Sometimes there are recipes that have a lot of back-story to them… other times, not so much. Basically, I was inspired to make this recipe for poppy seed cake after trying one that my mother-in-law made a few weeks ago. And now I’m obsessed with it. So, you may be wondering what this has to do with lemon poppy seed cake. Well, let me tell you.
But before you go off to bake, I would like to direct your attention to Travel Eat Love, a fantastic blog from a fellow Bostonian food and wine writer. She wrote a truly flattering profile on me and A Thought For Food for her Friday Foodie Feature post this week. You can check it out by clicking here.
3 tablespoons milk
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon loosely packed grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
13 tablespoons unsalted butter, must be softened
Ingredients for Lemon Syrup
1/4 + 2 tablespoons sugar (2.75 ounces = 75 grams)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 ounces = 63 grams)
Equipment:
One 8-inch by 4-inch by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan (4 cups) — most attractive size — or any 6-cup loaf or fluted tube pan, greased and floured. If using a loaf pan, grease it, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper, and then grease again and flour.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a medium bowl lightly combine the milk, eggs, and vanilla.
In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients, including the lemon zest and poppy seeds, and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and half the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed (high speed if using a hand mixer) and beat for 1 minute to aerate and develop the cake’s structure.
Scrape down the sides. Gradually add the remaining egg mixture in 2 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. The batter will be almost 1/2 inch from the top of a 4-cup loaf pan. (If your pan is slightly smaller, use any excess batter for cupcakes.) Bakes 55 to 65 minutes (35 to 45 minutes in a fluted tube pan) or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Shortly before the cake is done, prepare the Lemon Syrup:
In a small pan over medium heat, stir the sugar and lemon juice until dissolved. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, place the pan on a rack, poke the cake all over with a wire tester, and brush it with 1/2 the syrup. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a spatula and invert it onto a greased wire rack. Poke the bottom of the cake with the wire tester, brush it with some syrup, and reinvert onto a greased wire rack. Brush the sides with the remaining syrup and allow to cool before wrapping airtight. Store 24 hours before eating to give the syrup a chance to distribute evenly. The syrup will keep the cake fresh a few days longer than a cake without syrup.
Note:This cake is very attractive made in individual portions. A 6-cake Bundt-lette pan is the perfect size. This recipe will make 6 individual cakelettes, which require about 20 minutes to bake.
11 comments
You guys are just too adorable. I think I may turn that into a test for my future husband. I'll create a situation in which I bake this cake and then see if he can figure out how to create a wire rack for me out of things around the house. If he just sits on the couch and grunts. Total deal breaker. If he runs around the house, not stopping until he figures something out. Then I'll know he's a keeper.
This cake looks delicious. I love the lemon poppy seed combination…I find it absolutely addictive.
The cake looks so moist, and delicious. Love the addition of tangy lemony syrup.
Brian,
What a delightful post…I so enjoyed hearing more about you and Eric and your relationship. This lemon poppy seed bread looks amazing, and I have a bag of seeds sitting on my counter just waiting to be made!
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Just found your blog through Meghan's blog. I think I'm going to make this cake on Sunday for father's day. Good timing
Gorgeous pics!!
I never thought about wrapping it and letting the syrup distribute….learn something everyday!!
and it is such a beautiful cake…the colour of the cake and those poppy seeds is magnificent!
MMMnnn! I LOVES me some Lemon Poppy seed cake . . . especially when it has been carefully cooled on an impromptu rack.
This looks so, so good! And what a thoughtful, helpful husband you have
I loved that story about your husband Eric and how handy he is. The yin to your yang. Perfect!
This bread looks wonderful. I will be making this for my grandmother, as it's one of her favorite things in the world.
Despite my teeth looking like a piano when I eat poppy seeds this is one of my all time favourites for afternoon tea. Thanks for posting.
Sorry I'm late to this point… but GREG sent me here. Told me there was a nice story. Your husband rocks. Such the MacGyver!!
Beautiful lemon poppy seed pound cake. It's on my list to tackle before my lemon tree gives out for the year.
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[...] (adapted from A Thought for Food) [...]