How to Make the Lemon Poppy Seed Birthday Cake From Our 25th Birthday Cover

How to Make the Lemon Poppy Seed Birthday Cake From Our 25th Birthday Cover

from realsimple.com
Dessert
195 min
12 servings

This gorgeous three-layer cake with raspberry frosting from Food Network star Molly Yeh appeared on the April 2025 issue of REAL SIMPLE to celebrate our 25th birthday. It's surprisingly easy to make and totally delicious.

Ingredients

  • cooking spray
  • 10 ½ cupsgranulated sugar
  • 1 ¼ cupsneutral oil (such as canola)
  • 8 largeegg yolks
  • 1 ¼ cupsplain whole-milk strained (greek-style) yogurt
  • 1 cupsuperfine blanched almond flour
  • 2 tsp.lemon zest plus 1/2 cup fresh juice (from 3 or 4 lemons)
  • ¼ cuppoppy seeds
  • 2 tsp.almond extract
  • 3 ¼ cupsall-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp.baking powder
  • 1 ½ tsp.kosher salt
  • ½ tsp.baking soda
  • 8 largeegg whites
  • 2 cupsgranulated sugar
  • ½ tsp.cream of tartar
  • ½ tsp.kosher salt 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. freeze-dried raspberry powder (see note)
  • 1 tsp.pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp.rosewater (optional)
  • ¼ cupplus 1 tbsp. freeze-dried raspberry powder (see note)
  • 1 cupraspberry jam, divided freeze-dried raspberry powder, fresh raspberries, fresh lemon peels, and/or chopped roasted pistachios
  • fresh raspberries

Directions

  1. 1

    Preheat oven and prepare cake pans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray and line bottoms with parchment paper. (If you don’t have 3 cake pans, bake in batches.)

  2. 2

    Whisk the wet ingredients: Whisk sugar and oil in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in egg yolks, then yogurt, almond flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, poppy seeds, and almond extract.

  3. 3

    Add the dry ingredients: Sprinkle all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda over top of batter. Give dry ingredients a rough little whisk before stirring into batter. Whisk until just combined. Divide among prepared pans.

  4. 4

    Bake the cakes: Bake until tops are golden and a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; discard parchment and transfer cakes to wire racks to cool completely, about 30 minutes. (Cakes may be wrapped in plastic or stored in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 2 days.)

  5. 5

    Make the frosting: Combine egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in a double boiler or large heatproof bowl set over (but not in) a pot of simmering water. Heat over medium, whisking constantly, until an instant-read or candy thermometer reads 175°F, 8 to 10 minutes. (Mixture will be thin and frothy.) Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat on high speed until stiff and glossy, about 3 minutes. Add freeze-dried raspberry powder, vanilla, and (if using) rosewater. Beat on low speed until just combined.

  6. 6

    Assemble the cake: Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving platter; top with 1/2 cup jam. Spread in an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge of cake. Top with another cake layer and repeat with remaining 1/2 cup jam. Top with third cake layer. Cover whole cake with frosting. Refrigerate, uncovered, until frosting is set, about 1 hour.

  7. 7

    Decorate the cake: Decorate as you please with freeze-dried raspberry powder, fresh raspberries, fresh lemon peels, and/or chopped pistachios. Serve immediately or refrigerate, loosely covered, for up to 8 hours. Bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.