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My father has a passion for all things poppy seed, always seeking out the biggest and best poppy seed rolls wherever we go.
His devotion runs so deep that I’ve traveled continents, across oceans, by planes, trains and automobiles to bring him loaves from far off places, from Slovenia to Prague to Tel Aviv. I have packed poppy seed rolls among my clothes and cosmetics, sheepishly explaining to customs agents why these tasty treasures were crossing international borders.
Every Purim, I would look forward to making yeasted poppy seed hamantaschen with my grandmother. The recipe was passed down from her mother to mine. The dough was always just a vehicle for eating more sticky, crunchy poppy seed filling. We devoured them with afternoon tea or lemonade on a cool spring day. Our filling almost always began with a can of Solo brand poppy seed filling doctored with added vanilla, chopped almonds and orange zest. To this day, I make sure to keep a can in the cupboard for when a poppy seed craving strikes.
With Purim around the corner, I wanted to merge two of my favorite Jewish deli sweets tied together by one of my favorite ingredients: poppy seeds. Coffee cake has roots in Ashkenazi cuisine and culture. It is thought to have origins in Northern Europe and Germany, where yeasted cakes were commonly made with sour cream. When Jewish immigrants brought their recipes to the United States, they adapted them into time-saving, quick-rising coffee cakes they could enjoy any time of day.
While this cake is traditionally made with sour cream, I wanted it to feel a little more contemporary by using cottage cheese instead. Both produce a tender crumb and rich flavor, adding moisture and a slight tang that balances the sweet poppy seed filling. Almond flour adds richness and moisture, while paying homage to the poppy seed hamantaschen flavors of my childhood.
Don’t worry, I’ll never replace the hamantaschen on my table, but I will be adding this tender poppy-studded coffee cake to the rotation, whether for Purim, a Saturday brunch or an after-dinner nosh.
Almond Poppy Seed Coffee Cake
Serves 8 to 10
Total time: 1 hour
Crumble Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ Tbs. poppy seeds
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 4 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
Cake
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup almond flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1¼ cups cottage cheese or farmer’s cheese
- ½ cup avocado oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. orange zest
- 12.5-oz. can poppy seed filling (I use Solo brand)
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and line an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
For the crumble: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, poppy seeds, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add the butter, and, using a fork or your fingers, mix until no dry flour remains and the mixture is crumbly. Set aside.
For the cake: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, avocado oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and orange zest.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture, and fold with a spatula just until combined.
Spread half the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Dollop the poppy seed filling over the batter and spread into an even layer with the back of a spoon. Top with the remaining batter, and cover with the crumble.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Some poppyseed filling may stick to it, so just look for traces of raw batter.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before slicing.