Spring inspired Easter cake and Lemon and Poppyseed cake recipe

OK I know I normally go overboard with ruffles, and ribbons and well pretty much everything. But this time I decided to go simple.

Y'know and let the delicious lemon and poppy seed cake speak for itself.

I've popped the recipe for this cake below so you can try it out yourself. To decorate, just layer the cakes up pop on a crumb coat, make sure the top is even/flat and using a stiff butter cream apply the yellow butter cream around the edge with an offset spatula (or butter knife) using long even upwards strokes.

OK it's a little bit trickier than I made it sound but you get the picture.

I have a skewer in the center, and I chilled the cake in between adding each layer. Oh plus I cut off the brown edges of the cake so it looks nice in the picture (y'all don't have to do that).

Then 'cause it's Easter soon I added some little speckled chocolate eggs.

I'm hoping to pop up a youtube video soon making up a layer cake, I've just been an insy bit sick lately.

Oh and if simple is just not your thing then below is my Easter cake from a couple of years back

CLICK HERE for DIY instructions on how to make a Rainbow ruffle layer cake

Lemon and poppyseed cake 
Cake in pictures baked in 6" tins. To make a cake as tall as the picture you will need 1 plus another 1/2 batch of this recipe which will make a total of 6 layers.  The cake can also be baked in one 8" tin for 1hr.

Cake in picture is filled with alternate layers of butter cream and  homemade lemon curd/ butter.
 
300g flour (10 5/8oz)
1 Tbsp (1 US Tbsp + 1 tsp) Baking powder
100 g (3 1/2 oz) almond meal (ground almond)
40 g (1 3/8oz) poppy seeds
170g (6oz) unsalted butter room temp
230g (8oz) caster sugar (or regular granulated white sugar)
Grated rind from 2 lemons
4 large eggs
170g (6oz) low fat yogurt (I used Chobani plain)
1/2 cup low fat milk

Line pans and preheat oven to 180 C (170 C fan forced) (350 F).

In large bowl sift together flour, baking powder and almond then mix in poppy seeds pop aside.

In a separate bowl combine milk and yogurt and set aside.


Using electric mixer cream  butter and sugar together at high speed until light and fluffy (a couple of minutes).

Reduce speed to medium low and mix in eggs one at a time, scraping down sides as required.  Add the lemon rind.


Reduce speed to low and add 1/3 of the flour mixture mixing until just combined. Scrap down sides and add half of the milk mixture once again mixing at low speed until just combined. Repeat process adding flour, milk and then finishing with the flour mixture.

Divide mixture evenly between 2 tins, place in the middle rack of preheated oven and bake for approx 50 mins or until the top is golden and a skewer inserted into cake comes out dry.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission.