
"Whatcha making?" Bill asked when he stepped into the kitchen area on Sunday. "My birthday cake" I replied, scraping the last bit of batter onto a sheetpan. He then pointed at the two bowls filled with strawberries and blackberries, the couple of lemon and the bottle of Limoncello. "Yes, yes, yes...all those for my cake". His eyes lit up in anticipation and he left the room uttering "hmmhmmhmm".
A few hours later, he tried to sneak a peak into the refrigerator to see the final product and opened and closed the refrigerator door a couple of times. "Where is it? Are you done yet? I can't see it!". I pulled out a tray of glasses and handed him a spoon. "It's not a cake! Wait...I am sorry. It's your birthday, I should have known better..."
Lemon poppy seed cake brushed with straight Limoncello and layered with strawberry and blackberry mousse. There is cake, there is cream and there is enough space to stick a candle in it. I am ready to celebrate!

Yes, it's my birthday and since I like to make myself something I really want, it is most often one of three things (and sometimes all at once): it usually contains lemons, it must be small and preferably in a verrine (glass). The sound of spoons digging that last bit of dessert in the bottom of a ramekin or glass is music to my ears. It doesn't mean the end. It means everybody reached the bottom and "cling-cling" wishes for more. Happy sound.
With the abundance of local strawberries and the hot days we have been having, I started craving something light and refreshing. Everyday I've also been getting wild blackberries from the woods across the street and my mere one cup harvest grew to a whopping 1 pound on Sunday morning. I don't think the new neighbors have realized yet the treasure laying at their feet just a few yards away. I am already scheming blackberry pies, cobblers, sorbet and secretly wish they don't figure out what I am doing in the morning, reaching down into the bushes. I want it all....I promise to share the results of my baking though. Promise. Yes, really!!
As I was eating my (early) birthday treat, I started thinking about Bea, Anita and Jeannette, also celebrating another year this month and Kate to-day! There is also one tiny person who now can be added to the list of May babies and that is Kristin's newest addition, Leah Katherine, born on Monday night. This dessert is for you all!

One year ago: Lemon Meringue Cake with Lemon Ice Cream.Two years ago: Birthday Girls and a chocolate cake.
Berry Mousse and Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Verrines:
Makes enough for ten to twelve 6 to 8 oz ramekins or glasses
For the cake:
1 1/2 cups (185gr) all purpose flour
1 cup (200gr) sugar
1 tablespoon (14gr) baking powder
1/4 (1.5gr) teaspoon salt
1/2 cup egg whites (about 3-4)
3/4 (175ml) cup milk
1/4 cup (62.5ml) lemon juice
grated zest of one lemon
1 tablespoon (9gr) poppy seeds
1 stick (113gr) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the strawberry mousse:
2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
1 tablespoon water
8 oz (210gr) strawberries, pureed
1/4 cup (50gr) sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup (6oz - 190ml) heavy cream
For the blackberry mousse:
2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
1 tablespoon water
8 oz (210gr) blackberries, pureed
1/4 cup (50gr) sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup (6oz - 190ml) heavy cream
Limoncello
Prepare the cake: preheat oven to 300F. In a large bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients for the cake. Set aside. In a separate medium bowl stir together the egg whites and the milk. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and slowly add in the egg white mixture while stirring with a whisk. Stir in the lemon juice, zest, the poppy seeds and the melted butter. Mix with a whisk until smooth. Line a quarter sheet pan with parchment paper, lightly spray with cooking spray and pour in the batter. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely and cut out as many disks as you need to fit inside your ramekins or glasses.
Prepare the strawberry mousse: sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small bowl and set aside to bloom (soften).
In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, stir together the strawberries and sugar just until hot. Add the gelatin and stir until it is completely melted. Let cool to room temperature. In the meantime, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Once the strawberries are at the right temperature, carefully fold the whipped cream into the fruit base.
Prepare the blackberry mousse the same way.
Assemble the verrines: brush Limoncello on each of the cake pieces or rounds that are going to be used in the glasses. Place a cake round at the bottom of the glass, top with blackberry mousse, one cake round, strawberry mousse, one cake round, blackberry mousse. Finish with more wipped cream if desired (I added lemon zest to mine).
135 comments:
Congrats!!!! Verrines look so delicious...
Beautiful! I hope you have a wonderful birthday. Thanks for all your inspiring posts :)
looks delicious! hope you had a happy day!
Happy birthday to you....the cake looks gorgeous..yummy combinations :)
so delicate and pretty!
Happy B'day Helen! These look wonderful...I might even attempt a similar one myself...beautiful as always!
This looks divine! I love the idea of your birthday cake almost in disguise.
