Poppy Seed Birthday Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Whenever we have something to celebrate -- usually a birthday -- one of us will make this delicious recipe that we veganized from the California Culinary Academy's Cooking A to Z. The original recipe called for whipped egg whites to lighten the load, so the vegan version sometimes comes out a little heavier, but none the less delicious.

2/3 cup soy milk

1/3 cup poppy seed

2-1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/4 cups evaporated cane juice sugar

1/2 cup Earth Balance butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup soy milk

egg replacer, equivalent of 3 egs

2 tablespoons poppy seed, for decoration

one 8-ounce tub of Tofutti cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup Earth Balance butter, softened

2-4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans; line bottom of each with a circle of wax paper; grease and flour the wax paper bottoms. Bring the 2/3 cup soy milk to a boil; remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup poppy seed; cool to room temperature. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Cream the sugar and the butter together; add vanilla and mix well. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup milk with the poppy seed mixture. Add this mixture alternating with the flour to the creamed mixture, about one third at a time until everything is combined. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until the tops are golden and a tester comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out to wire racks to finish cooling. Cream together remaining four ingredients; continue to add more powdered sugar (or soy milk) to achieve the desired consistency; frost and keep refrigerated.