Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

By zircon50

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup finely grated lemon zest (2 large lemons)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
• Icing:
• 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (1 lemon)
• Grated lemon zest, optional

Details

Adapted from keyingredient.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

2. Generously grease and flour bottom and sides of two 9 x 5-inch (23 x 12-cm) loaf pans or one 9-inch/10-cup (23-cm/2.5-L) ring cake pan.

3. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder, and set aside.

4. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides as necessary. Toss the zest and poppy seeds with a couple of spoonfuls of the flour. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the zest, seeds and lemon extract. Slowly beat in the flour, alternating with buttermilk in 3 additions, beginning and ending with flour.

5. Spoon the batter into the pan(s), smoothing the top. Bake the smaller cakes for 50 to 55 minutes and the larger cake for 65 to 75 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.

6. Let the cake stand for 10 minutes in pan on a wire cooling rack. Then turn the cake out of pan onto the rack and let it cool completely.

7. To ice the cake, place the icing sugar in a small bowl and add enough of the lemon juice to make a smooth glaze and then pour over the cake. Garnish with extra grated lemon zest if desired.


Serves 12