Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

This Lemon Poppy seed Cake recipe is all about zingy, lemony flavours enveloped in a deliciously moist cake. This straightforward cake is adorned with a easy powdered or icing sugar frosting and edible flowers. While you’re in search of a easy, single layer cake that appears a bit particular however would not take loads of time, this lemon poppy seed cake is it!

About This Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake is likely one of the most scrumptious cake flavour combos. Citrus typically will get paired with the sunshine nuttiness and crunch of poppy seeds (BTW orange and poppy seed cake is also delicious!). Poppy seeds have been utilized in baking for 1000’s of years, ever since historic occasions and also you typically see them utilized in Central and Japanese Europe and Jewish cuisines.

Curiously, poppy seeds are banned in international locations like Taiwan and Saudi Arabia due to hint quantities of opiate alkaloids. Do not go overboard with the poppy seeds – consultants advocate that folks don’t eat greater than 1 tablespoon per 3kg/7lb of physique weight. I imply you would need to eat an obscene quantity of them however good to know proper?

Do I must soak poppy seeds earlier than utilizing them? You undoubtedly can however it is not needed if you find yourself baking muffins as a result of they soften in the course of the baking course of.

What do poppy seeds add to a recipe? Aside from a lightweight crunch and an ever so slight nuttiness in addition they look nice in muffins!

Components for a Lemon Poppy Seed Cake:

Butter – I all the time use salted butter and for this cake you wish to ensure that it’s softened. By softened, I imply {that a} butter knife can simply move by means of the butter.
Caster or superfine sugar – to sweeten the cake
Eggs – use massive eggs, at room temperature. Eggs, together with baking powder assist the cake rise.
Bitter cream – this provides a pleasant acidity and helps to interrupt down the gluten within the flour to provide a tender, moist cake.
Lemon zest – I really like utilizing plenty of lemon zest for a floral, lemony aroma.
Cake flour – Cake flour is all the time finest for muffins as it’s low in protein/gluten and that signifies that whenever you stir it, it would not type robust bonds simply (the robust bonds make for a tricky cake). I am going to present you under tips on how to make cake flour at house. I like to recommend preserving a canister of this within the fridge able to make muffins. BTW all the time hold flour within the fridge to keep away from pantry moths!
Baking powder – to assist the cake rise. Be sure that your baking powder remains to be in date.
Salt – I all the time add high quality salt to muffins to steadiness the sweetness.
Lemon juice – use recent or bottled lemon juice to each flavour the cake and the icing
Poppy seeds – the star of the present! You do not want many, simply 3 tablespoons of poppy seeds.
Pure icing or powdered sugar – for the straightforward sugar icing to combine with a mix of lemon juice and water. I do not advocate making the icing with simply lemon juice as it may be fairly robust.

Suggestions For Making Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

1 – A easy sugar icing can typically be probably the most elusive as a result of you want loads of icing sugar and a really sparing quantity of liquid. So I’ve given you the precise quantity of liquid and powdered sugar that you must get an exquisite white, drippable however opaque icing. Hold this ratio helpful as a result of it’s arduous to eyball of guess for the suitable icing consistency (and this got here from a lot trial and error!).

2 – With most muffins, it is essential to not overmix the cake or it could actually get robust. However to compensate we’re additionally utilizing lemon juice and bitter cream whose acids will assist break down the protein/gluten within the flour.

3 – When you use flowers to brighten, ensure that they don’t seem to be poisonous. I used Geraldton Wax flowers that are a local Australian flower that’s edible.

4 – When you favor a creamier type of frosting, attempt a cream cheese frosting just like the one used on my best banana cake. Or attempt a whipped cream cheese frosting as seen on this pumpkin spice cake. Muffins with cream cheese frostings do have to be stored within the fridge.

5 – This cake will hold in an hermetic container at room temperature for 3-4 days. This cake additionally freezes very nicely for as much as 3 months.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe

An Unique Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Recipe Overview

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 0 minutes

Serves 8-10 folks

Components Wanted

160g/5.6ozs butter, softened
235g/8.3ozs caster or superfine sugar
3 eggs
130g/4.6ozs bitter cream
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
185g/6.5ozs plain cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon high quality salt
90-120ml/3-4flozs lemon juice (relying on how lemony you need it)
3 tablespoons/27g/1oz poppy seeds

For Icing

140g/4.9ozs pure icing or powdered sugar
10ml/0.4flozs water
9ml/0.3flozs lemon juice

Step-By-Step Directions

*Cake flour might be purchased on the grocery store. You too can make it at house. To make 1 cup/150g/5.2ozs of cake flour exchange 2 tablespoons of plain all objective flour with cornflour/high quality cornstarch and whisk nicely. I often combine up a giant batch of this and hold it in a container prepared for baking muffins because it produces a softer texture.

Step 1 – Line the bottom and sides of a 20cm/8inch spherical tin. Preheat oven to 160C/320F fan compelled or 180/350F standard. Place the butter and sugar in a mixer fitted with a beater attachment and beat for five minutes till pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one after the other (I beat them in a small bowl earlier than including). Then add within the bitter cream and lemon zest and beat till the combination if fluffy and there are not any bitter cream lumps.

Step 2 – In a bowl whisk the flour, baking powder and salt collectively. Then sift this into the bowl. Add the lemon juice and poppy seeds and stir however don’t over stir, make round 6-8 swirls till it simply comes collectively ensuring to get all the best way to the underside of the bowl. Scoop into the ready tin and bake for 48-50 minutes turning midway. Cool within the tin and run a knife across the edge and take away the cake rigorously. Place on a cake board.

Step 3 – Sift the icing sugar right into a bowl and add the liquid slowly. Combine till it types a easy icing after which spoon it over the cake encouraging a few of it to drip down the perimeters. Add flowers and serve.

Private Observe

I made this cake for Mr NQN to carry to a barbecue. Every time we exit, it is all the time with my mates and by no means his as a result of he would not actually socialise a lot. I do not imply to recommend that he has no mates, he undoubtedly has people who like him and like hanging out with him however he by no means makes plans to see anybody. Ever. I believe in the whole time I’ve identified him we have solely seen his household and his mates at our marriage ceremony and that is it.

Sooner or later he mentioned to me, “Hey there is a barbecue on in a few weeks, wish to go?”. I used to be excited as a result of they’re all a part of a working group and I needed to satisfy them. It was a carry a plate barbecue in order all the time I volunteered to carry dessert and in the event that they wanted one other course to tell us as a result of generally there are gaps that want filling.

However then a few days later I used to be invited to go away on a visit so I informed Mr NQN that I wasn’t in a position to go. “I hope I am going to have the time to make the cake…” I mused out loud. I noticed a glance of concern cross his face briefly and I may inform that it was associated to bringing a plate of one thing. I may have strung him alongside telling him that he must cook dinner one thing for himself however he appeared so stricken so I informed him that I am positive it could be high quality and he would not must go to a store to purchase one thing and he introduced this cake alongside!

So inform me Expensive Reader, when requested to carry a plate, do you often carry a candy or savoury dish? Are most of your mates equally cut up?