Soak 1/2 cup poppy seeds for 1 hour in water called for on cake mix package. Bake cake in layers as directed -
except use poppy seed-water mixture in place of water. Prepare Custard Sauce (recipe follows) or use 1/2 of a prepared
vanilla pudding mix. Spread between cooled layers. Frost top and sides with White Mountain Frosting (recipe follows).
Custard Sauce
3/4 cup milk
2 egg yolks (or 1 whole egg)
1/8 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Scald milk in top of double boiler over direct heat. Beat egg in small bowl. Blend in sugar and salt.
Gradually stir in scalded milk. Return to double boiler. Cook over simmering (not boiling) water, stirring constantly.
When custard coats silver spoon (thin coating), remove from heat. Cool quickly. Blend in vanilla.
White Mountain Frosting
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 egg whites (1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix sugar, water, and corn syrup in saucepan. Cover saucepan; bring to rolling boil. Remove cover and cook
to 242 deg. or until syrup spins to a 6 to 8" thread. Just before syrup is ready, beat egg whites until stiff enough
to hold a point. Pour hot syrup very slowly in a thin stream into the beaten egg whites. Continue beating until
frosting holds peaks. Blend in vanilla. When spreading on cake, make pretty swirls with spatula. (Makes
frosting for two 8 or 9-inch layers or a 13 x 9" oblong cake.)
