Sour Cream Poppy Seed Cake

You can tell how tired I am by the fact that I decorated this cake with Halloween candy. Still, cake is cake and this one is a real delight.

The recipe is something I saved from a tin of Solo Poppy seed filling-ages ago. This is still my favourite cake, hands down. I've tried making this with all sorts of adjustments (creme fresh for sour cream, lemon zest, homemade poppy seed filling with ground raisins and honey) and do you know, I still prefer it as prepared on the inside label of tinned filling? Why mess with perfection, right?

Of course, if you do feel like altering it, the recipe is quite forgiving-in fact, the only real challenge (if you want to call it one) is folding the egg whites into the somewhat heavy batter. I use my hand, with fingers held tightly together, instead of a spatula. I find that this method permits me to be certain I'm scraping everything off the bottom of the bowl. This is particularly helpful with this batter.

The only drawback to this recipe is that it dirties a number of dishes to prepare. I realise that's a pretty small drawback, but if you're working in a small kitchen, or without a dishwasher, you may wish to take it into consideration.

This cake will also look lovely (and less foolish) dusted with powdered sugar-be sure to wait until it is completely cooled.

You Will Need:

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tin poppy seed filling (12.5 oz)

4 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sour cream

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Icing or powdered sugar for decorating

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan (or a ten inch tube pan).

Beat butter and sugar together until light. Add poppy seeds and mix well. Add yolks one at a time mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla.Add sour cream and mix just until blended.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Add in two additions, mixing very well.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into other batter and spread evenly in pan.

Bake 1 hour-1 hour and 15 minutes (be sure to check at 60 minutes as it tends to burn fast once it goes).

Cool 15 minutes in pan, then unmould on rack and cool completely before decorating and serving.