Can’t decide whether you’re craving a poppy seed or a quark cake? With this recipe, you don’t have to compromise! Crumble cake with poppy seeds and quark combines both of these classic fillings in one. By alternating the fillings on the baking tray, you’ll also create a beautiful marbled mosaic that will impress any guest.
The base of the cake is a quick pourable batter that, thanks to oil and milk, stays wonderfully moist and fluffy like a sponge. No need to roll out dough or wait for it to rise. Just mix everything in a bowl, pour onto a tray, generously sprinkle with real buttery crumble and bake. It’s best served warm with afternoon coffee or a nice cup of tea. Let’s bake it step by step!
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Preparation time | 20 minutes (preparing fillings and batter) |
| Baking time | 35–40 minutes at 180 °C |
| Difficulty | Very easy |
| Main flavors | Cooked poppy seeds with cinnamon, creamy quark and crunchy buttery crumble |
Ingredients You Will Need
For the moist pourable batter:
- 300 g semi-coarse flour: Sifted for extra fluffiness.
- 150 g granulated sugar and 1 packet vanilla sugar: For a sweet base.
- 1 packet baking powder
- 2 whole eggs
- 150 ml milk: Lukewarm or at room temperature.
- 100 ml oil: The secret to a long-lasting moist sponge.
For the rich quark filling:
- 500 g quark: (2 packs, ideally block or full-fat tub).
- 1 whole egg: Binds the quark layer together.
- Sugar: To sweeten to your taste.
- Flavoring: Vanilla extract or freshly grated lemon zest.
For the traditional poppy seed layer:
- 200 g ground poppy seeds
- 300 ml milk: For cooking and softening the poppy seeds.
- 2–3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- A pinch of ground cinnamon: Adds a warming touch to the poppy seeds.
For the crunchy buttery crumble:
- 150 g coarse flour
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 80 g butter: Softened or cold, to be rubbed in by hand.
Step-by-Step Preparation
1. Preparing the pourable batter
Sift the semi-coarse flour mixed with baking powder into a large bowl. Add the granulated sugar and vanilla sugar. Crack in two whole eggs, pour in 150 ml milk and 100 ml oil. Mix all ingredients thoroughly by hand or with a mixer into a smooth, semi-liquid batter. Grease a classic large baking tray and dust with flour (or line with baking paper) and pour the batter evenly onto it.
2. Cooking the fragrant poppy seeds
Pour 300 ml milk into a small saucepan, add 200 g ground poppy seeds, sugar and a pinch of ground cinnamon. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and simmer briefly (about 2–3 minutes) on low heat until the mixture thickens to a spreadable consistency. Then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. Mixing the quark and crumble
In a bowl, use a fork or whisk to combine both quarks with the egg, sugar to taste, and lemon zest or vanilla until smooth and creamy. In another bowl, rub the coarse flour, sugar and a piece of butter together with your fingers until you get a nice, crumbly mixture.
4. Marbling and adding the crumble
Now it’s time to decorate the batter on the tray. Take two tablespoons – one for the quark and one for the poppy seed mixture. Alternately place dollops of quark and poppy seed filling next to each other or in a zigzag pattern onto the raw batter. This will create a wonderful checkerboard or marbled effect. Finally, generously and evenly sprinkle the entire surface of the cake with the prepared crumble.
5. Baking until golden
Place the tray in an oven preheated to 180 °C and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes. The cake is done when the edges of the sponge rise nicely, set, and the crumble on top turns a beautiful golden color. You can check the center with a wooden skewer.
6. Serving
Take the finished cake out of the oven and let it cool at least a little. The fillings will firm up nicely as they cool. Cut into neat squares and serve still slightly warm as the perfect sweet treat with coffee. Enjoy your afternoon snack!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
For baking, it’s always best to use quality full-fat or semi-fat cottage cheese. If you use block cottage cheese (in foil), the filling will be firmer and hold its shape better in the cake. Tub cottage cheese contains more water, which is fine, but we recommend adding a teaspoon of vanilla pudding powder or starch to prevent it from becoming too runny in the oven.
Definitely! If you want to enhance the poppy seed layer a bit more, mix a tablespoon of quality plum jam and a tablespoon of rum into the cooked poppy seeds. The jam will give the poppy seeds a great fruity acidity, and the rum will wonderfully scent the mixture.
If the crumble merges into a uniform layer, it means there was too much butter or the butter was too hot and liquid. The right crumble is made from cold or just slightly softened butter. The ratio of 150 g of coarse flour to 80 g of butter in our recipe is the optimal guarantee for perfect crunchiness.
Crumble cake with poppy seeds and quark is perfect proof that the best and richest flavors can be conjured up on one tray quickly and without unnecessary effort. Enjoy!
