Poppy Seed Cake

My mother, the quintessential chocoholic, surprised me this year by not wanting a chocolate birthday cake. She requested her Aunt Alma's Poppy Seed Cake. After calling a few family members, we were able to dig up the recipe.

POPPY SEED CAKE
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups flour (sifted)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
4 egg whites (save yolks for filling)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup poppy seeds (2.6 oz bottle)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS:
In small bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix in poppy seeds.

In large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla and 1/2 cup milk; mix until blended. Add flour mixture alternating with remainder of milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

In separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar. Fold into other mixture. DO NOT BEAT.

Grease and flour either 3 - 8" round pans; or 2 - 9" round pans. Pour batter evenly into pans and bake at 350º for 15 to 20 minutes, or until very lightly brown. Cool completely.


CUSTARD FILLING
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups milk
1 cup sugar
9 Tbs corn starch
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup nuts (optional)
1/3 stick butter

In large saucepan, mix sugar and corn starch together.

In separate bowl, beat egg yolks with milk; add to sugar mixture.

Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until filling is a pudding consistency.

Cool and spread between layers of the cake reserving a spoonful to dollop on top of iced cake for decoration.


ASSEMBLY:
Even though traditionally, the custard is meant to be a filling and the cake to be topped with buttercream icing, Great Aunt Alma likes the custard so much that she tops the whole cake with it! After custard has cooled, spread it between the layers of the cake and on the tops and sides of the cake. Keep cake refrigerated.