Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Poppy Seed Frosting Recipe 

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For people who love lemon, the Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Poppy Seed Frosting is a great three-layer cake. This is the best lemon poppy seed cake ever!

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Ingredient

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– 3 cups cake flour – 1 Tbsp baking powder – 1/2 tsp salt – 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar – zest of 1 lemon, peeled with a vegetable peeler (no white pith) – 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature – 4 large eggs, at room temperature – 2 tsp lemon paste, optional, You can buy lemon paste here – 1 cup buttermilk – 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice FROSTING – 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature – 6 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted – 6-8 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed. – 1/4 cup poppy seeds – optional: one small drop yellow gel food coloring GARNISH – very thin slices of lemon – mint leave

Ingredient

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Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottoms of three 9-inch baking pans with parchment paper after greasing and flouring them. 

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Step 1

Instructions

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Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Process sugar and lemon zest in a food processor. Instead of the lemon peel, use the zest. 

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Step 2

For optimal results, use a serrated vegetable peeler to peel the yellow area and leave the bitter white. Process the sugar and zest until the zest is fully mixed and the sugar is moist and pale yellow. 

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Step 3

In a stand mixer, cream soft butter and lemon sugar for 3 minutes, scraping bowl sides as needed. 

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Step 4

Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl, until everything is combined. Add lemon paste. 

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Step 5

Reduce the mixer to low speed and mix the flour until just mixed, then add the buttermilk and lemon juice. Mix until combined, but don't overmix. Divide and spread batter evenly across 3 pans. 

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Step 6

Bake for 23–25 minutes, or until risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Do not overbake these thin layers as they cook quickly. 

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Step 7

Cool cakes in pans on a rack. Flip them carefully and remove the parchment paper when cool. To produce a spreadable frosting, mix butter and sugar then gradually add lemon juice.  

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Step 8

You may require more or less than mentioned. Beat in the poppy seeds until the frosting is creamy. Add lemon juice or sugar to thin or thicken.  

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Step 9

Add a drop or two of food colouring and stir well to make your frosting pale yellow. Frost the cake and add lemon slices and mint leaves. 

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Step 10

Also see

Raspberry Cake with Lemon Buttercream Recipe 

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