German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (2024)

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Sorry friends if you are on a diet but the hubby is baking again today. This is a recipe that I’ve been wanting to share for a really long time. We’ve had this recipe since before my son was born, so about 15 years and I remember translating it into English for my husband.

Every time I go to Germany, I go to our local bakery and order their loaded “Mohnkuchen” and you just can’t get anything close to it here in the US. So this is about the closest recipe to it I have.
It’s so so good but unfortunately not gluten-free. My husband might try to come up with a gluten-free version yet. He’s tried once but it needs tweaking.
He baked this for my birthday and I took pictures of him making it for me.

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (1)

In Germany, you use “Quark” for this recipe which is similar to sour cream and yogurt but we came up with a mixture of sour cream and ricotta. Quark is a little bit more bitter though which is why I love our mixture.

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (2)

Germans use a lot of Vanillin Sugar for baking which you can findHEREbut you can also use a mixture of sugar and vanilla beans which I have in my ingredients list. We stick with the German packages though.

I haven’t been able tofind a large amount of poppy seeds required for this cake at the local grocery stores here. So I buy mine…wait take a guess…yup… Amazon. See the one I buyHERE.

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (3)
German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (4)

Germans also cook and bake with a scale not cups. So we just bought a little scale (HERE) and use that for German recipes which you can see in the photos. Or you can just use an online converter likeTHISandTHIS

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Dough:

  • 150g quark (my mixture of 2 parts ricotta and 1 part sour cream)
  • 75g sugar
  • 300g flour
  • 6 tbsp milk
  • 6tbspvegetable oil
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • a pinch of salt

For the filling:

  • 500ml milk
  • 40g of butter
  • 60g of semolina
  • German Vanilla SugarHERE(similar to ½ vanilla bean and 4 tbsp of sugar)
  • 8 oz bag of poppy seedsHERE
  • 6-8 tbsp of sugar (depending how sweet you like it)
  • 2 eggs
  • a sprinkle of cinnamon

Forthestreusels:

  • 200g flour
  • 100g butter (room temperature)
  • 100g sugar

Preheat the oven to 375F

Start out by making the streusel so they can sit in the fridge while you make the rest of the cake:
Simply combine the butter, sugar, and flour in a bowl and knead it into a dough, and put it in the fridge.

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (5)

Then it’s time for the bottom dough:

Mix the dough ingredients together. My husband likes to slowly mix in the flour and then knead it all to a soft dough.

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (6)

We use a greased 9 x 13ish pan and spread the dough out into it which you can see below.

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (8)

Then you need to move on to the poppy seed filling:

Heat up the milk and butter in a pot until it starts to boil, add in the semolina, the sugar, and the Vanillin Sugar, and let it start to boil again while stirring. Quickly remove it from the stove and let the mixture soak for 5 minutes.

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (9)

After that, you can add the poppy seeds, cinnamon, and eggs.

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (10)

Mix it really well to avoid clumps and spread everything over the dough.

(Some German bakeries add raisins to the poppy seed mixture but I hate that. When I go to a bakery I ask if the cake has raisins in it and if it does, I don’t buy it. I usually like raisins but not in my Mohnkuchen)

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (11)
German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (12)

Now it’s time to add the streusels/crumbles. Take the dough out of the fridge and crumble it over the poppy seed filling like my husband is doing in the below photo.

It should look similar to the photo below.

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (13)

Then out the pan in the 375F oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes. It should look similar to the browned cake below when done.

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (14)
German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (15)

At the end dust it with powdered sugar and ENJOY!

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (16)

YUM, my absolute favorite!

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (17)
German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (18)
German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (19)
German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (20)

You have to try this one. It’s also one of my son’s favorite cakes. He also loves the Boston Banoffee Pie my hubby makes and which you can findHERE.

If you are into German cooking and traditions then check out my favorite German Christmas decorations, my favorite German wooden Christmas ornaments, and my otherGerman decorshowcased in a Christmas home tour from a previous year.

Tschüß.

