Perfect Poppy Seed Torte

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup poppy seed
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 5 egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 5 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 3/4 cup sugar

Recipe

• 1 for cake: in a small bowl, combine the milk and the poppy seed.
• 2 let stand for 1 hour.
• 3 meanwhile, grease and flour two 9 x 1 1/2-inch round cake pans or line with waxed paper and coat with nonstick cooking spray.
• 4 set aside.
• 5 in a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
• 6 set aside.
• 7 in a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
• 8 add the 1 1/2 cups sugar and the vanilla.
• 9 beat till well combined.
• 10 add dry ingredients and poppy seed mixture alternately to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition till just combined.
• 11 in a medium bowl, with a clean beater beat the egg whites till stiff peaks form.
• 12 gently fold beaten egg whites into batter.
• 13 pour batter into prepared pans.
• 14 bake in a 375 oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or till a wooden toothpick inserted near the center of the layers comes out clean.
• 15 cool layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.
• 16 remove the layers from pans.
• 17 let cool completely on wire racks.
• 18 meanwhile, prepare the custard filling and chill in the refrigerator: in a heavy medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and cornstarch.
• 19 stir in the milk.
• 20 cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly.
• 21 cook and stir for 2 minutes more.
• 22 remove from heat.
• 23 add egg mixture to milk mixture in pan.
• 24 bring to a gentle boil.
• 25 cook and stir 2 minutes more.
• 26 remove from the heat.
• 27 stir in the vanilla.
• 28 transfer to a bowl.
• 29 cover the surface with plastic wrap and chill till completely cool, but don't stir.
• 30 to assemble the torte, split each cake layer in half horizontally.
• 31 place one bottom layer on a serving plate.
• 32 spread with 1/3 of the filling (about 1/2 cup).
• 33 repeat for 2 more layers.
• 34 place last cake layer on top.
• 35 beat whipping cream and the sugar together till mixture is spreadable.
• 36 spread over the sides and top of cake.
• 37 cover and chill up to 2 hours before serving.