Cream Cheese and Poppy Seed Cakes 

 Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for molds
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for molds
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, plus 3 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup whipped cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions

1. Step 1Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter twelve 3 1/2-inch brioche molds or a standard 12-cup muffin tin. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Whisk flour and salt in a medium bowl. Put butter and granulated sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; cream on medium speed until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs and yolks, 1 at a time. Add vanilla and 1 1/2 teaspoons water; mix until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined, scraping down sides as needed. Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each mold.
2. Step 2Beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in the clean bowl of the electric mixer on low speed until creamy and combined. Spoon 1 tablespoon mixture onto batter in each mold; sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve dusted with confectioners' sugar.