Kefir or buttermilk, ground poppy seeds, lemon zest, and a pinch of cinnamon create a simple two-tone Bundt cake that is pleasantly moist and fragrant. It pairs well with coffee, tea, or as an easy dessert for guests.
This recipe from reader Jana Jančíková can be made with commonly available ingredients. Most of the batter is poured into the pan as a light layer, and a smaller portion is mixed with prepared poppy seeds. You can reduce the amount of powdered sugar to taste and finish the cake with sugar or a lemon glaze as you prefer.
What You’ll Need
For the kefir batter:
- 1 cup kefir or buttermilk,
- 1 cup powdered sugar – you can use less if you like,
- 1 packet vanilla sugar,
- 1/2 cup oil,
- 1 and 1/2 cups plain flour,
- 2 eggs,
- 1 baking powder,
- lemon zest.
For the poppy seed layer:
- about 100 g ground poppy seeds,
- 1.5 dl milk,
- sugar to taste,
- cinnamon to taste.
For preparing the pan and finishing:
- butter for greasing the pan,
- coarse flour for dusting the pan,
- powdered sugar or lemon glaze to taste.
The original recipe does not specify the exact amount of lemon zest, sugar, cinnamon, butter, coarse flour, or ingredients for the lemon glaze, so adjust these according to your taste and the size of your pan.
Step-by-Step Preparation:
1. Preparing the base: In a large bowl, combine kefir or buttermilk, powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, oil, and eggs. Whisk everything thoroughly so the ingredients combine into a smooth mixture without separated oil.
2. Finishing the batter: Add plain flour and baking powder to the liquid base. Mix again until smooth, and finally stir in the lemon zest, which gives the cake a fresh aroma.
3. Preparing the poppy seed mixture: In another bowl, mix ground poppy seeds with 1.5 dl milk, a bit of sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon. Let the mixture swell and cool for a while, as the original recipe suggests.
4. Preparing the pan: Carefully grease the Bundt pan with butter and dust it with coarse flour. Pay special attention to the center and all crevices so the baked cake will release easily after a short cooling period.
5. Layering the batter: Pour about 3/4 of the light batter into the prepared pan. Thoroughly mix the remaining batter with the swollen poppy seed mixture and pour this darker layer on top.
6. Baking: Place the pan in an oven preheated to 175°C and bake the cake for about 50 minutes. Before removing, insert a skewer into the cake; if it comes out clean, the cake is done.
7. Cooling and unmolding: Let the baked cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then carefully turn it out so the delicate edges are not damaged, and let it cool further before slicing.
8. Finishing: Before serving, you can lightly dust the cake with powdered sugar. If you want a more pronounced fresh flavor contrast, drizzle it with lemon glaze instead of sugar.
How to Tell If the Cake Is Done
The 50-minute baking time is approximate, as every oven bakes a little differently. The most reliable method is the skewer test: insert it into the thickest part of the cake and check after removing to see if any raw batter sticks.
Don’t overbake the cake, so it stays moist thanks to the kefir or buttermilk. If the skewer is clean, you can take the pan out of the oven and let it cool for ten minutes before unmolding.
Why Let the Cake Rest Before Unmolding
Freshly baked batter is soft and could tear if unmolded immediately. About 10 minutes in the pan helps it firm up slightly, but don’t leave it in until completely cooled.
Final Tip
Powdered sugar is the simplest way to finish the cake, while lemon glaze highlights the lemon zest hidden in the batter. Slice the cake only after it has cooled, so the light and poppy seed layers are nicely visible in each piece.
