A Taste of Spring

Lemon Poppy Seed Snacking Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting.

I had my first asparagus this week, the daffodils are pushing their way into the world and it snowed this week. Which means spring is definitely on its way.

My high school English teacher, Robert Kaplow (Hi, Mr. Kaplow!), was the best and most memorable of my high school experience. Along with being a brilliant human, accomplished author and, at the time, frequent NPR guest with his comedy segments from Mo Moskowitz and the Punsters, he had us write treatments for musicals and made us memorize sonnets and poetry.

Along with Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn” and Shakespeare’s Sonnet 29, I remember e.e. cummings’ “[in Just-] and I quote it (annoyingly) all season long. I acknowledge I may sound ridiculous saying “whistles far and wee!” over and over like some demented mynah bird, but that’s who I am. I also say “puddle wonderful” a lot, and now that I type it, it makes me want to create a dish called “pudding wonderful.” You can see the full poem here. Here’s an excerpt from the poem, c/o of The Poetry Foundation:

So in the hopes it will encourage spring along, I created a cake full of bright flavors, like lemon and strawberry. Poppy seeds provide an earthiness that is oh-so spring. To wit: A lemon poppy seed snacking cake with a strawberry cream cheese frosting.

Notes:

• This cake would be fine without frosting, or maybe just a dusting of confectioners’ sugar.

• The strawberry cream cheese frosting is one to keep in your arsenal. It can be scaled up 2 to 3 times to ice a layer or triple layer cake. And obviously goes with everything from vanilla cake to chocolate.

• And speaking of chocolate, if one is averse to poppy seeds, mini chocolate chips would be a delectable substitute.

• Trader Joe’s always has freeze dried strawberries in stock, and more and more regular markets have them too. The 1.2 ounces called for is one bag of TJ’s.

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Lemon Poppy Seed Snacking Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes one 9-inch round cake, feeds 10 to 12.

What You’ll Need:

For the cake:

10 tablespoons (175 grams) butter, softened

3/4 cup (175 grams) granulated sugar

3 large eggs

2 1/4 cups (270 grams) all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

4 generous tablespoons plain yogurt or sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract or lemon oil (optional)

Zest of 2 lemons

For the Frosting:

8 ounces (1 cup or 216 grams) cream cheese at room temperature, cut into 8 pieces

4 tablespoons (56.5 grams) butter, cut into 8 pieces

1.2 ounces freeze-dried strawberries, crushed into a powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup (96 grams) confectioners’ sugar, sifted.

What You’ll Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line a 9-inch x 2-inch round cake.

2. Put all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) and blend on low until the flour is mostly absorbed, raise the speed to medium-high and blend for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and blend for another 20 seconds, or until the mixture is uniform.

3. Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly.

4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center bounces back if touched gently.

5. Let cool on rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and leave to cool top side up.

6. Meanwhile, make the frosting. With a hand mixer (or stand…but I find a hand mixer is better at blending this particular frosting), blend the butter and cream cheese together until you can’t tell the difference. Scrape down the sides and continue beating until fluffy. Add the vanilla, dried strawberries and confectioners’ sugar. Beat on low until the dry ingredients are blended in. Scrape down the bowl. Raise the speed to medium-high and whip until lighter and fluffier, about 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down frequently. You can make the icing ahead of time and refrigerate. It will be easier to spread at room temperature.

7. When the cake is cool, spread the strawberry frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with sliced strawberries.

In other news, this week’s Secret Life of Cookies podcast guest was none other than U.S. national editor of the Financial Times, Ed Luce. You can listen here.

Will spring bring daffodils, baby lambs and indictments? Oooo, wouldn’t that be nice? I love hearing what you have to say! Say it here:

Coming up later this week: My recipe for two easy weeknight salmon dinners. And cookies. Of course.

I am so grateful to have you all here! Please share this substack with a friend. There is no greater PR for a publication than its readers!