BEST German Poppy Seed Cream Cake With Marzipan Recipe

Light, creamy, and delightfully delicious, this two-layer German poppy seed cake with marzipan and whipped cream, known as Mohn Marzipan Torte, is a beloved family cake and a highlight on every coffee table.

This poppy seed cream cake with marzipan can not only be prepared a day ahead and decorated on the day of serving, which makes it perfect for special occasions, but it also looks and tastes amazing and is always a huge hit.

I know it looks complicated, I thought that at first when I saw my mother-in-law Beate making it, but after observing her once, I got the hang of it, and now I make it on my own.

My husband is a big fan of poppy seeds and marzipan, and this cake is his most requested birthday cake, alongside poppy seed roll and a poppy seed cake made from his grandma Oma Annegrette’s recipe. Without it, his “poppy seed birthday” just wouldn’t feel complete.

This cream cake has an airy poppy seed base with a slight crunch from whole poppy seeds. It is filled with homemade red currant jam (but any tangy jam works well), a layer of marzipan, and whipped cream with roasted flaked almonds.

It is then finished with marzipan and marzipan potatoes (see how to make them here). Such a treat for marzipan and poppy seed lovers.

What I love about this cake is how versatile it is. You can easily change it depending on what you have on hand:
1.) Jam: This recipe uses red currant jam, but raspberry, cranberry, cherry, or any tangy jam works.
2.) Nuts: If you don’t like almonds or are allergic, just leave them out.
3.) Cream stabilizer: I used San-apart (similar to Sahnesteif or Whip-It, commonly used in Germany to stabilize whipped cream). You can also use gelatin if you don’t have access to these. I included that option in the recipe.

What you’ll need to maek this cream cake

Ingredients for the poppyseed cake layers

• 3 medium eggs Germany, large US, room temperature
• A pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 175 g (about 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons/ 6.2 oz) sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, vanilla paste or 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar (If you are using vanilla sugar, simply reduce the amount of sugar by 2 tablespoons of sugar.)
• 120 g (about ¾ cup/ 4.2 oz) poppy seeds, whole, not ground
• 125 g (1 cup/ about 4.4 oz) plain flour flour (all purpose flour)

Ingredients for the filling

• 150 g (about 1 ½ cups/ 5.3 oz) almond flakes
• 4-5 tablespoons currant jam, sour cherry jam, grape or cranberry jam or any other tangy jam of your choice
• 200 g (7.1 oz) Marzipan
• Powdered sugar, for dusting when rolling out marzipan
• 600 ml (20.3 fl oz/ about 2 ½ cups) heavy whipping cream, very well chilled
• 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
• 3 packets cream stabilizer (San apart, whip it or sahnesteif) ( 1 packet weighs between 8 – 10 g (0.3 – 0.35 oz)), about 6 teaspoons or 6 gelatin leaves

For the decoration

• 200 g (7.1 oz) Marzipan
• Powdered sugar, for dusting when rolling out marzipan
• 16 marzipan potatoes or marzipan eggs
• 100 ml  (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon/ 3.5 fl oz) heavy whipping cream, very well chilled

How to make marzipan poppy seed cream cake

Make the sponge cake base with whole poppy seeds

Preheat the oven to 180 °C (356 °F) top and bottom heat (160 °C (320 °F) convection). Line the bottom of a 26 cm (10.2-inch) springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides.

Mix the flour with a pinch of salt and baking powder in a bowl and set aside. Add sugar, vanilla sugar, salt, and eggs to a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer for about 8 minutes until creamy.

Now use either a scraper or a hand mixer on the lowest speed (!) to carefully fold in the poppy seeds, followed by the flour mixture, into the egg mixture. Do not overmix!

Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. Then let the sponge cake cool completely, preferably overnight.

Prepare the filling

The next day, roast the almonds in a pan without oil, stirring constantly so they don’t burn. Remove from the heat, transfer to a plate, and let them cool. Set aside 50 g (about 1.76 oz) of the toasted almonds for decoration.

While the almonds are cooling, roll out the marzipan for the filling. Dust a pastry mat or cutting board with powdered sugar and dust the marzipan as well. Knead it briefly, then roll it out thinly. Make sure there is always powdered sugar underneath so it doesn’t stick.

Using the 26 cm (10.2-inch) springform ring (or freehand), cut out a circle. Trim any excess marzipan and set the leftover pieces aside, you’ll need them later.

Cut and fill the sponge cake

To assemble the Mohn Marzipan Torte, place the completely cooled sponge cake on a cake board or platter. Using a long knife, mark the cake in the middle so that you end up with two layers.

Hold the knife in your right hand and place your left hand on top of the cake to keep it steady. Apply light pressure and cut horizontally. Alternatively, you can use a thread to cut the cake.

Lift off the top layer using a cake lifter or a thin cutting board and set it aside. Spread the bottom layer with jam (tip: slightly warm the jam if it’s too firm). Place the rolled-out marzipan “blanket” on top of the jam and press it down lightly.

Beat the well-chilled whipping cream with vanilla sugar and San-apart until stiff. Remove about 3 tablespoons of the cream and chill for later use.

Lightly crush the roasted almonds with your hands and carefully fold them into the whipped cream using a spatula.

If using gelatin:

• Soak the gelatin leaves in cold water for about 10 minutes, then squeeze out the excess water.
• Whip the very cold cream with vanilla sugar until light and fluffy. Remove about 3 tablespoons and chill.
• Gently heat the gelatin in a saucepan on low heat until melted. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of whipped cream.
• Carefully fold the gelatin mixture and lightly crushed almonds into the whipped cream. Chill for about 5–10 minutes before using.

Spread the almond cream mixture over the marzipan layer. Place the second cake layer on top and press down lightly.

Use the reserved whipped cream to spread a thin layer over the entire cake (top and sides).
Cover the cake and chill for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.

Decorate the poppy seed cream cake with marzipan

Shortly before serving, roll out the marzipan for decoration just like before. Place a round cake divider on top and lightly press to mark slices. Remove it and cut into 16 pieces (like a clock).

Place a marzipan potato on the tip of each piece, roll them up, and place them on the cake so that the open seam faces toward the center (see photos). Sprinkle some of the reserved almonds in the middle.

Roll out the remaining marzipan into a strip, trim the edges, and wrap it around the sides of the cake. Use a knife dipped in water to smooth and seal the edges.

Lightly brush the bottom edge of the cake with a bit of water. Then press the remaining almonds onto the sides of the cake.

Whip the cream for decoration until stiff. Using two spoons, place small dollops of cream on top of each marzipan piece. If you still have some almonds left, sprinkle them over each dollop.

And your German poppy seed marzipan cake is ready, just like my German in-laws make it.

Notes

• No need to use a cake ring when assembling the cake.
• Make sure the sponge cake is completely cooled before cutting. You can bake it a day ahead and let it cool overnight, or even freeze it in advance.
• When rolling out marzipan, keep dusting the surface with powdered sugar so it doesn’t stick.