Mohnkuchen — German poppyseed cake

i. Origin & history

Mohnkuchen is most associated with Silesia, Saxony and Bavaria. The poppyseed filling has been a German specialty for centuries; ground poppyseeds are available in Polish, Czech and German shops worldwide.

ii. Ingredients

Makes 12 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

• 200 g plain flour
• 100 g sugar
• Pinch salt
• 100 g cold butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 2-3 tbsp cold water
• 300 g ground poppyseeds
• 400 ml whole milk
• 150 g sugar
• 30 g semolina
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 eggs
• 60 g raisins
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 60 g flour
• 60 g sugar
• 60 g butter (streusel)

iii. Method

1. Make pastry: rub butter into flour, sugar, salt; mix in yolk and water to a dough. Chill 30 min.
2. Roll pastry into a 22 cm round tin; chill.
3. Make filling: bring milk to a boil; off heat stir in poppyseeds, sugar, semolina, honey; cook 5 min until thick; cool. Beat in eggs, raisins and zest.
4. Spread filling over pastry.
5. Make streusel: rub butter into flour and sugar to crumbs. Scatter over filling.
6. Bake at 180 °C for 50-60 min until golden.

iv. Tips & common mistakes

• Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
• Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
• Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.

v. Variations

Mohnstriezel is the rolled poppyseed plait. Makowiec is the Polish cousin. Mohnstrudel wraps poppyseed in stretched dough. Makos guba is the Hungarian poppyseed bread pudding.

vii. More from Austrian & German

• Mohnstriezel — poppyseed plait
• Poppy Seed Strudel — poppyseed strudel
• Makos Guba — Hungarian poppyseed bread pudding
• Babka — Polish yeast cake
• Topfenstrudel — Austrian quark strudel
• Apfelstrudel — apple strudel