Poppy Seed Cake with Meringue and Caramel Buttercream

Two layers of crunchy meringue, a little poppy seeds, and caramel buttercream. This is the definition of this delicious cake. Give it a try!

The first time I baked this cake I made it as a gift for my loved ones: one of them really likes meringue, the other adores buttercream, I personally wanted to have something with poppy seeds 🙂

After finding the recipe online, I was reading it once, twice, I came back the other day, etc. I still lacked courage. But something told me that this is going to be an incredible cake! And I couldn’t agree more!

The poppy seed cake with meringue and caramel buttercream was very very tasty: the meringue layers were to crispiest I have ever had, I really enjoyed the softness inside of it too 🙂 Poppy seeds’ biscuit also baked well, it was rich in texture and light. The buttercream was very sweet – as it should be I guess, but it assembled the cake perfectly well.

In the end, I was enormously happy. I hope you will enjoy baking it too 🙂

Complexity: patience is very important while baking this cake, but I guess you would need it in every cake baking process. One thing that you should keep in mind is time management. I would recommend first make the meringue layers, and leave them overnight in the oven to cool completely. The other day you can make poppy seeds’ biscuit and buttercream, as well as assemble everything together. If you would follow this, you are going to definitely stress less 🙂

Am I going to bake this cake once more? Definitely yes 🙂 it will be a perfect one for the upcoming birthdays!

For who I would recommend this cake? For those, who really enjoy the crispiness of meringue and love sweet buttercream.

How to make poppy seed cake?

For the poppy seed biscuit, whip the soft room temperature butter with half of the powdered sugar. Stir in grated lemon peel and vanilla extract. Add in the egg yolks one by one.

Mix the flour with the poppy seeds or poppy filling and add it carefully into the dough together with the milk. Whisk the egg whites with the remaining powdered sugar until stiff and mix into the dough.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a baking sheet with the baking paper. Pour the dough into a baking pan, spread over the edges, smooth the surface. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a wooden stick inserted into the center of the cake will stay dry and clean. When the cake has cooled, cut it in half with a sharp knife.

How to make sugar syrup?

In a heat-resistant container, pour water, add sugar. Boil the syrup until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, let it cool and stir in rum. Set aside.

How to make sweet and crunchy meringue layers?

For meringue place the egg whites in a clean, preferably non-plastic bowl and whisk until whipped. Add the cream of tartar (if you use, if not, you can add a little salt), then continue to beat it and sprinkle with a tablespoon of sugar. Beat until the mass is shiny and very stiff (about 10 minutes), or until you feel no little sugar crystals after rubbing a little egg whites between your fingers.

Chop the pecans with a food processor or knife (they are very soft) and mix very carefully into the egg whites.

Draw two circles of 18 cm in diameter on the baking paper or draw around a baking tin (used for the poppy seed cake) and spread the egg whites in an even layer. Bake in a preheated oven to 100 degrees until the meringue is easily removed from the baking paper (an hour or even two, three). After switching off the oven, open the door and leave it there until the oven has cooled down completely.

How to make caramel buttercream?

Whip the soft, room temperature butter until fluffy, add the caramelized sweetened condensed milk at room temperature spoon by spoon, and whisk well. Stir in coffee (make sure its temperature is similar to butter and caramelized sweetened condensed milk).

How to assemble and frost poppy seed cake?

Sprinkle one layer of poppy biscuit with sugar syrup. Apply the cream. Apply a layer of meringue, and apply the cream again. Put the poppy biscuit again, sprinkle, apply the cream, add the meringue layer. Spread the whole cake with cream. Keep in the refrigerator.

The most delicious this cake on the second or third day.

Inspirations taken from „Baking Secrets“ ir „Sonatinos receptai“.

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Poppy Seed Cake with Meringue and Caramel Buttercream

Two layers of crunchy meringue, a little poppy seeds, and caramel buttercream. This is the definition of this delicious cake. Give it a try!

Course Dessert

Cuisine World cuisine

Keyword buttercream, cake, caramel spread, meringue, poppy seeds

Servings 12 people

You will need

For poppy seed biscuit

• 100 g butter room temperature
• 60 g powdered sugar
• 1 lemon peel grated
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 3 medium eggs
• 70-80 g flour
• 150 g poppy seeds or poppy seed filling
• 2 tablespoons milk

For sugar syrup

• 4 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon rum

For meringue layers

• 3 medium egg whites
• 100 g sugar
• A handful of chopped pecans
• A pinch cream of tartar not necessary

For caramel buttercream

• 200 g soft butter room temperature
• 1 can (397 g) caramelized sweetened condensed milk room temperature
• 20 ml strong coffee dissolved in water

Instructions

1. For the poppy seed biscuit, whip the soft room temperature butter with half of the powdered sugar. Stir in grated lemon peel and vanilla extract. Stir in the egg yolks one by one.
2. Mix the flour with the poppy seeds or poppy filling and add it carefully into the dough together with the milk. Whisk the egg whites with the remaining powdered sugar until stiff and mix into the dough.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a baking sheet with the baking paper. Pour the dough into a bakin pan, spread over the edges, smooth the surface. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a wooden stick inserted into the center of the cake will stay dry and clean. When the cake has cooled, cut it in half with a sharp knife.
4. In a heat-resistant container, pour water, add sugar. Boil the syrup until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, let it cool and stir in rum. Set aside.
5. For meringue place the egg whites in a clean, preferably non-plastic bowl and whisk until whipped. Add the cream of tartar (if you use, if not, you can add a little salt), then continue to beat it and sprinkle with a tablespoon of sugar. Beat until the mass is shiny and very stiff (about 10 minutes), or until you feel no little sugar crystals after rubbing a little egg whites between your fingers.
6. Chop the pecans with a food processor or knife (they are very soft) and mix very carefully into the egg whites.
7. Draw two circles of 18 cm in diameter on the baking paper or draw around a baking tin (used for the poppy seed cake) and spread the egg whites in an even layer. Bake in a preheated oven to 100 degrees until the meringue is easily removed from the baking paper (an hour or even two, three). After switching off the oven, open the door and leave it there until the oven has cooled down completely.
8. Whip the soft, room temperature butter until fluffy, add the caramelized sweetened condensed milk at room temperature spoon by spoon, and whisk well. Stir in coffee (make sure its temperature is similar to butter and caramelized sweetened condensed milk.
9. Sprinkle one layer of poppy biscuit with sugar syrup. Apply the cream. Apply a layer of meringue, and apply the cream again. Put the poppy biscuit again, sprinkle, apply the cream, add the meringue layer. Spread the whole cake with cream. Keep in the refrigerator. The most delicious this cake on the second or third day.

Atnaujinta 2021-01-10