Maria
Followed this recipe (almost) all the way. Did not have ricotta and I used cottage cheese. Time baked 50 mins @350, came out perfect. Internal temperature was 207 Fahrenheit. I let it cool in the Bundt pan for a few minutes, tapped it and shook it. Came out beautifully.
Jilbers
I'm a fan of WW flour and regularly add it to recipes, usually only 1/2 cup to 1 cup depending on the overall AP flour amount. I was tempted to add 2 cups WW and 1 cup AP, but I followed the recipe and I am so glad I did. The only change I needed to make was omitting the honey + I had no lemon extract so I replaced the honey with 3/4 cup sugar which I zested 3 Meyer lemons into, I added 3/4 ths of the juiced lemons to the batter, made a lemon and PS glaze that I poured over while warm. Delirious
jimmie
I found myself wanting more sweetness. The taste was a bit bland, not unpleasant . I added 2/3 cup of dark brown sugar and 1/3 a cup of white sugar. The sweet seemed to enhance the lemon extract and zest.
Nathalie
Delightfully light and moist. Wholesome grains. Not too sweet. Also subbed some almond flour as I ran out of whole wheat. Used a combo of orange n lemon zest. This recipe is perfect as it is and could be endlessly versatile... add chopped walnuts, play with spices... a cranberry orange version comes to mind...
Lily
Has anyone tried making this cake subbing with gluten free flour? Curious if it will work well and which one folks have used.
Gneissgirl
I tweaked this a little the second time I baked : used the juice from the 2 lemons I zested (didn’t want to waste them and leave them bald in the fridge); substituted golden raisins for the poppy seeds (not enough poppy seed flavor, so seemed wasteful). To increase poppy seed flavor, you could add them (and perhaps more) to the buttermilk, heat, and then cool before adding to the other wet ingredients as in Joan Nathan’s poppy seed cake recipe (I did not try this yet; I liked the raisins).
Gneissgirl
Only needed to bake for 1 hour in a convection oven
Todd
70 minutes was too long. Zest of two lemons definitely not too much.
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