Eating Bavaria: Might As Well Start With Cake!

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Yesterday, I relocated from parched 40ºC Central Spain to my summer residence in lush green Bavaria. I’ll be here for a month, and my mission is simple: Eat. As much as possible. Of everything.

And so it begins.

My mum just came back from the bakery with this:

Poppy seed cake

A delectable, moist poppy seed cake with crumbly bits on top!!!

I love, love, love poppy seeds. In cake, in strudel, in danishes… JUST GIVE THEM TO ME! Sadly, this sumptuous bakery genre is virtually unknown outside of Central(-ish) Europe. I’ve no idea why.

 

56 thoughts on “Eating Bavaria: Might As Well Start With Cake!”

      1. NancyTex

        Don’t expect that from most of the US (and anywhere outside of Toronto, in Canada)!

        It’s only because multiculturalism is so big (and embraced) here that you find, even in the big grocery chains, enter aisles dedicated to various ethnicities. But the true gold is found in the small independent shops and bakeries. A local European deli carries the most delicious meats and treats!

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  7. somewonderland

    If you’re really that into poppy seeds, then you should some day try ‘poppy milk’, if, of cause, you ever happen to be in Lithuania around Christmas time. ‘This milk’ is literary a sweet milk colored drink or used as desert dip is made almost entirely from poppy seeds. Or you could try a traditional Lithuanian cake Šimtalapis (aka one-hundred leaved cake) https://www.google.lt/search?q=%C5%A1imtalapis&client=firefox-a&hs=nQ3&rls=org.mozilla:lt:official&channel=sb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=IHHSU5HbE8n-ygPym4HACw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=611. There’s plenty of poppies in these two, and while I’m not a fan of ‘milk’, I love love love Šimtalapis 🙂

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  11. freebutfun

    I agree, they are good! As I was just in Bavaria with my kids, I tried to offer them cakes with poppy seeds as well, thought they’d get a real treat. And guess what? They wouldn’t have it! They didn’t want croissants with chocolate either. Talk about having prejudices to food that looks slightly different?! Ah well, more for me. I gave them some carrot sticks instead 😉

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  16. linnetmoss

    In Cleveland, we have something called kolacky that is a Polish poppy-seed pastry. They make it seasonally. I can’t say I have been thrilled with it, but your cake looks lovely.

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    1. ladyofthecakes Post author

      I think you need to do some more sampling… are there no Jewish bakeries around? They would probably have some… as long as they’re run by Ashkenazi rather than Sephardi Jews.

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  17. Jackie Cangro

    I knew we’d get to the cake first thing. It looks divine.
    I don’t think I’ve had poppy seed cake before, but anything with that much powered sugar on top has got to be good!

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      1. Jackie Cangro

        Wait…I just asked a Polish friend. Yes, I have tried something similar!

        She had made a poppy seed dessert for me, but it was more of a bread roll, a bit like a cinnamon bun, with (hold onto your seat) a sugar glaze on top.

        I am now on a quest for the poppy seed cake that you described. Will check Moishe’s Jewish bakery on the lower east side. 🙂

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      2. ladyofthecakes Post author

        Oh yes, I know those bun things, we have similar things here. Love ’em 🙂 A bakery with that name should have poppy seed wares of some kind. Eagerly awaiting your verdict!

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