Lemon Poppy Seed Layer Cake
Lemon poppy seed layer cake with soft lemon and poppy seed cake layers, a delicious lemon curd and covered by a white chocolate buttercream
Equipment
Ingredients
LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE LAYERS
- 340 g all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1,5 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 300 g granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest about zest of 2 lemons
- 180 g butter room temperature
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 240 g sour cream 14-18% room temperature
- 60 g vegetable oil e.g. canola oil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
LEMON CURD
- 80 g lemon juice
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 50 g butter cold, cut into cubes
WHITE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
- 200 g white chocolate
- 70 g heavy cream
- 300 g butter cool room temperature
- 500 g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
The US customary cup measurement serves as a rough estimate, as it can have uncertainties, so for precise results, it's recommended to weigh your ingredients using a digital scale in grams. Baking is both an art and a science, which most often requires precision and accuracy.
Instructions
LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE LAYERS
- Preheat the oven at 170ºC/340ºF conventional oven and prepare a 3 x20 cm baking pan with parchment paper.
- Sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and poppy seeds and set it aside.340 g all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1,5 tablespoon poppy seeds, 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- In a large mixing bowl add the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Rub it together to release all of the lemon zest flavor, until it looks like wet sand. Then add the butter and mix it together on high speed for 3 minutes.300 g granulated sugar, 2 tablespoon lemon zest, 180 g butter
- Add the eggs two at a time into the mixture and mix it in until combined.4 large eggs
- Continue by adding half the dry ingredients, on low speed, mixing until just combined.
- Then add the sour cream, vegetable oil, lemon juice, lemon extract, vanilla extract and mix until just combined. Then add the other half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined.240 g sour cream 14-18%, 60 g vegetable oil, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- Using a rubber spatula, give the batter a gentle fold to make sure all of the ingredients have combined.
- Divide the cake batter into the prepared pans, spreading out into an even layer, and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Note: Be aware that these cake layers stay very light in color and therefore won’t look browned when done.
- Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, gently remove the cake from the cake tin and let the cakes cool down completely.
LEMON CURD
- While the cakes bake, make the lemon curd. In a small pot add lemon juice, granulated sugar, egg, and egg yolk. With a whisk, constantly whisk at a slow pace the curd, while heating it up on a medium heat until it starts to thicken.80 g lemon juice, 100 g granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk
- Then take it off the heat, and pour it through a sieve over a bowl, to catch any cooked egg bits.
- Let it sit for 2 minutes to slightly cool down. Then add the cold cubed butter and stir it together until smooth. Pour the curd into a shallow bowl, so it cools down faster, and cover the curd with a piece of cling film so it touches the surface or the curd and place it in the fridge. Let it cool down until cold, about 1 hours.50 g butter
WHITE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
- For the buttercream, melt the white chocolate and heavy cream together over a bain-marie or in the microwave. Let it cool down to room temperature (it’s important that it’s not too hot) while making the buttercream.200 g white chocolate, 70 g heavy cream
- Take the butter out of the fridge 10 minutes before starting. Cut the butter into cubes. Sift the powdered sugar.300 g butter, 500 g powdered sugar
- In your stand mixer, use the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, mix the butter for 4 minutes on medium/high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add the melted white chocolate and mix it in until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it another mix to make sure it’s fully incorporated with the butter. Add the sifted powdered sugar in 3 portion, mixing it on low speed, until each addition is fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla extract, and mix for 1 minute on low/medium speed.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
ASSEMBLING
- Place the first cake layer on your serving dish on your turntable. If you don’t have a turntable, don’t worry, you can easily decorate the cake without it.
- Add 2 big scoops of buttercream and with an offset spatula, even it out. Then, create a slight indentation, using the offset spatula, in the center of the buttercream to hold the lemon curd, ensuring you leave a border around the edges to prevent the lemon curd from spilling out.
- Add 2-3 tablespoon of the lemon curd and even it out. Repeat the process for the next cake layer. Add the last cake layer and cover the whole cake in a thin crumb coat.
- Add the remaining frosting, and even it out over the cake. Finally, decorate with remaining lemon curd and poppy seeds.
Notes
Previous recipe:
CHOCOLATE DRIP:
100 g white chocolate
55 g heavy cream
white and yellow gel color Chop the white chocolate if you’re not using chocolate chips. Heat the heavy cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for 2 min. Then stir it together with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add the white and yellow gel color and mix it well together. Let it cool down until around room temperature. You don’t want it too warm as it otherwise can melt the buttercream. Then take the cold cake out of the freezer and pour the ganache over the cake so it create a drip effect. Even the top out with an offset spatula or a spoon. Lastly decorate with the remaining buttercream and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
100 g white chocolate
55 g heavy cream
white and yellow gel color Chop the white chocolate if you’re not using chocolate chips. Heat the heavy cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for 2 min. Then stir it together with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add the white and yellow gel color and mix it well together. Let it cool down until around room temperature. You don’t want it too warm as it otherwise can melt the buttercream. Then take the cold cake out of the freezer and pour the ganache over the cake so it create a drip effect. Even the top out with an offset spatula or a spoon. Lastly decorate with the remaining buttercream and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 110gProtein: 7gFat: 55gSaturated Fat: 31gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 188mgSodium: 571mgPotassium: 163mgFiber: 1gSugar: 85gVitamin A: 1421IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 116mgIron: 2mg
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