Oh, this cake! You guys, I do know I say this very often, but I am really so excited about this one. When I set out to make this, I was not sure it would really work. I was very worried it could require multiple rounds of testing, and even then, not end up working. But to my surprise, everything worked almost perfectly the first time around. That almost never happens with baking recipes, but I was so happy it did! The funny thing about this cake is that it was inspired by two very different recipes, an old school blueberry cake I found on Pillsbury and my recent crème brûlée. Not exactly sure how I put two and two together, but it worked! With Easter coming up, followed by Mother’s Day, this feels like the perfect cake for both!
The idea
As I mentioned above, the cake itself was inspired by a brunch-style cake created by Pillsbury way back in the day. As you guys know, I’ve been into retro recipes lately. I’ve been doing more and more research on vintage recipes and it’s taking me in all directions. What I love about the retro Pillsbury cake is the center. It was filled simply with blueberries. It sounds delicious as is, but something about the center of the cake inspired me. Then I thought about doing a crème center with blueberries on top. And when I say crème, I mean the creamy custard you’ll experience in crème brûlée. So delicious brûlée…plus lots of blueberries!
It sounded too delicious to not at least test it out. So even though I was pressed for time, I tested the idea. And now here we are! It just goes to show you that you shouldn’t knock something until you try it, you know!?
The details
Start with the cake. It’s simple but made special with fresh lemon zest and poppy seeds. Mix your wet ingredients with the dry, then beat in a little sour cream to keep the cake very moist. Now, the key to this cake is to create a bit of a “bowl” for the custard and berries to bake up in…or actually, it’s kind of like a “nest”. You’ll spread the batter out into a springform pan, then push it up the sides to create room for the custard and berries. It’s simple, and honestly kind of fun to do!
Now make the crème center
Mix the eggs with a bit of sugar, then pour the steaming cream into the eggs. The key here is to be constantly whisking the yolks with the hot cream. You don’t want to end up with scrambled eggs! Add the custard to the “nest” you created, then sprinkle on the berries.
Bake it up and about forty-five or so minutes later your cake is done! The longer you bake the cake, the more set the custard becomes. And on the same note, the longer you chill the cake, the more set the custard will become. I love mine on the creamy, but runny side, so I like to chill for an hour or so.
And that’s it…simple, pretty, perfectly sweet, so creamy inside, but with just the right amount of sweet, lemony, poppy seed cake surrounding all that creaminess…SO GOOD! Perfection beyond belief. Hope you guys all enjoy this fun spring/summer cake!
Looking for other spring cakes, try these: Strawberry Chamomile Olive Oil Cake with Honeyed Ricotta Hydrangea Flower Carrot Cake Cupcakes Strawberry Chamomile Naked Cake Lastly, if you make this Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Crème Cake be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
