Instructions: Note: The layered dough for this cake is twisted into spirals, creating a marbled pattern.

This recipe requires two 9-inch tube pans.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine warm water, milk, 4 tablespoons melted butter, salt, sugar, cardamom, and eggs. Sprinkle yeast over top; let stand until foamy, 10 to 15 minutes.

With the mixer running, gradually add flour. Mix until well combined; the dough will be sticky. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and gently knead until dough forms a ball. Place in a large buttered bowl to rise, covered with plastic wrap, until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the Poppy Seed Filling: Combine sugar, flour, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and poppy seeds in a medium bowl. Using your hands or a pastry cutter, cut in butter until well combined and crumbly; chill until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter two 9-inch tube pans; sprinkle bottom of each with 1/4 cup brown sugar.

Punch down dough; turn onto lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, roll into a 14- by 17-inch rectangle, about 1/2-inch thick. Brush a third of the remaining butter over the middle third of the dough, and sprinkle with 1 cup of the filling. Fold the bottom third of the dough over the filling, and overlap the top third, forming an envelope.

Rotate the dough 90 degrees. Roll the dough again into a rectangle roughly the same size, and repeat with butter and half of remaining filling. Repeat once more using remaining filling. Rotate dough 90 degrees; let rest, covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, for 15 minutes. Roll dough a final time into a long 11- by 17-inch rectangle, about 1-inch thick.

With a sharp knife, cut the dough crosswise, forming a 1-inch-wide strip. Pick up the strip, and twist it gently into a spiral. Place the twist in the bottom of one of the pans, forming a circle. Cut another strip, twist, and place in pan with the first. Repeat until each tube pan is filled with 2 layers of twisted dough. Cover each cake with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Bake cakes until golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes. Let rest in pans 15 minutes before inverting. Flip cakes over so that attractive side is up. Serve cakes warm or at room temperature. After cooling completely, cakes can be wrapped in two layers of plastic wrap and stored, frozen, for up to 1 month.

This recipe yields 2 nine-inch cakes.

Yield: 2 cakes

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