Excited to see what you'll do with the blackberries - they seem like such a under appreciated fruit. Not really sure why, blackberry picking is so much fun. Maybe it's just that nobody ever manages to save enough to actually bake with them rather than eating them off the bush!
Happy birthday Helen! I can't think of a better refreshing birthday treat to have. Hope you all enjoy it very much. Big hug!
A gorgeous work of art - beautifully styled, yet again!
It looks wonderful into the glass, great idea, I will steal it for some desserts of mine.
And, btw,... Happy Birthday!!!!
Happy Birthday Helen.
Hi hi your Bill sounds like my hubby he too always looks into the kitchen andthen to the fridge when i make something.
So yotoo Teaurean me too, just celebrated my b'day on monday.
Love the mousse, looks yumm, when my FIL had a garden those berries were availabel in abundence, now he is not doing the garden anymore old age, so i have to buy them and it is really very expensive here :-(
j'ai découvert votre blog en cherchant une recette de gateau suedois, le Princess Torte. Vos photos sont superbes, le blog est très sympa. Je vois qu'en plus, vous mettez les quantités en poids maintenant, c'est super parce que j'ai bien ramé pour retranscrire les quantites du Princess Torte, et je ne suis pas très sûre du résultat!!!
Mer
Happy Birthday Helen. What a beautiful dessert. I will make this for a Memorial Day party.
♫ Happy birthday to you! ♫
and so forth! Lovely “cakes”... good thing we can't comment with cake, or you'd probably be bathing in baked goodies by the end of the day :-)
Happy birthday Helen!
Hope you have a wonderful, sweet and sunny day and a great year to come.
Gros bisous,
Inne (and baby Elsa)
Magnifique!
For the photos as well as the verrines. I wish I could taste them the way you presented them...
Happy Birthday!
What a wonderful tradition, especially the happy thoughts at the bottom of the glass. Have to remember this at my own birthday.
HAPPIEST OF ALL BIRTHDAYS DEAR ONE!
Again, marvelous photography and it just looks so tasty. I don't get ANYTHING like this here in China.
Happy Birthday Tartlette! It was my birthday only a few days ago so cakes are still on my mind (and still a little bit of cake is in the fridge). Hope you had a wonderful day! :)
Happy birthday to you. Awesome! that's all I can say...
nice a dessert shooter. i hardly seen desserts made of poppy seeds before though, awesome photo as usual :)
I love your website!!!
Happy birthday :)
Ilaria
this is the most beautiful dessert i had ever seen. the layers, one word to describe it, wow!! i just love your blog...
Miam miam, tres joyeux anniversaire Helen. J'espere que ta journee sera toute ensoleillee et magique. Tu meritais bien que quelqu'un te fasse ton dessert!
Helen, happy birthday and many, many more to come. I hope your day is filled with joy and full of wonderful memories.
WOW! Your pictures are stunning! Those look so gorgeous! I wish I could eat one of those... Love strawberries!
Cheers,
Miette.
happy happy birthday my dearest sweet helene! hope you really have a grand day and enjoy every minute of it! loads of hugs!
Ouaw ! Super ! Bravo !
Bisous
such pretty verrines! a delightful dessert!
Cheers,
Rosa
Happy Happy birthday to you! The verrines look fabulous. I need to go berry hunting asap.
Hmmm I'm Hungry now ! By your fault!
I'm sorry I'm French and my english isn't very good.
I love your blog because there is a lot of good cooking idea.
And your pictures are so amazing, so beautiful...that makes me dream !!
Great !
Have a nice day !
Happy birthday Helen!
I really love the color of blackberries-- they gradate really well with the pink of other berries. Very pretty verrines! :)
Happy, happy birthday!!!
Feliz cumpleaños!!
Happy Birthday! I love your cake in a glass, the perfect birthday treat!
happy birthday, happy birthday!! oooooh I can only look at the verrines and sigh....want them tooooo!
bye
happy birthday! marvelous "cake" indeed. At first I thought it was a fool, which I always enjoy, but this is even better. I agree with you re: serving in glasses. For some reason, it is more fun. I love the transparency.
happy birthday! Have a perfect year ! ;)
and thank you for all these sharing :)
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you!! Happy Birthday dear Helen, Happy Birthday to you!! That's me singing. Enjoy your special day.
Happy Birthday. Sorry it's late, I'm on African time
Happy birthday! I hope no one discovers your wild blackberry hideaway, so you may bake until you've had your berry fill :)
Dearest Helen!
Wishing you a beautiful birthday with friends and family! Hoping you feel the love and appreciation all around you this day and many more to come. We, including strangers in the cyberspace, adore your individuality, your creation and your deep passion for what you do.
You are one of our most beloved artists!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
So pretty! What a great idea for birthday cake. I'd love something like that for my birthday.
