REC: Victorian Poppy Seed Cake
Well, darn - this is one I cut out -- it was 1987 but I don't know which magazine!
Victorian Poppy Seed Cake
Makes 1 bundt cake or 10" tube cake
1/2 cup dark poppy seeds
1/2 cup milk
3/4 lb. (1-1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tbl. grated lime rind
1 tbl. grated orange rind
8 eggs, separated, at room temp
2 cups sifted cake flour
1/4 tsp. salt
Syrup (optional):
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup superfine sugar
Soak poppy seeds in the milk for 4 hours or more. Rinse seeds under cold running water, then drain well.
Preheat oven to 350 deg. Grease and flour bundt or 10" tube pan.
Cream butter and gradually beat in 1-1/4 cps. of the sugar. Beat in grated rinds and poppy seeds. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating for about 5 min. or until mixture is very light and creamy.
In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until peaks are stiff but not dry.
Sift flour and salt over egg yolk mixture, 1/3rd at a time; folding in after each addition. Gently fold in a quarter of the egg whites, then fold in rest.
Pour batter carefully into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.
Make Syrup by combining the 2 juices in a glass measuring cup; stir in the superfine sugar until completely dissolved.
Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 10 min., then unmold (unless you are glazing it). If using glazing syrup, immediately upon removing cake from oven, prick top with long pick or thin skewer. Pour syrup slowly over top to cover completely. Cool in pan to allow syrup to soak in.