3. Add the cottage cheese and liquids.
Add the cottage cheese to the egg yolk and sugar mixture and mix thoroughly. Then add the milk and oil and continue mixing until a smooth dough forms.
4. Add the flour, baking powder, and poppy seeds.
Combine the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl and gradually fold them into the batter. It’s best to run the mixer on low speed to avoid overmixing. Then add the ground poppy seeds and distribute evenly.
5. Beat the egg whites
until stiff peaks form. In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the egg whites into the batter using a spatula. Do this gently so that the egg whites remain light and the batter is beautifully fluffy.
6. Bake the cake
. Pour the prepared batter onto the prepared baking sheet and spread evenly. Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (top/bottom) for about 30 minutes. Do the skewer test: if the cake doesn’t stick, it’s ready.
7. Cool and prepare the icing:
After baking, let the cake cool completely before icing.
To make the icing, sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and gradually add the lemon juice. Mix with a whisk or spoon until smooth and spreadable. If the icing is too thick, add a little more lemon juice. If it’s too runny, simply stir in more powdered sugar.
8. Decorate and serve:
Spread the lemon icing evenly over the cake and set aside to set. Garnish with lemon zest, poppy seeds, or sliced almonds, if desired.