Happy Birthday, Helen! I hope you have a marvelous day. Your birthday "cakes" look fantastic.
XOXO
Happy, happy birthday, Helen! Verrines are a perfect choice. Isn’t it fantastic to make your own birthday cake? You always get exactly what you want. I just cannot wait for berry season to come here!
hi i've been reading for a while and i have to say i love everything you post! it's so beautiful and looks absolutely delicious, i always walk away from my computer feeling hungry. :))
anyway i just wanted to wish you a happy birthday! hope you have a wonderful year, making more amazing things! :D
Happy Birthday Helen...perfect & pretty. Love the colours, & the fruity flavours in there. Beautiful verrines for a wonderful person!! ENJOY your day!!
Way to celebrate! Happy Birthday!
So cute! Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday!
Oh these look so delicious. The colour is amzing and they look so creamy and yummy. good!!!!! Hope you had a nice day :)
Happy Birthday Helen! That looks like the perfect birthday cake to me! I hope you have a wonderful day!
Joyeux anniversaire Helen ! Tes petites verrines ont l'ai délicieuses, surtout que j'adore les mûres ! D'ailleurs j'espère que ta trouvaille va rester secrète :o)
Happy Birthday Helen! I hope you had an amazing one :)
Your birthday cake looks gorgeous and I'm sure was equally as delicious!
What a wonderful blog!
I will try some of your recipes... (i'll never be able to... sigh...)
What a great bday dessert!
And gerber daisies are some of my favorite flowers.
Happy Birthday! What a lovely and beautiful birthday treat, just like it's creator! Happy day and best wishes!
Happy Birthday, that dessert looks fabulous!
I wish you the happiest of birthdays, dear Helen! Time flies, my little Olivia turns 2 in a few weeks and I seriously don't know where the time has gone! All the more reason to cherish every little "cling-cling" of an empty verrine. :)
C'est très printanier tout ça, quelles belles couleurs !!
A very Happy Birthday to you!
Happy birthday, dear Helen! May is indeed the best of months! Much happiness and love to you and your whole family!
Wishing you the sweetest and happiest of days Helen!
I always love your little verrine! Really that "cling-cling" means wishes for more. I fear I'd be breaking the verrine.
Gerber daisies were my wedding bouquet. White ones not pink.
a beautiful layer cake, of course. Happy, happy birthday Helen! :)
Happy birthday! I hope you had a good one! Those blackberries look spectacular!
Happy Birthday!!!!!!! The perfect gift to give yourself is your favorite combination of amazing flavors. Good on ya! Hope you have an amazing day.
A very happy birthday to you! The verrines look beautifuL!
Ah dimenticavo aggiungo il tuo link....swe vuoi fai altrettanto anche tu, mi farebbe piacere!
Happy birthday!!! This one might be a favorite of mine too.(berries being one of my favorites). I hope you have a very nice day and no verrines by the end of it. (And many years of your beautiful delicious blog to come!!)
happy birthday - may it always be sweet on the tongue and savory to the soul.
you know what, i will make this: just for you. i will eat this: just for you. just so i can share your birthday with you. how's that.
happy birthday and do enjoy it... here's to many more!!!
Happy birthday! Some of my favorite people are May babies, so you have some great company!
Your blog is super. So are your photographies. They make me hungry. I have spent a nice moment when seeing them. Thanks a lot.
Happy Birthday! Such a gorgeous treat!
These are amazing! Très joyeux anniversaire!
Happy birthday my gorgeous, talented, sweet, kind and delicate friend! May all your wishes come true.
Well, we do share the love for lemons and I would be more than pleased to have something so delicious and beautiful for my birthday, too! ;)
xoxo
Happy Birthday dear Helen :)
xox
Congratulations already on your birthday!! I'm sure it's gonna be a huge succes with those lovely treats!
Bon anniversaire! une fois de plus c'est toi qui nous gâtes avec un superbe dessert et des photos bien alléchantes...
Les verrines sont adorables. Joyeux anniversaire !
Congratulations!!! Your verrines are breathtaking. L'idée du cake dans le verre est géniale. Tu arrives toujours à nous enchanter merci!
Happy birthday! Your verrines look delicious especially since berries and lemons are two of my favorite things.
Happy birthday Helen! Your verrines are gorgeous, just like everything else you make. Hope you had a great day.
Happy Birthday! This is my sister's birthday also. Tes verrines sont superbes. Quelle belle 'treat' pour ta fête.
I hope your birthday is simply fantastic - just like you!
Happy Birthday Helen! These look wonderful! so nice with the pink gerber daisies and of course--STRAWBERRIES!!! lots of love!
