Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Ingredients:

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

• 250g unsalted butter at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the pan
• 2.5 cups of premium flour + extra for dusting the pan
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds
• 3 tablespoons lemon zest + 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tsp. limoncello
• 4 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 0.5 tsp of soda

Strawberry Vanilla Frosting

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp. strawberry jelly or jam
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
• Zest of 1 lemon + 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Yellow and pink sprinkles

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease and flour a cake tin.
2. Lemon Poppy Seed Cake:
   
   In a bowl, mix poppy seeds, lemon zest and juice, limoncello and eggs until smooth.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and mix until smooth. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add 250g of butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture forms pea-sized pieces. Increase the speed to medium and slowly pour in the egg mixture, beating until smooth. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
5. Strawberry Vanilla Frosting:
   
   In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, strawberry gelatin, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake and top with sprinkles.