Lemon Poppy Seed Cake (Printable)
Light, moist cake with fresh lemon flavor and poppy seed crunch. Perfect for afternoon tea.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
08 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
10 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
→ Lemon Glaze
13 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan or 9x5-inch loaf pan.
02 - Whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture in three additions, alternating with milk. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake for 45-50 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
07 - Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to achieve thick but pourable consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The combination of tart lemon and nutty poppy seeds creates this incredible dance of flavors that wakes up your whole palate
- It keeps beautifully for days, actually developing more complexity as the citrus permeates every crumb
02 -
- Cold ingredients will cause your batter to curdle and seize up, so take everything out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you start baking
- Overmixing once the flour is added develops too much gluten, resulting in a tough cake, so stop as soon as you no longer see dry streaks
03 -
- Use a microplane to zest your lemons, avoiding the bitter white pith beneath the yellow skin
- If your glaze is too thick, add lemon juice one teaspoon at a time until it reaches the perfect consistency