Poppy Seed & Honey Loaf Cake (Makovnik-style)
Speckled with poppy seeds and sweetened only with honey — the loaf-cake cousin of the classic Slavic makovnik roll. Nutty, moist and not too sweet.
Why you'll love this recipe
- An old world recipe, made the way it always was
- Not one spoon of refined sugar
- Sweetened with real honey
- Makes enough for 10
- Easy, with clear steps and nothing fussy
What you'll need
Everything here is a real ingredient you can find in a normal shop. Nothing artificial, no powders pretending to be sugar. Here is the full list, with the quantities I actually use.
- 1/2 cup (75 g) poppy seeds
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) warm milk
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 1/2 cup (170 g) raw honey
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) melted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla, zest of 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, pinch salt
How to make it
Soak poppy seeds in the warm milk for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a loaf pan.
Beat egg yolks with honey until pale; add melted butter, vanilla, lemon zest and the soaked poppy seeds with their milk.
Fold in flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk egg whites to soft peaks; fold in gently in two additions.
Pour into the loaf pan; bake 42–48 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool before slicing.
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Storage
Keep it covered in the fridge and it will hold for three to four days. If you are making it ahead, hold back any fresh topping until just before you serve so nothing goes soft. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months.
Questions about this recipe
Is Poppy Seed & Honey Loaf Cake (Makovnik-style) really made without refined sugar?
Yes. All the sweetness comes from honey - there is not one spoon of white sugar in it. That is the whole point of how I cook.
How long does Poppy Seed & Honey Loaf Cake (Makovnik-style) keep?
Kept covered in the fridge it holds for three to four days. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months - hold back any fresh topping until just before serving.
How many does Poppy Seed & Honey Loaf Cake (Makovnik-style) make?
This makes enough for 10. It scales cleanly, so use the 1x / 2x / 3x buttons on the recipe card if you need more or less.
Poppy Seed & Honey Loaf Cake (Makovnik-style)
Speckled with poppy seeds and sweetened only with honey — the loaf-cake cousin of the classic Slavic makovnik roll. Nutty, moist and not too sweet.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (75 g) poppy seeds
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) warm milk
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 1/2 cup (170 g) raw honey
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) melted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla, zest of 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, pinch salt
Instructions
- Soak poppy seeds in the warm milk for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a loaf pan.
- Beat egg yolks with honey until pale; add melted butter, vanilla, lemon zest and the soaked poppy seeds with their milk.
- Fold in flour, baking powder and salt.
- Whisk egg whites to soft peaks; fold in gently in two additions.
- Pour into the loaf pan; bake 42–48 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool before slicing.
