Ultimate American Poppy Seed Delight

Place poppy seeds in a small pot, cover with boiling water, and set aside for 24 hours.

Line a colander with a cheesecloth and spoon in the poppy seeds. Allow draining for several hours. Once drained, transfer to a food processor and process until fine.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup margarine, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 egg, and baking powder in a large bowl and knead into a smooth dough.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a deep 9×13-inch deep pan and line it with parchment paper.

Roll out dough on a slightly floured surface and place in the prepared sheet pan.

Combine egg yolks, 9 tablespoons margarine, and 1 cup sugar in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in drained poppy seeds gradually. Add apples, walnuts, raisins, honey, bread crumbs, and almond extract; mix well.

Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until stiff peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: egg whites will form sharp peaks. Fold egg whites into poppy seed mixture; spread over dough in the sheet pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour until cake is set; transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Mix enough boiling water with confectioners’ sugar to form a smooth icing. Spread generously over cooled cake.