Soak overnight 1/2 cup poppy seed in 1 cup milk (or heat milk, add poppy seed and let cool to soften seed). Add:

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream:

3/4 cup butter

Add gradually:

1 1/2 cups sugar

(Cream after each addition).

Sift together:

2 cups sifted regular flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Blend in alternately flour and poppy seed mixtures to creamed mixture. Fold in:

4 egg whites beaten stiff

Pour batter into greased and floured 8 inch layer cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pans. Then cool on wire racks.

YUMMY FILLING:

Mix:

3/4 c. sugar
4 egg yolks
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 c. milk
1/4 tsp. salt

Cook in double boiler 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool. Add:

1/2 c. chopped nut meat or coconut
1 tsp. vanilla

Spread layers of cake. Stack and frost with any 7 Minute Boiled Frosting.