1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. poppy seeds
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 sticks butter
4 egg whites, room temperature
2/3 c. milk
1 2/3 c. cake flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. sugar (divided use)
Cream Cheese Icing (below)
Chocolate Ganache (below)

Scald the milk in a saucepan.

Place the poppy seed, vanilla and scalded milk in a small bowl and let cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter 9 x 2 inch round pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.

In a large mixer bowl, beat the butter on high speed about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup of the sugar and continue to beat until very light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Sift in 1/3 of the flour mixture; stir to combine. Beat in half of the milk-poppy seed mixture. Repeat two more times with the remaining dry ingredients and milk.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Add a pinch of salt and continue beating until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, increasing the speed to high before adding the last two teaspoons. Beat until the meringue is stiff and shiny, about 1 minute more.

Fold 1/4 of the meringue into the cake batter, then fold in the remaining meringue.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and place on rack right side up. Let cool completely.

Using a long serrated knife, trim off the crusty top of the cake, then slice the cake horizontally into 3 even layers.

Place the bottom layer on cake plate or platter. Spread with 3/4 cup cream cheese icing; chill in refrigerator until icing is firm, then spread with chocolate ganache. Chill again until firm, then place second cake layer on top and repeat procedure until cake is completed.

Frost the sides and top of the cake with the chocolate ganache or the white cream cheese icing, as you prefer.

Use a pastry bag fitted with a Number 2 star tip to pipe a decorative border of icing around the edge of the cake and decorate as desired with strawberries and chocolate icing.

Make 1 cake. It tastes better if well chilled. (I substituted 3 pans 9 x 1 1/2 inch round pans for the one. This made the three layers without having to cut them. I also used cherry pie filling for decorative icing around top and bottom of plate.)

CREAM CHEESE ICING:

12 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. confectioners' sugar, sifted

In a medium mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the butter until well blended, about 4 minutes.

Sift in the confectioners' sugar and continue to beat on low speed, add vanilla. Scraping the bowl frequently, continue beating until well blended, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to assemble cake, but do not let icing harden. Makes about 2 1/2 cups icing.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE:

1 lb. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 c. heavy cream

In a heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate with the cream and cook over very low heat until mixture is smooth and glossy. Remove mixture to a bowl and beat until it becomes thick and of spreading consistency. (To thicken faster, place bowl in a larger bowl of ice water.) makes 2 1/2 to 3 cups.