Lemon Poppyseed Cake...

Here it is, a mouth-watering recipe for Lemon Poppyseed Cake, raspberry-filled, with white chocolate cream cheese frosting. Doesn't it just SOUND so good?

This recipe, like all others on my blog, is gluten free. But, if you'd rather make it with regular flour, please feel free. It will surely taste just as delicious!

For the cake you will need:

1 3/4 c. gluten free flour (I used 1 cup of white rice flour, 1/4 cup of corn flour (not meal) and then 2/4 (or one half) cup of g.f. oat flour)You can use any combination you like, but I find all my baked goods come out best if I combine different types of flour.

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt (optional, if you use salted butter you can skip this)

1/4 c. poppyseeds

1-2 tsp. lemon zest

a tiny pinch of xantham gum (not needed for regular flour)

-whisk all these together


-then in a separate small bowl whisk together:

1/2 c. buttermilk or whole milk, room temp.

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon juice

4 large eggs

-to the dry cake ingredients, you will add 2 sticks of room temp. butter, cut into chunks, one piece at a time. Beat with a mixer on low until it resembles moist crumbs. To this, add half the milk mixture and beat on low for a few seconds, add remaining milk mixture and beat for a minute or two until it looks slightly curdled.

-Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. You'll have to really keep your eye on this- do NOT overbake. If anything, gluten free stuff can be slightly underbaked, in my opinion. I check mine with a toothpick and it should come out slightly moist with a few crumbs. If it comes out dry, the cake will be on the dry side. Just a tip. The top should be springy and golden, the edges slightly brown.

(This will make one standard cake- if you want a larger cake, double the recipe. I made a square cake, but it would work fine with a round one as well)

Raspberry Filling:

I used homemade raspberry jam. It was very easy to make- equal parts raspberries and sugar. No need for pectin or anything else. You can buy storebought raspberry filling or raspberry jam (but make sure it is gluten free and avoid artificial colors)

-When the cake is cool, invert it onto a plate or tip onto the counter. Be careful not to break it, as this cake is a little more crumbly/fragile than a regular cake. With a long serated knife, gently cut the cake in half. If you make two cakes, you can skip this step if you'd rather fill in between the two cakes, or you can still do it and have even more layers. When the cake is cut, place the bottom half on whatever you'll be serving/displaying it, and spread a layer of raspberry jam. Leave a bit of space at the edges, so it doesn't ooze out. Put the second half on top, aligning the edges.


Frosting:

I admit I don't follow a recipe for my frosting. I really just go with instinct, what looks good color/thickness-wise, and by taste, of course! This frosting has:

1 stick of butter (salted or you can add a pinch of salt), softened
about 1/2 cup of cream cheese, softened
2 tsp vanilla
pinch of lemon zest
1 square of white bakers chocolate, melted (you can use a double boiler or just microwave it)
powdered sugar

-Start with the butter and cream cheese, beat on low until mixed. To that add the white chocolate, vanilla and lemon zest. Then start with a cup of powdered sugar, adding more until it gets to the texture you need. If it gets too sweet you can add additional cream cheese or lemon zest, milk as needed to thin out. Cool in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes, if needed. Make sure cake is completely cool before you frost it!

-Then begin frosting using a long frosting knife, or whatever you have. I was a little short on frosting and didn't feel like making any more since it was just for us at home, so I didn't waste time doing a crumb coat or anything. Therefore, my frosting job isn't perfect, but oh well! Frost it however you like and when you are done, voila! A lovely cake with a perfect balance of rich and light, sweet and tart.