Lemon Poppyseed Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

        Lemon poppyseed cake holds a dear place in my heart. Growing up, I used to call my grandpa 'Papa seed cake', which he was always seemed to enjoy;) This flavor combo of tart citrus that's 'not too sweet' topped with decadent cream cheese  buttercream, and  finished by a light poppy seed crunch will always remind me of summer. 

This recipe is AMAZING!

Same recipe. Doubled. Two cakes. Ganache drip addition. 

 

        The secret ingredient that I absolutely LOVE adding to most of my cakes is buttermilk. This happens to also remind me of my Grandpa as he was a milkman in Chicago after WWII.  I have memories of him sitting at the kitchen table, my Nana had just poured him a glass of buttermilk and he would drink it straight. I'll never forget him smiling at me with his milk mustache. So cute!

        Anyways, adding buttercream to cakes brings in a rich flavor without adding much fat. The acidity in buttermilk combined with baking soda creates a lightness and a tenderness in baked treats. I've found that buttermilk's light tangy flavor can elevate a typical recipe into something extraordinary.  I just LOVE buttermilk! 

Lemon Poppyseed Cake Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes    Cook Time: 45 minutes    Yield: 10-12 Servings    

(3) 9" Cake Rounds or (4) 8" Cake Rounds

Ingredients:

Cake Batter

3 c flour (cake flour or regular flour) (400 grams)

1 Tbsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp salt

1 and 3/4 c granulated sugar (350 grams)

1 lemon zest

1 c unsalted butter at room temp (very important step! Not too soft and not too cold, 65 degrees to be exact)

4 eggs at room temp

2 tsp lemon paste (optional) (1 tsp lemon extract can be substituted)

1 c buttermilk

1/3 c fresh lemon juice

Frosting 

1 c butter (unsalted) at room temp

4 oz plain cream cheese softened and at room temp

6 c confectioner's sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 c poppy seeds (more if desired)

Garnish

1 lemon for cutting lemon slices 

1 bunch of rosemary sprigs 

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3-9" round baking pans OR 4-8" round baking pans. **Optional, use parchment paper on the bottom of your pans to ensure your batter doesn't stick to the bottom. 
2. Next, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set it aside.
3. Put the sugar and the lemon zest in a food processor or a blender. **Be sure that when you zest your lemon, there isn't any white, known as 'pith'. This will give the zest a bitter taste that is not good! Use a serrated vegetable peeler or a cheese grater but again, be sure to only use the yellow outer layer of the lemon. Process the sugar and the zest until everything is completely incorporated and the sugar is mist and pale yellow.
4. Cream the softened butter and the lemon sugar together with a stand mixer or a hand mixer for 3 minutes. Scape down the sides of the bowl as needed. 
5. Next, beat in the eggs one at a time. Add in the lemon paste or 1 tsp of lemon extract at this time if you have it. Continue to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
6. Now it's time to add in the flour. Reduce the mixer to the lowest speed and add the flour, mixing until just barely combined. Then add in a little bit of the buttermilk and lemon juice. Alternate all three ingredients until it's combined. **Be sure not to over mix!
7. Divide the batter equally between the 3 or 4 round cake pans and spread out the batter evenly. Tap pans against the counter to remove any excess air bubbles.
8. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. The cake should have just risen and a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean with no batter stuck to it. No 'jiggles' either! If it's still a little wobbly in the center, throw it back into the oven for another minute or so. **Don't over bake the layers. If you're baking 4-8" rounds, the cakes are thin and will cook faster. I recommend checking 8" rounds after 18 minutes. 
9. Let the cakes cool before transferring to a cooling rack. Carefully flip the cakes over to release them out of the pans. "Tap tap tap" on the back side of the pans with a butter knife if the cake is sticking to help loosen it out. Otherwise, if using parchment paper, peel it off the bottom at this time. 
10. To make the frosting, cream the softened butter, cream cheese and sugar together gradually adding enough lemon juice to make a spreadable frosting. You may need to add a little more or a little less to achieve the desired consistency you are looking for. Next, add the poppy seeds until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Add more lemon juice to make it thinner or more sugar to thicken it back up. 
11. Frost the cake and garnish with lemon slices and rosemary sprigs.
12. If you are making a yellow ganache drip as seen in one of my cakes, click the link below to see a quick ganache video that demonstrates two types of ganache drips. I happened to have white chocolate melts on hand that I heated and thinned with vegetable shortening, then colored with yellow gel food coloring. Colored Ganache Drip Video