Thank you all for the birthday wishes! You guys are the best! ♥
I turned 32 a couple of days ago, and this blog turns 4 today – for this double celebration I baked a lemon cake (and please let’s pretend you are surprised with the flavor choice). :D
Lemon-poppy seed cake with vanilla-cream cheese frosting
slightly adapted from Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes
Cake:
3 cups (420g) cake flour*
2 cups (400g) caster sugar
4 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 cup (2 sticks/226g) unsalted butter, room temperature, coarsely chopped
grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon
1 ¼ cups (300ml) buttermilk
5 egg whites
1/3 cup (80ml) water
Vanilla cream cheese frosting:
2 vanilla beans
5 cups (700g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
224g (8oz) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter three 20cm (8in) round cake pans. Line the bottom of each with a round of parchment paper and butter the paper.
Combine the flour, 1 ¾ cups (350g) of the sugar, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on low speed to blend the ingredients and break up any lumps, about 30 seconds. Add the butter, lemon zest and 1 cup of the buttermilk to the flour mixture. Beat on low – be careful, the flour may fly everywhere – until completely mixed. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1-2 minutes to lighten and aerate the batter.
In a medium bowl, combine the egg whites with the remaining ¼ cup buttermilk; whisk to blend thoroughly. Add this mixture to the batter in 2-3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating only enough to incorporate. Divide the batter among the prepared pans.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
While the cakes are cooling, make the lemon syrup: in a small nonreactive saucepan, combine the remaining ¼ cup (50g) of sugar, the lemon juice and the water. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Turn out the cake layers onto wire racks and generously brush them hot lemon syrup over the warm cakes to moisten evenly. Let cool completely.
Make the frosting: split the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the sugar with the back of a knife. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Continue to beat until very fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat well.
Assembling the cake: place one cake layer, top side down, on a cake plate and spread about a fifth of the frosting over the cake to cover evenly. Repeat with the second cake layer + another fifth of the frosting, then place the third layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Garnish with whatever strikes your fancy.
* homemade cake flour: 1 cup (140g) all purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons corn starch
Serves 12-16 – I made the exact cake recipe above but only 2/3 of the frosting and it was enough to fill and frost the entire cake
Wow, four years of blogging! My blogg is not even one year old yet, and its fourth birthday seems about as far ayway as my fourth birthday...Congratulations and let#s hope for many more years!
ReplyDeletePatricia, happy belated birthday and congratulations for this 4-year blog!! My gosh! I hope you can delight us with many more recipes to come!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Happy blogging anniversary! This cake is me to a tee - love lemon and love cream cheese frosting so this recipe is definitely going into my 'to try' file. Thanks for sharing the recipe x
ReplyDeleteDouble celebrations are always the best -- twice the dessert! Who doesn't look a richly frosted, towering layer cake anyway?!
ReplyDeleteCheers to four more years,
*Heather*
happy belated birthday and i'm sure you have many many more years of blogging in here! cheers!
ReplyDeletecongratulations ! 4 yrs of blogging. Me only almost 2,still as "baby"..:) nice to know u here.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday and anniversary!
ReplyDeleteWhat a glorious cake - I adore poppy seeds. :)
Happy Blogiversary! Also, that cake makes me want to weep. Beautiful.
ReplyDeletehappy belated birthday wishes and a very happy blog anniversary!love the cake and so the pictures...I wouldn't mind living next door and having ur goodies every other day...LOL..
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness... I must, must bake this cake. It looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday! And happy blogiversary!
Aw happy blogiversary! I cannot resist poppy seed. What a pretty cake.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! Happy Anniversary! And what a beautiful cake as always. Love visiting your blog!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Patricia and happy bloggy b'day too! I'm sure that beautiful lemon cake was gone in a flash!
ReplyDeleteHappy Happy Birthday to you both! The blog is such a hit....I have so much fun at your site... your photos always make me smile! xoxo Megan
ReplyDeleteLooks fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely adore the lemon poppy seed combo. There's something about it that's so very addictive and keeps you coming back for more. Gorgeous cake. Happy birthday and bloggiversary!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to you & your lovely blog!
ReplyDelete~ingrid
Happy birthday to you and your wonderful blog! :) this cake is so up my street because of the poppy seeds and cloud-like vanilla frosting! gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWow happy birthday and happy 4th blog-birthday! I've made this cake myself and its delicious. Great way to celebrate. Have another great year
ReplyDeleteHappy (be-lated) birthday! This cake is FANTASTIC looking. Seems so fluffy and fresh, I want a slice!! :)
ReplyDeleteLove photos, Thanks or sharing, Hope to try this one out very soon!
