Poppy seed Lemon cake w/raspberries

By foodiva

Ingredients

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 5.1 ounce instant or cook and serve Lemon pudding mix (can be replaced with instant vanilla pudding & 2 tsp lemon emulsion)
• 1/4 cup dry poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2-3 lemons)
• 1/2 packet cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 lb raspberries
• 104 Wilton Piping Tip (Rose tip)
• Pastry Bag
• Edible Pearl Dragees

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from letthebakingbeginblog.com

Preparation

Step 1

Instructions Make the Cake
Turn oven to 350F. Line two 9 inch round pans with foil & spray with non stick spray, or butter and flour the pans. Wet the baking strips (see bottom of post to see what they are) and secure around the pan. Set aside.
Combine all the wet ingredients and whisk until well combined.
Sift the cake mix & instant pudding into a mixer bowl, add about 1 cup of wet ingredients & the poppy. Beat with a mixer on low speed (important!!) for about 15 seconds, then add the rest of the ingredients and beat on low speed for another 15-20 seconds. DO NOT over beat, or your cake will deflate.
Put ⅓ of batter into one pan and ⅔ into another pan.
Place in the oven and bake for 25-35 minutes, until slightly golden in color or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Start checking when you can smell the cake in your kitchen. Remove the cake with less batter out of the oven first (it will be done sooner), then take out the second cake.
Let rest in the pan for 5 minutes, before removing and allowing to cool on a cooling rack. Make the frosting
Beat cream cheese & sugar until smooth and no lumps appear. Add the heavy cream & vanilla extract, then switch to a whisk attachment. Whip the frosting until it holds shape and does not run. Assembly
Cut the top crust of both cakes off (about ⅛ inch thick). Process the cut off tops in the processor to produce fine crumbs (they will be used to cover the sides)
Cut the thicker cake in 2 even layers.
Place a dab of frosting on serving plate. Put the first cake layer on top.
Cut 4 strips of parchment paper, thick enough to cover the edges of the serving plate, and put them slightly under the cake completely covering the plate.
Spread about 2 tablespoons of frosting on top of the cake. Put half of the raspberries on top and cover the raspberries with ⅓ frosting.
Place another layer of cake. Repeat with raspberries and frosting. Cover with 3rd layer of cake.
Cover the whole cake in a thin layer of frosting.
Take a palm full of processed cake crumbs and press all around against the sides of the cake.
Fit a pastry bag with 104 Wilton tip (rose petal tip). Fill the bag with leftover frosting.
Starting from the outside ring of the cake, start piping the petals in circles until you get to the middle. See YouTube video below on how to do this.
Place a couple of pearl dragees in the middle.
Keep cake chilled until ready to serve.

Instructions