Easy Lemon Birthday Cake (Print)

Fluffy layered lemon cake with poppy seeds, bursting with citrus and finished with a light whipped cream topping.

# Ingredients:

→ Cake Batter

01 - 113 grams unsalted butter, softened
02 - 250 grams granulated sugar
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 120 millilitres vegetable oil
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 120 millilitres freshly squeezed lemon juice
07 - 180 millilitres whole milk
08 - 320 grams all-purpose flour
09 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
10 - 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
11 - 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
12 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
13 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

→ Topping

14 - 480 millilitres heavy whipping cream, chilled
15 - 30 grams powdered sugar
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 170°C. Line two springform pans or baking pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine softened butter with granulated sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.
03 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract.
04 - Pour in the vegetable oil, fresh lemon juice, and milk. Mix until thoroughly combined.
05 - Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the batter. Mix until just incorporated. Add poppy seeds and lemon zest, stirring gently.
06 - Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 25–27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow cakes to cool completely before removing from springform pans.
08 - In a clean mixing bowl, whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
09 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous amount of whipped cream over the top, then place the second layer on top. Frost the top and sides with remaining cream.
10 - Transfer a small amount of cream to a piping bag and pipe decorative flowers, then sprinkle additional poppy seeds over the cake.

# Notes:

01 - Always use fresh lemon juice and finely grated zest for optimal tangy flavour.
02 - For a more pronounced citrus note, add extra lemon juice to the whipped cream topping.
03 - A cream cheese frosting offers an alternative to whipped cream.
04 - Use a Microplane to zest lemons for best results.
05 - The batter can be baked in muffin tins or a bundt pan; adjust baking time as needed.
06 - Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
07 - For freezing, wrap portions tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze unfrosted layers up to 2 months and frosted slices up to 2 weeks.

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