4 Layer Lemon- Buttermilk Poppy Seed Cake with Lemon Curd and Coconut Butter Cream Frosting and Toasted Coconut

Lemon Buttermilk Poppy Seed Cake
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¾ cup sugar
3 Tbs fresh lemon zest, (skin of 3 large lemons)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp lemon extract
4 large eggs
3 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
3 Tbs poppy seeds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the butter, sugar and lemon zest. Beat the butter, sugar and zest together until they are light and fluffy. In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients and set aside. With the mixer running on low, add the eggs one at a time, combining thoroughly in between. Add the lemon extract and the lemon juice, (it will look curdled, but it’s not!) Add one third of the dry ingredients, and then half of the buttermilk. Repeat, adding another third of the dry ingredients, and then the other half of the buttermilk. Finish with the rest of the dry ingredients, and mix the batter until all of the ingredients are completely combined and the batter is light and fluffy.
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Prepare two 9” pans with baking spray. Divide the cake batter evenly between the two pans. Bake the cakes on a middle shelf for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool before removing from the pan. When the cake is completely cool, slice each cake round horizontally in half to create four cake rounds total.

Lemon Curd
6 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup butter
2 Tbs fresh lemon zest

In a large stainless steel bowl set over a pot of simmering water, beat the eggs and sugar until pale and thick. Stir in the lemon juice, zest and butter, and stir until the mixture takes on a custard consistency (or coats the back of a spoon). This should take about 12 minutes. Refrigerate the curd with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming. This can be made the day before.

Coconut Butter Cream Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup whole milk, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp coconut extract

Combine butter and milk and beat them together. Add the powdered sugar gradually until the ingredients create a frosting texture. Add the extract and beat the frosting until light and fluffy.

Toasted Coconut
4 cups unsweetened flaked coconut

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the coconut on a sheet pan. Bake until the coconut is fragrant and just barely toasted, about 5 minutes. Cool completely.

Assemble the cake
Place one of the cake rounds on a cake plate and generously spread with lemon curd. Top the curd with another cake round and another layer of lemon curd. Repeat with the third cake round and more lemon curd. Top the curd with the last cake round.

Frost the cake with the butter cream frosting and press the 4 cups of toasted coconut lightly into the frosting, just so it sticks.