Happy Birthay Helen! Also to your friends that share the same day. May all your wishes come true. There is nothing as tasty as a birthday cake. xoxo
Happy birthday to you Helen! Your birthday desserts really look and must be delish! I'm sure I can wipe them all out in one sitting LOL!
Btw, I love the photos for the desserts, too! Well-done!
Regards,
Pei-Lin
Binne fete cher helen! tes photos sons magnifique~!
Binne fete cher helen! tes photos sons magnifique~!
Binne fete cher helen! tes photos sons magnifique~!
Happy B'day Helen!! That's a lovely treat!! :)
Magnifique!!
Happy birthday Helen! LOL on my birthday I made a layered mango mousse entremet with pistachio joconde and my husband was like "err.. that's you birthday cake?" Cake indeed.
sending you birthday wishes!xo!
the verrines, lovely as ever, and the daisies are perfection too!
Happy Birthday Helen! I hope your day was relaxing and enjoyable!
That looks amazing.
A belated Happy Birthday to you. That looks a great way to celebrate. Adding another recipe to my "to try" list.
looks really nice and good as always :)
Happy birthday dear Helen!
Happy Birthday! You brought back a lot of memories of purple stained hands... when I grew up there were loads of blackberry bushes down our street as well, during summer we had them every day. The ones in stores don't taste quite the same.
Happy Birthday Helen. I wish you a wonderful day (and year...).
It's a lovely new design too
What can I say in addition to all these comments ?? ça a l'air fort appétissant et j'adore le petit macaron déco !
bizzoux
Happy birthday!!! Your verrines look great.
Hope your candle wish comes true... And all other wishes too. ;-)
FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS.
Happy belated birthday! I must admit, I'm a towering layer birthday cake kind of gal - must be my Midwestern roots speaking out :) The verrines look beautiful though!
Happy birthday, and thanks so much for the yummy recipe!
Oh beautiful pictures! I think the combination sounds amazingingly yummy!
Happy BDAYYY ^^! A very beautiful cake :) Loving the colours and flavour combination mmmm
Happy Birthday, Have a wonderful day. Best wishes.
Happy Birthday to you. I wish I knew how to say it in French for you.
The verrines are amazingly beautiful. toujour... always... they look beautiful. I hope that is how you say it. All I remember from my French class is je t'aime toujour. Hey thats whats important isnt it. Besides of course where is the bathroom?
Happy birthday!
I love your blog, it's really breathtaking :)
Happy belated birthday, Helen! I hope that this year is better than ever for you. :)
Happy Bday! :-) And those look wonderful..just like everything else you make.
Belated birthday greetings, dear Helen!! Warm hugs!
Happy birthday! That looks wonderful! Enjoy every bite of it! ;)
joyeux anniversaire Helen!
Did someone say Limoncello? mmmm.. Happy Happy Birthday to you, Helen!!!
a happy happy bday to you!!what are you now? 25?? :) may your years and life continue to be filled with sweet things, my friend. xxoo
Helen! Happy Birthday. These photographs are beautiful, as always. How do you happen to just have a half a macaron lying around? I'm so jealous.
Gonna go tweet you now!
You sure have been making good use of your berries! It's a lovely sort of birthday dessert. I love the little green biscuit on top- looks like half a macaron?
Hope your bday was happy!
happy birthdays and all the best. your blog is absolutly wonderfull. recipes, pictures every things looks so good....see you soon and have a nice time for your birthdays.
this looks so good!and it's the perfect weather for it too!
What a perfect birthday treat. I hope you have a wonderful birthday!
Happy birthday Helen! What a lovely month to be born it.
Best wishes,
xoxo
Aimee
So pretty! Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday Helen! It's my philosophy to treat myself well on my birthday so I'm glad to see that you've made yourself such a gorgeous little dessert!
Helen-Hope you had a fabulous birthday! Your Verrines looked so lovely, and sound scrumptious. I miss blackberries-they don't grow in Alaska. I buy them at Costco, but they don't taste like the ones you pick right off the bushes. Enjoy!
Joyeaux Anniversaire Helen!
Helen, May 13 is my birthday as well! And what a wonderfully stunning dessert to celebrate. I must make this soon! My birthday gift was an exquisite dinner at Chez Panisse. Speechless!
Many many happy wishes to you!
Helen, dear, Very Happy Birthday to you! And all the best wishes!
It seems so delicioux !!
it looks amazing!!
happy belated birthday!
these look SO delicious...not unlike everything else I find here!!
xo
ça a l'air si délicieux, ça me donne vraiment envie !
Quel joli univers !!
LOOK DELICIOUS! :D
Love the look of these desserts...Beautiful colors, i'm sure it tastes as good as it looks...Would love to try them :P
Post a Comment