Poppy Seed Cake Recipe

250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup milk

100 g/4 oz/1 cup poppy seeds

225 g/8 oz/1 cup butter or margarine, softened

225 g/8 oz/1 cup soft brown sugar

3 eggs, separated

100 g/4 oz/1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour

100 g/4 oz/1 cup wholemeal (wholewheat) flour

5 ml/1 teaspoon baking powder

Method:

Bring the milk to the boil in a small pan with the poppy seeds, then remove from the heat, cover and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Cream together the butter or margarine and sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the egg yolks, then fold in the flours and baking powder. Stir in the poppy seeds and milk. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold them into the mixture using a metal spoon. Spoon into a greased and lined 20 cm/8 in cake tin (pan) and bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4 for 1 hour until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out to finish cooling on a wire rack.