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a slice of German Poppy Seed Sheet Cake filled with plum jam

German Orange Poppy Seed Cake with Plum Jam

Moist German Orange Poppy Seed Sheet Cake filled with rum-spiked plum jam. This easy traditional German cake recipe comes together in minutes and is perfect for your next celebration!

Course Dessert
Cuisine germany
Keyword cake with plum jam, German Poppy Seed Cake, orange poppy seed cake
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 450 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 2/3 cups AP flour 200 g
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp cloves
  • 3/4 cup almond flour 65 g
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200 g
  • pinch salt
  • zest of 2 oranges
  • 5 tbsp poppy seeds
  • 2 sticks butter 226 g -- unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 medium eggs room temperature
  • 1/2 cup milk 120 mL - room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla paste or 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 6 tbsp orange juice freshly squeezed

For drizzle

  • 2 tbsp rum
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • 2 tbsp orange juice

For the glaze

  • 1 cup plum jam
  • 2 tbsp rum

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 355 ºF (180 ºC) and line an 8x8 inch (20x20 cm) square baking tin with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, almond flour and baking powder along with cinnamon and cloves. Add the sugar, salt, orange zest and poppy seeds, and mix until combined.
  3. Add the softened butter and, using either a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer work the butter into the dry ingredients until you get a mixture resembling coarse breadcrumbs (or wet sand) in texture.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix together the room temperature eggs, milk, vanilla and orange juice. Add the wet ingredients to the dry+butter mixture, and whisk/mix well until no flour clumps remain and everything is smooth.
  5. Transfer the batter into the lined baking tin, smooth out the top, and bake in the pre-heated oven at 355 ºF (180 ºC) for about 45 to 50 minutes or until risen, a bit golden brown on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  6. If the cake starts browning too quickly or too much, cover it with aluminum foil and continue baking until done.
  7. Mix the drizzle ingredients.
  8. Allow for the cake to cool in the baking tin for about 10 minutes, then remove from the tin, and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. Cut in the middle and open. Brush both sides with the rum orange drizzle.

  9. Assemble: Heat the jam a bit in the microwave. Stir the warm jam and rum together until you get an even mixture.

  10. Spread half of it over the bottom half of the cooled cake, spreading it evenly. Put on the upper half and brush with the remaining jam.
  11. Sprinkle the cake with poppy seeds.

Recipe Notes

  • The traditional German version is made with German Plum Butter (see Pflaumenmus recipe above) but you can use plum preserves, plum jam or any other tart fruity jam.
  • Store in a cake tin for 3-4 days. 
  • Use orange juice or Cointreau instead of rum.