4 layers of moist deliciousness makes this Lemon Poppyseed Cake utterly delicious with its mix of blackberry and almond buttercreams.
PSA!!!! I am not a cake decorator. I am a cake eater….or at least that’s what my husband calls me. He thinks it’s funny, I just sit there and agree with him because news flash, I LOVE CAKE! But that should already be known. More or less I love frosting. Frosting is everything to me. You can never have enough frosting, and everything is better with frosting. Yup…I will always believe that.
So like I said, I love cake. I have never really done too many layered cakes in my day. You can see one that I’ve done here though. They always seem to intimidating.
But I threw all cares out the window because this gal was craving cake! What better reason to attempt something that usually intimidates you, than that you are craving it. Well my friends, it is one heck of a motivation starter!
This cake is packed full of so many flavors, but flavors that go so well with each other. Lemon poppyseed cake and bread has always been on of my favorite flavors. Combine that with blackberries and set it all off with almond and you have a serious recipe for success.
Combined these are honestly one of the best flavor combinations that I have EVER had in my mouth! EVERRRRRRRR people!
Ok, so usually you see all these easy peasy recipes on this little old blog of mine, but sometimes I like to think out of the box and push myself!
Now don’t be afraid to try new things, it doesn’t have to be pretty to be delicious. I have learned that 10x over and over again, trust me there are so many things that you haven’t seen on here that were down right delectable but just plain ugly.
Oh and if you are trying to eat healthy today, I”m so sorry because that’s out the window. UNLESS…..you consider this healthy because it has fruit!!! We can think that way right? At least you have your fruit intake for the day. What are some of your favorite flavor combinations?
Lemon Poppyseed Cake with Blackberry and Almond Buttercream
Ingredients
CAKE
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup lemon juice fresh or bottled
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 heaping Tbs poppyseeds
BLACKBERRY BUTTERCREAM
- 1 cup blackberries
- 2 Tbs lemon juice
- 1 cup butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
ALMOND BUTTERCREAM
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 cup butter
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tbs milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In 2 9 inch cake pans line the bottom with parchment paper and then grease the sides with shortening. Set aside.
- In large bowl mix together your four, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk together until combined.
- With hand or stand mixer mix in your eggs, oil and lemon juice until blended. Slowly add in your sour cream and continue beating until incorporated.
- Pour evenly into prepared pans and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden and cake springs back when touched.
- Meanwhile to make your buttercreams, add your blackberries and lemon juice to a sauce pan and heat over medium high heat stirring continuously until blackberries start to soften and you are able to mash them with a spoon. Continue to heat until it forms a thick jam like substance, about 6-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat, now at this point you can bush your mixture through a strainer to strain out the seeds, or add to a small food processor and pulse until it is smooth. Let cool to room temperature.*
- Meanwhile while blackberries are cooling you will make your almond buttercream.
- Add your shortening and butter to a large bowl and mix until smooth and fluffy.
- Add in your almond extract and continue to mix. Add in 1 cup of your powdered sugar at a time until you reach your desired consistency, adding in your milk or cream at the end to smooth out if too thick. Set aside.
- Moving on to your blackberry buttercream, in bowl add your butter and mix until smooth, add in your blackberry mixture and continue to beat until incorporated. Add in your powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until all is incorporated. Set aside.
TO ASSEMBLE CAKE
- Once cakes are to room temperature, remove from pans onto a flat surface. Cut each layer of cake in half using whatever method you prefer. I place toothpick around middle of cake and use that as a guide to help me cut in half.
- Add one layer to the bottom of a cake stand, flat surface, lazy susan or something that will allow you to layer your cakes.
- Now if you like working with simple syrup which is just a mixture of 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water brought to a boil and left to room temperature, I brush a little on each layer of the cake to keep it moist, this is not required but I do this.
- Lay one layer of cake on your decorating/serving surface and add 1/2 of your blackberry buttercream on top of that and spread out until about 1/4 inch away from sides.
