A beautiful yeast-raised coffee cake filled with sweet poppy seed filling and shaped into decorative rings. Each ring is cut and twisted to expose the filling, then finished with a simple vanilla icing. This recipe makes two coffee cakes.
Yield: 2 coffee cakes, about 12 portions each
Prep Time: About 40 minutes
Rise Time: About 2½–3 hours
Bake Time: 18–20 minutes per cake
Ingredients:
Dough:
- 7 grams (¼ ounce) active dry yeast, or 1 packet
- ¼ cup warm water, 100–110°F
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup shortening, such as Crisco
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour (675 grams)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 can Solo Poppy Seed Cake and Pastry Filling
Icing:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½–2 tablespoons milk
Instructions:
- Combine the yeast and warm water in a small bowl and let stand for 10 minutes.
- Combine the milk, sugar, shortening and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the shortening has melted.
- Remove from the heat and cool to 100–110°F.
- Add the yeast mixture and beaten eggs and whisk until combined.
- Place the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the liquid ingredients and mix with the dough hook until the dough forms a ball.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 6–8 minutes, until soft and elastic. If necessary, add a small amount of flour or water to achieve the proper consistency.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1½–2 hours, or until approximately doubled.
- Gently punch down the dough. Cover again and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions. Roll each into an approximately 8 x 18-inch rectangle.
- Brush each rectangle with half of the melted butter.
- Spread half of the poppy seed filling over each rectangle, leaving about ½ inch along one long edge free of both butter and filling so the seam can be sealed.
- Starting at the opposite long edge, roll each rectangle into a long cylinder. Pinch the seam securely closed.
- Form each cylinder into a ring on the prepared baking sheet, placing the seam side down. Pinch the ends together securely.
- Using kitchen scissors, make cuts at the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions, cutting from the outside toward the center but only about two-thirds of the way through the ring.
- Make two additional evenly spaced cuts within each of those four sections, creating 12 portions per ring.
- Carefully turn each cut portion slightly so the poppy seed filling is visible.
- Cover the shaped rings with kitchen towels and let rise for about 1 hour.
- Bake at 350°F for 18–20 minutes, until lightly golden. The original recipe notes that 18 minutes was sufficient.
- Transfer to a rack and cool completely.
- For the icing, combine the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and enough milk to make a smooth drizzling consistency.
- Drizzle the icing over the completely cooled coffee cakes.
Denver High-Altitude Adjustments (5,280 feet):
- Reduce the yeast slightly from 7 grams to about 6 grams (approximately 2 teaspoons).
- Watch the dough rather than the clock during both rises. The first rise may be complete in about 60–75 minutes, and the final rise may take only 40–50 minutes.
- Keep the oven at 350°F; because the rings are relatively thin and bake quickly, I would not increase the temperature initially.
- If the dough seems dry while kneading, add 1 tablespoon water or milk as needed.
- Begin checking the coffee cakes at about 16 minutes. Remove when lightly golden rather than waiting for a dark crust.
- No altitude adjustment is needed for the icing.
Tip: Slightly warming the poppy seed filling can make it easier to spread. Keep that final ½-inch edge clean so the cylinder seals securely and the filling is less likely to escape during baking.
Source: Family recipe; poppy seed filling made with Solo Poppy Seed Cake and Pastry Filling.