Last month, I noticed that a number of you entered gluten-free adaptations of the cake recipe, so this month I thought I’d make it simpler for you and provide a gluten-free recipe for Walnut Poppy Seed Cake.

With Easter at the end of this month and spring in sight, I think of my grandmother’s baking, and poppy seeds and walnuts her favourite ingredients, whether for nut rolls, egg breads or other sweet concoctions.

This recipe is for a typical central European style of cake – a very simple one-layer torte that leaves room for creative plating.  It can be served with just a dollop of whipped cream or sweetened sour cream, or how about blood orange segments and fresh raspberries?
 

GLUTEN FREE WALNUT POPPY SEED CAKE      

Makes 1 9-inch cake
Serves 16

1 1/4 cups (6 oz) walnut pieces
3/4 cup poppy seeds*
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
5 eggs at room temperature, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup whipping cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease a 9-inch springform pan and sprinkle the bottom and sides with sugar, tapping out any excess.

2. Pulse the walnuts, poppy seeds and 1/3 cup of the sugar in a food processor until finely ground.

3.  Beat the butter and 1/3 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg yolks and vanilla and beat until well-blended. 

4. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy, then slowly pour in the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar and whip until the whites hold a soft peak.  Fold the whites into the butter mixture. Fold in the ground nuts and poppy seeds and fold until incorporated.  Spoon about a third of a cup of this batter into the cream and then fold this into the batter.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.  Cool the cake to room temperature, and then chill it completely before removing from the pan and serving.

The cake will keep for up to 3 days refrigerated.

* If you have access to ground poppy seeds from an eastern European grocery, those are preferable (and can be used in the same measure), but the recipe does work deliciously well with regular whole poppy seeds.
 

Here's how Bake Off works:    
•Our hostess with the mostess, Anna Olson, picks a recipe middle of every month
 •You make the recipe (follow it or add your creative flair)
 •Email us (giveaways@foodnetwork.ca)  a picture and short descriptive blurb before April 17th at 9am ET for your chance to win! Anna will pick the winner (We are giving away a $250 gift card to Williams-Sonoma and an autographed copy of Anna's cookbook).  

Professionally trained pastry chef Anna Olson is the host of Food Network's Bake with Anna Olson. Anna’s culinary philosophy is based on a common-sense approach of cooking and baking with the seasons, as well as respecting the ingredients, the technique and the process of sharing with others through food. Most of all, cooking and baking should be fun!