Poppy Seed Pound Cake with Plum Pluot Compote

A delicate pound cake studded with poppy seeds and flavored with vanilla bean, served with a sweet-tart compote made from plums and pluots. The cake is rich and moist, while the fruit compote adds a bright, seasonal complement.

8 servings

2 hr 43 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•2 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)
•¼ cup poppy seeds
•¾ teaspoon baking powder
•½ teaspoon salt
•½ whole vanilla bean
•1¾ sticks unsalted butter
•1½ cups sugar
•3 large eggs
•½ cup half-and-half
•2 pounds firm-ripe plums and pluots
•¾ cup sugar
•1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
•1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
•½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
•1 serving whipped cream

Cooking Instructions

1.
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan.
5 min
2.
Whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt.
5 min
3.
Scrape seeds from vanilla bean with tip of a paring knife into a bowl, then add butter and sugar and beat with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with half-and-half, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just incorporated.
10 min
4.
Spoon batter into loaf pan, smoothing top.
3 min
5.
Bake until golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out with crumbs adhering, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool in pan 30 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen, then invert cake onto a rack. Cool completely, right side up.
105 min
6.
Stir together fruit, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon zest, and lemon juice in a heavy medium saucepan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until fruit begins to fall apart and liquid is slightly syrupy, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon zest, nutmeg, and more sugar if desired. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
35 min

Ingredients

•2 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)

•¼ cup poppy seeds

•¾ teaspoon baking powder

•½ teaspoon salt

•½ whole vanilla bean

•1¾ sticks unsalted butter

•1½ cups sugar

•3 large eggs

•½ cup half-and-half

•2 pounds firm-ripe plums and pluots

•¾ cup sugar

•1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

•1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

•½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

•1 serving whipped cream

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan.

5 min

Whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt.

5 min

Scrape seeds from vanilla bean with tip of a paring knife into a bowl, then add butter and sugar and beat with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with half-and-half, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just incorporated.

10 min

Spoon batter into loaf pan, smoothing top.

3 min

Bake until golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out with crumbs adhering, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool in pan 30 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen, then invert cake onto a rack. Cool completely, right side up.

105 min

Stir together fruit, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon zest, and lemon juice in a heavy medium saucepan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until fruit begins to fall apart and liquid is slightly syrupy, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon zest, nutmeg, and more sugar if desired. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

35 min