Lemon Poppy Seed Cake (Printable Version)
Light and moist cake with fresh lemon flavor and poppy seed crunch. Perfect with tea.
# What You'll 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
# Directions:
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, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Blend 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; avoid overmixing.
06 - Transfer batter to prepared pan and level surface. Bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into center emerges clean.
07 - Let cake rest in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar with sufficient lemon juice to achieve thick yet pourable consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake prior to serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The texture impossibly moist with just enough crumb to feel substantial
- That lemon glaze turns a humble cake into something worthy of any celebration
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are not optional, they determine whether your cake rises beautifully or sinks in the middle
- Overmixing once the flour is added develops gluten and turns a tender cake into something tough and breadlike
03 -
- Grate your zest before juicing the lemons, it is nearly impossible to zest a squeezed lemon
- If you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt by half and the cake will still turn out beautifully