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (21)

Here are some more of my hubby’s baking recipes (the photos will take you to see the posts):

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (24)

Boston Banoffee Pie

German Poppy Seed Streusel Crumble Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do you have to soak poppy seeds before baking? ›

It is not absolutely necessary but some bakers like to soak the poppyseeds in warm water or warm milk to soften the slightly hard outermost part of the poppyseed. I like that little crunch with poppyseeds but if you don't, soak the poppyseeds in the milk you'll be using in this recipe.

What is German cake called? ›

Kuchen is the German word for cake, and is used in other languages as the name for several different types of sweet desserts, pastries, and gateaux. Lebkuchen. Often sold at Christmas fairs and Carnival.

What is Mohnfix? ›

In Germany, some people make this cake with a pre-made poppy seed filling called Mohnfix or Mohnback. We don't typically use it, but if you want to try it, you might be able to find it in some (specialty) food stores outside of Germany.

Is Germany known for cakes? ›

Germany is known for making the best cakes, fine pastries, and desserts in terms of taste.

How long should poppy seeds be soaked? ›

Soaking seeds in water before cooking or baking softens them, unlocking the nutrition inside (much like rain would in nature), and allowing our . Poppy seeds should be soaked in warm water or milk for 2 hours. Soaked seeds are ground with other spices to thicken gravies or used as such..

What does washing poppy seeds do? ›

Poppy seeds are used to make poppy seed tea by washing or soaking large quantities of seed to remove the residual coating of opioid and debris from the seeds [2]. A large quantity of unwashed poppy seeds is required to make the tea.

What is the most famous cake in German? ›

Bienenstich is one of the most beloved German cakes that evokes childhood memories for many people. True, this German classic is neither a quick nor super easy cake to bake with its yeasted dough base, topped with a caramelized almond crust, and filled with creamy pudding made from scratch.

What is the signature dessert of Germany? ›

The Apfelstrudel is the most popular pastry in Germany. Germans often top Apfelstrudel with vanilla cream and whipped cream.

What is the king of cakes in Germany? ›

King cakes across Europe

Switzerland and southern Germany, for example, have dreikönigskuchen. It's a fluffy, brioche-like cake made of separate rolls arranged in the shape of a crown and sometimes adorned with rum-soaked raisins or chocolate chips.

What is a German breakfast? ›

But the Germans like to pull out the stops at breakfast (especially weekend breakfasts). Lots of different cheeses, meats, multiple jams and honey, boiled eggs, fruit and vegetables, smoked fish and of course, every kind of roll or hearty, seeded bread your heart could desire.

What do Germans eat with coffee? ›

Coworkers often bring cake or pastries from a local bakery (Bäckerei) or a pastry shop (Konditorei) to share in the afternoon. German bakeries sell simpler, more rustic cakes, which are usually sheet cakes, as well as yeasted pastries such as cinnamon rolls and danish.

Why is bread better in Germany? ›

German bread is unlike any other bread known to Europe. It is dark, chewy and dense, composed mainly of whole grains, such as rye, spelt, and millet. Wheat is taking a back-seat compared to other countries, where it is the dominant grain, resulting in lighter, whiter and starchier (and less healthy) bread types.

Why do you need to soak seeds before baking? ›

Improves texture and decreases cooking time

Soaking for several hours increases the water in the seeds which speeds up chemical reactions, such as starch gelatinization, during cooking.

Can I bake with poppy seeds from my garden? ›

So, no, garden poppy seeds should not be used in baking. Instead, save the seeds to plant and grow more poppies in the coming seasons. California poppies are terrific plants that are native to Oregon and attract bees.

Do I need to water poppy seeds? ›

In the fall, shake the seeds from the pod over well-prepared soil in a sunny flower bed. Water the seeds daily with a gentle shower from the hose. After the seedlings emerge and begin to grow, thin them and taper off the watering from daily to every few days to weekly, depending on the amount of rain.

Is it safe to cook with poppy seeds? ›

Yes, as long as they are food-grade (washed) poppy seeds from a grocery store. Poppy seeds do not contain opiates, but they can become contaminated with opiates from the plant's latex during processing. Manufacturers wash poppy seeds thoroughly to make them safe to eat.

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