Weigh out the ingredients
I
For the cake, you'll need flour, sugar, butter, eggs, yogurt, milk, poppy seeds, lemons, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt.
Weigh out the ingredients
II
For the curd and frosting, you'll need sugar, butter, egg yolks, lemons, cream cheese, milk, cornstarch, and salt.
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.
Mix sugar & zest
III
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.
Add dry ingredients & butter
IV
Add the oil, whole milk, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla, and mix until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Add wet ingredients
V
Pour ¼ of the batter into a separate small bowl, then fold in the poppy seeds until evenly distributed.
Add the poppy seeds
VI
Use cookie scoops 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.
Divide batter
VII
Bake the cakes for about 25-30 minutes or until the cakes start to pull away from sides of the pans. 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.
Bake, chill, & freeze
VIII
Whisk egg yolks and dry ingredients, then mix in the fresh lemon juice. Melt butter on stovetop, pour in egg yolk mixture, then turn to medium heat and mix constantly for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, strain curd into a jar and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Make the lemon curd
IX
Simmer milk in a saucepan. Separately whisk together egg yolks and dry ingredients until light and flows off whisk. Temper egg mixture and simmering milk, then return to medium heat. Stir until it begins to thicken, then strain and chill until room temperature.
Make the pastry cream
X
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.
Make the buttercream
XI
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 layer and top with a few scoops of buttercream. Smooth out the top, and spread the rest over the sides.
Assemble cake
XII
Continue decorating the cake as desired. Top with poppy seeds and lemon zest and enjoy!
Decorate
XIII