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Mutti's German Poppy Seed Cake with Streusel (Mohn-Streuselkuchen)

Oma Gerhild

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.

Published: December 02, 2009, Updated: May 11, 2025

This German poppy seed cake (mohnkuchen) is a rich, nutty delight with a buttery streusel topping. My classic bake for any occasion.

My Mutti's German Poppy Seed Cake recipe, aka Mohnkuchen. Delicious and, oh, so traditionally German. Try making this yummy holiday treat just like my Mutti!My Mutti's German Poppy Seed Cake recipe, aka Mohnkuchen. Delicious and, oh, so traditionally German. Try making this yummy holiday treat just like my Mutti!

I love anything with poppy seeds, and this one’s so delicious and so German! You’ll often see it on Christmas dessert tables right next to the stollen and lebkuchen. But don’t wait for the holidays ... cake counts as a food group, right? It’s made with yeast but super simple, with just one rise while you prep the filling.

Oma’s Recipe Rundown

  • Ease of Making: Straightforward steps; yeast dough with a single rise
  • Taste: Nutty, subtly sweet, with a yummy crunch from the streusel
  • Time: Approximately 2 hours (including rising and baking)
  • Best Served With: A dollop of whipped cream and a cup of coffee (or tea)

Top Tips for Best Results

  1. Freshness Matters: Use fresh poppy seeds; stale ones can taste bitter
  2. Grinding Seeds: Grind poppy seeds just enough to release their oils
  3. Streusel Alert: Keep an eye on the streusel; it's tempting to nibble before baking!
  4. Gluten-Free Hack: Substitute with a gluten-free flour blend for the dough

Poppy Seed Filling: From Scratch or Can?

If you’re near a German or Polish deli, grab canned poppy seed filling. It’s tasty and makes things quick. I love keeping a few cans in the pantry for easy baking. Finding fresh poppy seeds can be tricky, and they need to be ground and used right away (stale ones ruin the cake!).

My Mutti always made the filling from scratch, and I still do sometimes, but honestly, both versions are delicious. Your call!

You’ll need two 12.5 oz cans to match the amount my homemade filling makes.

That said, there are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Texture: Canned filling is usually thicker than homemade.
  • Flavor: It’s pre-sweetened and tends to be milder, so you won’t get quite the same depth of flavor.
  • Customizing: With the homemade version, you can adjust sweetness, add a touch of almond or vanilla, and get that fresh, just-cooked taste.

Still, if convenience is key, go ahead with the cans. It’ll still turn out delicious. Just spread it gently so it doesn’t tear the dough. 

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Oma Says

I know this looks like a long and complicated recipe. It's not!

Just take it step-by-step and you'll soon be enjoying this poppyseed cake. It's so similar to other crumb cake recipes, it'll be a breeze to make them as well.

Mutti's German Poppy Seed Cake with Streusel (Mohn-Streuselkuchen)

Mutti's German Poppy Seed Cake (mohnkuchen) is a rich, nutty delight with a buttery streusel topping. My classic bake for any occasion.

Prep Time:

30 minutes + 1 hour rise

Bake Time:

30 minutes

Total Time:

2 hours

Servings:

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:

Yeast Dough:

  • ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (120 ml) milk, lukewarm
  • 1 package (7 g or 2¼ tsp) active dry yeast
  • 2⅓ cups (290 g) flour, all-purpose
  • ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt
  • 4 tablespoon (60 g) butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs

Poppyseed Filling:

  • ⅓ cup (50 g)Wheatlets (Cream of Wheat)
  • 2 cups (480 ml) water
  • 1 cup (140 g) poppy seeds, ground
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml)  vanilla or almond flavoring
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) butter

Crumb Topping:

  • 1 cup (225 g) cold butter
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 cups (250 g) flour, all-purpose

Instructions:

Yeast Dough:

  1. Stir 1 teaspoon of sugar into warm milk. Sprinkle yeast on top. Let sit 5 minutes or until surface is frothy. If it doesn't get frothy, don't continue with the recipe. Get new yeast with an expiry date far into the future.
  2. Into a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt.
  3. Stir yeast. Lightly beat cooled butter and egg into yeast mixture.
  4. Pour yeast mixture into flour, mixing to make a dough.
  5. On a floured surface, knead dough lightly for about 5 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Poppy Seed Filling:

  1. While waiting for dough to rise, make the filling and topping.
  2. Follow package instructions and make cereal with Wheatlets and water. Let cool slightly.
  3. Add poppy seed, flavoring, butter, and sugar. Mix well. Add eggs. Mix well.
  4. Let cool.

Crumb Topping:

  1. Mix ingredients to a crumbly texture.

Finish Cake:

  1. Grease 9x13-inch cake pan or use a large springform pan.
  2. Knead risen dough lightly and roll out to fit cake pan. Pierce dough all over with fork.
  3. Pour poppyseed filling over cake.
  4. Gently crumble topping evenly over filling.
  5. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  6. Let rise in a warm place 15 minutes.
  7. Bake 25 to 30 minutes - or until top is a rich golden brown.
  8. Cool and serve.

Hints:

  • Short on time? Use two 12.5 oz cans of prepared poppy seed filling instead of homemade. It's a quick and easy option that still tastes delicious. Just spread it gently, no need to grind or cook.

*  *  *  *  *

Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

Recipe updated on May 11, 2025

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My Mutti's German Poppy Seed Cake

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