A few weeks ago we celebrated my little sister’s birthday. She passed away in the year 2000 but I like to have a cake and talk about her so that my kids grow up knowing about her and that I miss and love her. This year I made this cake.

It has three layers of  citrusy poppyseed cake with a lemony filling in the middle.  The recipe comes from the awesome Cake cookbook from Martha Stewart. 

You pour a thin poppyseed icing on top of the layered cake.

I added a little lemon zest on top.

Citrus PoppySeed Cake

Print Recipe
Course Dessert

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
  • 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 7 large eggs, lightly beaten, room temperature Eggs Large White
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup milk, room temperature Milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
  • 1/3 cup poppy seeds, plus more for sprinkling

Instructions
 

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place two racks in center of oven. Butter three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans; line each with a circle of parchment paper. Butter paper, and dust pans with flour; tap out excess. Set aside.
  • Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-low speed until lightened, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar; beat until color has lightened, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice. Drizzle in eggs, a little at a time, beating on medium-low speed after each addition until batter is no longer slick but is smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop to scrape down bowl once or twice so batter will combine well. Beat in vanilla on medium-low speed.
  • Reduce the mixer speed to low. Alternately add reserved flour mixture and milk, a little of each at a time, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl once or twice. Beat in lemon zest, orange zest, lime zest, and 1/3 cup poppy seeds.
  • Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake 30 minutes, then rotate pans for even browning. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, 5 to 10 minutes more. Transfer to wire racks to cool, 15 minutes. Turn out cakes, and set on racks, tops up. Cool completely.
  • Remove parchment from bottom of each layer. Save best-looking layer for the top. Place one layer on the serving platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups cream-cheese frosting over the top. Place second cake layer on top, and spread remaining 1 1/2 cups frosting over top. Place reserved layer on top. Chill cake, loosely covered with plastic wrap, 1 hour.
  • To serve, stir lemon glaze well, then pour onto center of top layer of cake, letting it run down the sides. Using a single-hole zester, cut long strips of zest from orange and lemon, if desired. Arrange zest in loose spirals on the top of cake, and sprinkle lightly with poppy seeds.

It was a good Sunday to talk about Kelly and how we find peace and comfort in the Plan of Salvation and eternal families. And we had cake. Win-Win.