Poppy Seed Swirled Lemon Curd Cake

For a dessert that's just as gorgeous on the inside as it is on the outside, you need to make this poppy seed swirled lemon curd cake! Moist, fluffy lemon poppy seed cake layers are stacked between vibrant, tart lemon curd and frosted with a silky smooth cream cheese German buttercream. It's packed with flavor from the inside out, and it will make a truly stunning addition to your Easter dessert table (or any dessert table)!

For more spring dessert recipes, try Key Lime Cake, Deep Dish Coconut Cream Pie, Coconut Key Lime Bars, and Mini Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting.

Why you'll love this poppy seed swirled lemon curd cake

• Tart Lemon Flavor: Perfect for springtime, this bright lemon cake is made with lemon zest in the cake batter as well as tart lemon curd in between each layer!
• Smooth, Custardy Buttercream: This cake uses a German buttercream made with pastry cream AND cream cheese, making it silky smooth and so flavorful!
• Beautiful Swirled Layers: Cutting into this cake reveals a gorgeous swirl of yellow lemon cake and black poppy seeds - it's just as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside!
• Great Make Ahead Recipe: These cake layers are easiest to frost when frozen, so you can easily make the cakes ahead of time and assemble when ready to serve!

Ingredient Notes

• Cream Cheese: Use room temperature block cream cheese for the frosting.
• Poppy Seeds: Be sure to grind your poppy seeds for more aroma and flavor.
• Fresh Lemons: You'll need fresh lemon zest for the cake batter and fresh lemon juice for the lemon curd filling.
• Unsalted Butter: Use high quality European-style butter for best overall flavor.
• Flour: Use high quality unbleached all-purpose flour for best results.
• Eggs: Bring your eggs to room temperature quickly by placing them in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
• Vanilla: Add a high quality vanilla extract for optimal flavor.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.

STEP 1: Mix sugar and zest. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together with your fingers until it resembles wet sand and smells aromatic.

STEP 2: Add dry ingredients and butter. To the sugar, mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut up the butter into small cubes and add to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until it resembles wet sand.

STEP 3: Add wet ingredients. Add the oil, whole milk, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla, and mix until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

STEP 4: Add poppy seeds. Pour ¼ of the batter into a separate small bowl, then fold in the poppy seeds until evenly distributed.

STEP 5: Pour and swirl. Use cookie scoops or spoons to alternate the two batters between each pan, adding an equal number of scoops to each. Use a knife to swirl the batters together, then gently shake the pans to encourage them to spread out into an even layer.

STEP 6: Bake and freeze. Bake the cakes for about 25-30 minutes or until the cakes start to pull away from the sides of the pans. Immediately turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to decorate. (Frozen cake layers will be much easier to frost!)

STEP 7: Make lemon curd. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth and light in color. Then, mix in the lemon juice until fully combined. In a medium saucepan over low-medium heat, melt the butter. Pour in the egg yolk, lemon juice mixture, then turn the heat up to medium, and mix constantly with a rubber spatula for 3-4 minutes or until thickened and large bubbles form in the center. Immediately remove from heat. Pour the lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Transfer to a jar and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.

STEP 8: Make the pastry cream. Bring the milk to a simmer in a small saucepan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until the mixture is light in color and flows off the whisk. Slowly pour half into the egg yolk mixture into simmering milk while whisking simultaneously. Pour everything back into the saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula until it begins to thicken. Continue stirring for one more minute, then remove from heat. Immediately strain through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl. Refrigerate for about one hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so until it’s room temperature.

STEP 9: Make the buttercream. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and cream cheese on low speed until smooth. Add the pastry cream and vanilla bean paste and mix until fully combined, being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

STEP 10: Assemble cake. Place the first cake layer on a cake stand. Pipe a dam of buttercream around the edge of the cake. Fill the center with an even layer of lemon curd. Add the second cake layer and top with a few scoops of buttercream. Use an offset spatula to smooth out the top, and spread the excess all over the sides to create a crumb coat.

STEP 11: Decorate. Continue decorating the cake as desired. Top with poppy seeds and lemon zest, or even some lemon slices, and enjoy!

Expert Baking Tips

• Use cake strips to create flat cake layers. Soak these wilton cake strips in ice water before starting the cake batter. Just before baking, wrap the cake strips around the pan. The cold temperature on the outside of the cake will prevent the edges from baking faster than the center, resulting in an evenly baked flat cake.
• Freeze the cake layers before decorating. Since this is such a moist cake, I highly recommend freezing the cake layers for at least two hours before decorating.
• To create smooth sides when cake decorating... Run an offset spatula (or any cake decorating tool) under hot water, then wipe dry and use immediately to spread the frosting on the cake. The hot tool will help create smooth sides!