Vanilla Cake with Thyme and Poppy Seeds

This is a sophisticated adult cake, perfect for a champagne filled afternoon tea.

Vanilla Cake with Thyme and Poppy Seeds

Make one large cake, serves 8 - 10

Ingredients
250 g butter, softened
250 g Huletts Castor Sugar
3 extra large eggs, separated
5 ml (1 t) vanilla essence
280 g (2 cups) self-raising flour, sifted
180 ml buttermilk
10 ml (2 t) fresh thyme leaves
15 ml (1 T) poppy seeds

Icing:
125 g (½ tub) smooth cream cheese
125 ml (½ tub) sour cream
5 ml (1 t) fresh lemon juice
15 ml (1 T) poppy seeds
40 g (1/3 cup) Huletts Icing Sugar

Crystallised thyme:
105 g (½ cup) Huletts Castor Sugar
1 extra large egg white, lightly beaten
10 - 15 fresh thyme sprigs

Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 22cm round cake tin
Beat the butter and Huletts Castor Sugar together until light and creamy.
Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add vanilla essence and beat well.
Fold in half (1 cup) of the self-raising flour and half the buttermilk, repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk.
Fold in the thyme leaves and poppy seeds.
Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and fold into the mixture.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin, and smooth the top.
Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Leave in tin to cool for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Icing:
Mix all the icing ingredients together until well combined and smooth.

For the Crystallised thyme:
Place the Huletts Castor Sugar and the egg white in two separate bowls. Dip the thyme sprigs, one at a time, into the egg white and then into the sugar to coat.
Place the coated thyme leaves on a paper towel and allow to dry for at least an hour.
Spread the cooled cake with the icing mixture and decorate with the crystallised thyme sprigs.