As a child, my Grandma made me a poppy seed cake every year for my birthday. Sound odd? Well – my birthday is on New Year’s Eve, and who isn’t sugared out by then after all the Christmas cookies and holiday treats?
So this poppy seed cake was always just right – not too sweet – no heavy, sugary icing – just a fun old-fashioned bread-like cake that speaks love to me.
Marty used to make it for me sometimes through the years; but the older we get, the more I just don’t want anything sweet by my birthday. (Red wine, however, is ALWAYS welcome!) 🙂
So I have had a hankering for poppy seed cake lately, and when I passed a package of poppy seeds in the grocery store yesterday, I just threw them in the cart and came home and baked it!
Don’t be surprised if it reminds you more of a sweet bread – more like banana bread or zucchini bread. It is yummy for breakfast with coffee or just as a treat. (And of course it goes well with red wine. What doesn’t?)
Here’s our recipe:
Grandma's Easy Poppy Seed Cake
When cool, sprinkle generously with sifted powdered sugar.


