Lemon Poppy Seed Butter Cake (Tier)

Poppy seeds give this tangy butter cake (shown fourth from the top) subtle crunch and, when sliced and plated, a delightful flecked appearance. The batter bakes up very dark and with a firm crust, so for best results trim the top, bottom, and sides of the cakes just before frosting.  For approximate batter amounts and baking times, see below; you will need to make enough batter to fill each cake pan three-quarters full. The batter can be made in separate batches for the larger cake layers.

15 Tbsp. (1 stick + 7 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted
5 lemons
2¼ cups sugar
4 cups + 2 Tbsp. flour, unbleached
2¼ tsp. baking powder
1 cup + 2 Tbsp. crème fraîche
9 large eggs
3 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the oven racks in the lower half position. Coat the cake pans with butter; line the bottoms with parchment paper, and coat parchment. Dust with flour, and tap out any excess. Set aside.

Grate the zest of the lemons (you should have about 5 Tbsp.). Blend the zest with the sugar in a food processor until fine. Remove the pith from each lemon with a sharp knife. Working with one at a time, hold the lemon over a bowl, and carve out the flesh between the membranes, allowing the segments to drop into the bowl (you should have about ¾ cup segments). Squeeze the juice from the membranes into the bowl; strain the juice (you should have about 1/3 cup). Chop the segments into ½" pieces; strain off any juice and toss with 2 Tbsp. of the flour.

Sift the remaining 4 cups flour and the baking powder into a mixer bowl; add the lemon sugar. Attach the bowl to the mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the crème fraîche. Raise the speed to medium. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Reduce the speed to low. Gradually add the melted butter and lemon juice; mix until combined. Mix in the poppy seeds; fold in the lemon segments. Divide the batter among the prepared pans.

Bake until a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean. (If the cakes become too dark while baking, cover with foil.) Transfer to wire racks; let cool in the pans slightly. Invert the cakes onto racks. Remove the parchment; reinvert and cool completely on racks.

Makes about 9½ cups batter.

Cook's Note: Approximate batter amounts and baking times for 3" deep round pans: 4": 1½ cups, 25 minutes; 6": 3¼ cups, 45 minutes; 8": 5½ cups, 1 hour 5 minutes; 10": 9 cups, 1 hour 20 minutes; 12": 12¼ cups, 1 hour 25 minutes.