California Poppy Seed Pound Cake with Elderflower glaze for Starhawk’s 69th!
I mean, what kind of cake do you do for Starhawk’s 69th Birthday? Last year I did a Stinging Nettle Cake with a Fennel Pollen Butter Cream. How could I top that?
It the spring/summer, the California Poppies go into full bloom. I love the wash of the orange colors along the hillsides, and I have plenty in my backyard garden in San Francisco. I got inspired by the visuals of the Wondersmith. She makes beautiful Poppy Poppyseed cake. I loved the way it looks, but did a variation of my favorite poppyseed cake recipe.
Lemon Poppyseed pound cake was my absolute favorite growing up, and I added homemade elderflower syrup into the mix. The Elderflowers were from Starhawk’s backyard! I made the crazy orange frosting out of goji berries. I borrowed the Wondersmith’s goji berry frosting inspiration, to make a naturally orange colored frosting. I got these fun small sized cake pans so I could stack the cake sky high!!!!
Garnished with Poppies from Starhawk’s ranch.
And here you have it. Watch out the bunny doesn’t eat all the cake!
Happy 69th Starhawk!!!!!
Elderflower Poppy Seed Pound Cake with Goji Berry Cream Frosting
I grew up eating this recipe. It is so delicious and rich.
Cake
1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
6 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons finely grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¾ cup poppy seeds
2 cups + 2 tablespoon sifted white flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ cup + 2 tablespoon milk
The Glaze
¼ cup elderberry syrup
• In a bowl, cream together butter, and 2 cups of sugar until very light and fluffy (you can use an electric mixer or a food processor for this).
• Add eggs, both rinds, vanilla, and poppy seeds, and beat for 2 minutes. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, and add to poppy mixture gradually, alternating with the milk.
• Pour into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. This is a rich and heavy batter, so it needs a pan with a tube in it to ensure even cooking in the middle of the cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. Let cool fully before removing from cake pan. You can also use smaller sized cake bans to make this cake frost able and stackable.
• Spoon elderflower syrup over the cake evenly after the cake has cooled a bit.
Goji Berry Frosting
½ cup goji berries soaked in ½ cup warm water for ½ hour
1 cup butter-softened
3-4 cups powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1-tablespoon elderberry syrup
In a blend up soaked goji berries until pureed.
In a standup mixer or with a hand mixer, mix the butter and 1 cup of the powdered sugar and sea salt. Slowly mix in the goji berry puree. Add 1 cup at a time powdered sugar until it reaches your desired consistency.
Here she is trying it!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LSBUNjVUjhs