- Top with another layer of cake, on top of that add about 3/4 cup of almond buttercream and spread out until 1/4 away from sides.
- Add your 3rd layer and spread the remainder of your blackberry buttercream on top of that and spread like the previous.
- Lastly add your last layer of cake on top.
- Now it's time to frost the top and sides of your cake. I like to make a crumb coating to lock in the crumbs so they don't spread throughout your frosted cake.
- Starting from the top and working down the sides pile a little of your buttercream on top of cake and gently spread down sides adding more as you are going along. Using a bench knife or flat spatula spin your cake spreading out thin (you'll still see the cake in through the frosting) and smooth. Let set in the freezer for about 10 minutes for this layer to set up and harden so it will be easier for you to finish frosting the remainder of your cake.
- Once set up repeat that technique with the remainder of your frosting, working from top down.
- Decorate* to your liking, serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Tornadough Alli is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value is important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Linked at Meal Plan Mondays at Southern Plate
Liz
I don’t mean to be picky but when do you add in the poppyseeds, it is not included in the method of the recipe.
Tornadough Alli
I’m sorry that it’s not in the recipe, I will add it! It should just be folded into the batter last.
Jenny
So excited to make this for Easter? How much or what components do you think I could make the day before?
Tornadough Alli
You can make the cake layers themselves a few days ahead of time, or even more if you freeze them. If you refrigerate I would wrap in plastic wrap and then tinfoil and place in the refrigerator for a few days. The almond buttercream should be fine a day or so ahead of time but I dont recommend making the blackberry buttercream until you are ready to assemble, fruit buttercream for me anyways like to separate when chilled, so I would save that for the day of.
Jodee C
Do you think it will be ok if I just make it a 2 layer cake instead of 4 layers? I plan on putting the blackberry buttercream and a fresh blackberry filling I made (it’s not too sweet since the buttercream frostings are sweet enough). My friend who is an amazing baker thinks it will be awesome either way, but I just wanted to know what your thoughts were. I am sooooo excited to try this cake! We are decorating the entire cake in rosettes for my mom’s birthday, I’ll send you a pic of the final result!
Thanks,
Jodee from Oregon!
Tornadough Alli
Hi Jodee, yes this would be absolutely fine to do as a two layered cake! I did 4 just for fun and just split my two normal layers in half. I’d love to see the finished product!
Akaleistar
That cake looks so good, and the flavors sound yummy!
Theresa
This cake looks so yummy! I hope I get to try it next time I need a cake. Pinned for later.
Tanya @ Mom's Small Victories
Oh my word, that cake is amazing! And let’s say it is totally healthy because it has fruit. Thanks for sharing with Small Victories Sunday Linkup. Pinned to our linkup board.
Frugal Hausfrau
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous cake!! Love it! You’ve outdone yourself!!
Mollie
Jenni
Oh my goodness. LOVE THIS CAKE!!!
Anita
This cake looks so delicious! Thanks for sharing at Freedom Fridays.
Candi
This is beautiful inside and out.
CakePants
So true – I too am a cake eater but not a decorator! However, these photos seem to prove that you ARE a cake decorator, since this cake looks fantastic! I love the unexpected bright color of the blackberry buttercream inside. YUM!
Cristina @ I Say Nomato
I love all the fresh berries on it! Yum! And the mixture of almond and lemon sounds amazing, I’ll have to give this one a shot, adding it to my list! (and ‘not a cake decorator’ whatever – those are some awesome rosettes!)
Tornadough Alli
Awe thanks girl. With this bad boy I was just having fun and hoping and praying it would turn out halfway decent, I was pleasantly surprised! Now onto my next adventure.
Mandee Pogue
I have nothing better than HOLY COW this looks amazing!
Tornadough Alli
Thanks Mandee, it was a labor of love but oh so worth it!
Ginger Wroot
Oh my, now this cake looks like a winner! So gorgeous and so yum-looking too! Pinned, for sure! Thanks so much for this fab recipe!
–G
http://gingerwroot.com
Tornadough Alli
Thanks Ginger you’re so sweet!