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1
Preheat the oven to 350.
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2
Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment or wax paper.
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3
Butter the paper and flour the pans, tapping out the excess.
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4
In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks.
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5
Gradually add 1 cup of the sugar and beat until the mixture is as thick as mayonnaise.
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6
Beat in the poppy seeds and vanilla.
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7
In another large bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites at high speed for 6 seconds.
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8
Reduce the speed to moderately low and continue beating, gradually working your way back up to high speed.
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9
When soft peaks form, sprinkle in the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and beat to stiff shining peaks.
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10
Scoop one-quarter of the whites into the yolk mixture and rapidly but delicately fold them in.
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11
Sift one-third of the flour over the batter and fold it in along with one-third of the egg whites.
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12
Continue to fold in one-third of the flour and one-third of the egg whites at a time until everything has been incorporated; fold in the melted butter with the last of the whites.
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13
Immediately turn the batter into the prepared pans.
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14
Bang the pans once lightly on your work surface to force any air bubbles out of the batter.
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15
Bake in the lower third of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes; the cakes are done when they just begin to shrink from the pans.
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16
Let the cakes cool on a rack for 30 minutes.
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17
Invert the cakes, peel off the paper and let cool completely.
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18
In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients and stir over low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
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19
Whisk all of the ingredients in a medium stainless steel saucepan over very low heat until the bubbles begin to subside and a tiny wisp of steam appears; do not boil.
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20
Stir the curd over ice until cooled and lightly thickened.
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21
In a medium bowl, beat the butter until softened, then beat in the butter until softened, then beat in the confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy.
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22
Beat in 1/3 cup of the cooled lemon curd until smooth.
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23
Cut a 1/4-inch wedge out of the side of each cake; this will enable you to line up the layers when assembling the cake.
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24
Using a long serrated knife, slice each cake in half horizontally and set on a work surface, cut side up.
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25
Gently brush each cake layer with 2 tablespoons of the rum syrup.
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26
Center a bottom layer of cake on a platter and spread one-third of the remaining lemon curd over it.
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27
Cover with the top layer, cut sides together, taking care to line up the wedges.
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28
Spread with lemon curd.
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29
Repeat with the remaining cake and lemon curd, ending with a cake layer.
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30
Spread a very thin layer of the icing over the top and side of the cake to keep wandering crumbs in place.
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31
Then spread a 1/4-inch layer of icing over the top and side.
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32
Decorate as you wish, but I suggest using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.
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33
In any case, sprinkling the cake with poppy seeds, as Child has here, can disguise certain ineptitudes.
