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German Poppy Seed Cake Recipe: Oma's Mohnkuchen

German Poppy Seed Cake: A moist, nutty dessert from Saxony, rich with poppy seeds and almonds. Easy to bake, perfect with whipped cream or coffee. A slice of tradition!

Ingredients:

• ⅔ cup (150 grams) butter, room temperature 
•  1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
• 8 eggs, separated
• 1¾ cups (255 grams) ground poppy seeds
• 2 cups (220 grams) ground almonds
• ⅓ cup (50 grams) powdered sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 10-inch springform pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy and the color changes to a light yellow. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
4. Gently fold the poppy seeds and ground almonds into the butter mixture.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold in about ⅓ of the meringue into the batter and mix well. Gently fold in the remaining meringue.
6. Gently spoon the cake batter into the prepared pan.
7. Bake for 50 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the outer ring and place the cake on the rack to cool completely.

Notes/Hints:

• Add 1 tablespoon lemon zest into the filling.​Ground hazelnuts can be used instead of the ground almonds.
• Serve this cake with a light dusting of powdered sugar and a dollop of whipped cream

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Updated on November 23, 2025