The Cake Slice: Lemon-Poppy Seed Cake with Almond-Cream Cheese Frosting

May 20, 2010 at 5:12 am | Posted in cakes & tortes, groups, layer cakes, sweet things, the cake slice | 13 Comments

I almost forgot to bake this cake. That’s not quite true…I didn’t forget about the cake, I just didn’t realize the 20th is already here! For the month of May, we Cake Slice Bakers have mixed it up a bit and are throwing back to last year’s book, with a recipe for Lemon-Poppy Seed Cake with Almond-Cream Cheese Frosting from Sky High: Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes.

It’s pretty, isn’t it? Something about this cake seems so sweetly charming and old-fashioned…like something my grandmas might bake (except for my grandmas have never been much into baking). Underneath the almond-cream cheese frosting is a light white cake, flecked with lemon zest and poppy seeds. I added a few drops of lemon oil to the batter, just to enhance the lemon flavor.

The lemon oil was my only tweak to the recipe (also not quite true…I cut back on the almond extract in the frosting just a tad), although I did a wackadoo two-fifths of the original amount of batter and frosting (I only wanted to use two egg whites). I baked the cake in a quarter sheet pan, then cut it into three strips for frosting and stacking. I like the change from the usual round layer cakes, although I do find squares and rectangles to be a bit trickier to frost.

Poppy seeds are so freakin’ cute! Their amazing ability to get absolutely everywhere, though, really isn’t.

Here’s a printable link to the recipe…it’s really a keeper. Better yet, get your hands on a copy of Sky High: Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes by Alicia Huntsman and Peter Wynne. Cruise through the list of The Cake Slice Bakers to check out all of our mile-high cakes this month.

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Beautifully done..I did a Bundt minus the frosting..Yummy cake it did make.

Comment by rachel— May 20, 2010 #

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I love how you decorated the cake! Good tip on adding some lemon oil…I didn’t really get a lot of lemon flavor from the cake.

Comment by Allison— May 20, 2010 #

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Ciao ! I had baket it but forgotten to post it until I saw your post !! It’s a chain ! Your cake is really beautiful, for me perfect frosting is difficult in any shape ! Love

Comment by natalia— May 20, 2010 #

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beautifully decorated – sounds delicious too

Comment by Eliana— May 20, 2010 #

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I love the way this looks! There’s just something about it that is so unique and chic. Thanks!

Comment by Allison— May 20, 2010 #

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I have been complaining to my hubs about something sweet all week, now is the time to get baking…… love lemon..in a cake even better!

Comment by nina— May 20, 2010 #

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Love the rectangle shape and how you’ve decorated it. I agree that this month has just flown by!

Comment by Katie— May 21, 2010 #

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Looks so sweet 🙂

Comment by Fiona— May 21, 2010 #

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Oooh wow your cake looks delicious, the frosting looks so smooth and creamy! Its making me hungry hehe.

Comment by Natalie— May 21, 2010 #

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This looks delicious. I love how you’ve decorated it and the photos are just so appetizing!

Comment by Becky O.— May 21, 2010 #

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I like that you made a loaf out of this, but that it still was a layer cake. Nice pics too!

Comment by Monica H— May 21, 2010 #

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Just stumbled onto your site and saw this cake…. mmmm… The flavors sound wonderfully compatible and the photos are gorgeous! And those poppy seeds are definitely darn cute. 🙂

Comment by The Cilantropist— May 22, 2010 #

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I am going to remember your method of making a rectangular cake with layers. And you are so right about poppy seeds. It’s like they have little magnets inside of them to go everywhere but where you want them.

Comment by Romaine— May 23, 2010 #

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