Happy Birthday and happy bloggiversary! What a beautiful cake to celebrate.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading more of your lovely recipes.
My birthday was last week and my blog's "birthday" is coming up next week. Great similarities :)
ReplyDeleteHappy blog-anniversary Patricia! I wish you many many years of baking and cooking inspiration! You are always spoiling us with your wonderful creations and we want more!
Happy birthday to you and your blog!!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthdays! It's so nice that they fall close to each other.
ReplyDeleteYour cake looks so light and fluffy, like a lemony cloud!
Congratulations on 4 wonderful years! what a fabulous milestone and thank you for all you hard work and for inspiring us!!
ReplyDeleteDear Patricia,
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday and happy blogging anniversary too.
I'm glad that I've found your blog and always amaze by your creative and continous baking activities. One thing I really like about is that you always put convertion measurement of the recipes which really really helpful for me since we in Indonesia used to have the grams instead of cups or ounce for measuring.
Once again congratulations and I hope you can share with us many more recipes in years to come!
God bless you
Jeanne
Paty, this cake looks delicious and perfect to celebrate both your birthday and your blog 4th anniversary!!!!
ReplyDeleteMany many years of wonderful recipes and great pictures that inspire all of us.
Schlachplatte, thank you! 4 years is really a lot. :D
ReplyDeleteMercè, my dear, thank you!
xoxo
Amanda, thank you!I do hope you try the cake - it's great!
xx
Heather, layer cakes are a synonym of celebrations!
Thank you, sweetie!
xoxo
Lena, thank you! xx
Michelle, thank you! xx
Patty, my dear, thank you! I'm a sucker for poppy seeds, too. :D
Darby, thank you! xx
Shabs, thank you very much! I would love to have you as my neighbor - we could bake together!
xoxo
Emily, thank you, my darling! xoxo
Xiaolu, I love poppy seeds, too - thank you, gorgeous! xx
Abby, thank you, my dear! You are one of my favorite bloggers, did you know that? Such a long time around - thank you for being part of these 4 years! xoxoxoxox
Peter, thank you! It was - and everyone was pleased! :D
Megan, thank you very much! You are just far too kind! xoxo
Michael, thank you!
Joanne, thank you! xx
Ingrid, thank you! xx
Diva, thank you!That frosting is addictive, I'll tell you! :D
Katie, thank you! xoxo
Ca La Cate, thank you! I wish I could share it with you!
Emma, thank you! I'm glad to know you're enjoying the recipes!
xx
Magda, happy birthday to you, too! What a lovely coincidence! :D
Thank you so much for you kind words - the spoiled one here is me, with all the love from you guys! xx
Pam, thank you! xoxo
Rachel, thank you! 4 days apart, only - such a coincidence. :D
Winne, thank YOU! xx
Jeanne, you are just too sweet! Thank you for such kind words - I'm glad to know the measurements are being useful to you!
xoxo
Tati, thank you! Um beijo!
Happy Birthday to you,
ReplyDeletehappy birthday to you,
happy birthday, dear Patricia,
and to your Technicolor Kitchen, too!
I wish your lemon cake brings you all the sweetness in your life and blog life!
The cake looks delicious, as always. Happy blogiversary!
ReplyDelete4 years of beautiful blogging. Congratulations! This is a beautiful way to celebrate!
ReplyDeleteArtemis, you are just too sweet!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the song (I loved this version!) and for your comment!
xoxo
Jenni, thank you!
xx
Deeba, you are too kind, my dear! Thank you!
xx
Congratulations!! What an absolutely delicious, perfect way to celebrate :) Beautiful pictures.
ReplyDeleteHeidi xo
Adoro seu blog! Suas fotos e receitas são maravilhosas!
ReplyDeleteHá algum tempo minha irmã me falou sobre seu blog e desde então acompanho sempre. Foi o primeiro blog de culinária que passei a seguir. Aprendi muito e hj conheço tanta coisa legal graças ao seu belo trabalho!
Parabéns Patricia!
Beijinhos,
Luciana
That cake looks and sounds delicious - I love, love, love lemon!
ReplyDeleteHeidi, thank you, sweetie!
ReplyDeleteYou are always so sweet!
xx
Luciana, obrigada pela visita! Que bom que está gostando, fico super feliz!
Beijão!
Sara, thank you! I love lemon, too! ;)
The cake turned out dry. Very disappointed....
ReplyDeleteThe cake was moist, tasty and disappeared quickly! Will try making the recipe in cupcakes soon
ReplyDeleteDear Sydney, this is great news! Thanks for letting me know.
ReplyDelete