Lemon Poppy Seed Butter Cake Recipes

LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray and dust with sugar. Be sure the entire pan is coated (see note below).
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, lemon zest and lemon juice. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or beaters), cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again. With the mixer on low speed, beat in one-quarter of the flour mixture, then one-third of the buttermilk mixture. Beat in another quarter of the flour mixture, then another third of the milk mixture. Repeat with another quarter of the flour mixture and the remaining milk mixture. Finally, beat in the remaining flour mixture. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and give a quick mix with a rubber spatula to make sure all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
• Spoon the thick batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for ten minutes on a rack.
• While the cake cools, make the syrup. Combine the water and granulated sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
• Invert the warm cake onto the rack. Slip a large piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil under the rack to catch all the drips from the syrup. Gradually brush the hot syrup over the cake, letting it soak in (a little syrup will drip off, but try not to rush so that most of it is absorbed). Allow the cake to cool completely, about one hour. When the cake is cool, carefully transfer it to a serving platter.
• To make the glaze: stir the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl, mixing until completely smooth. Add more confectioners' sugar if necessary to make a thick, opaque glaze (it should be thicker than you'd think -- you want it the consistency of honey or molasses). Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let the glaze harden before slicing and serving the cake, about 15 minutes. The cake will keep nicely for 3 days if kept covered on the countertop.
• Note: If you'd like to make your own buttermilk, check out the easy method here.
• Note: You'll need 3 large lemons for this recipe
• Note: As the recipe indicates, I grease the Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray and then dust it with sugar. It has always worked beautifully for me, but a number of readers have mentioned problems with the cake sticking. If you'd prefer to use a different method, treat the pan by generously coating it with butter and then dusting it with flour, or use a nonstick baking spray with flour like Pam with Flour or Baker's Joy. (Also, it's best not to use a Bundt pan with an intricate design for this cake, as they are more prone to sticking.) Another option (that is foolproof) is to use two 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pans instead of a Bundt pan. Loaf pans are much less prone to sticking, and you can line them with parchment paper for extra insurance. To prepare the loaf pans, spray them with nonstick baking spray, line the bottoms with parchment, and then spray them again. The bake time will be 50 to 60 minutes, and you will only need half of the soaking syrup.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen (without the glaze) for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving. (Add the glaze after the cake is thawed.)

LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease the bottom and sides of a fluted tube pan (such as Bundt® generously.
• Beat sugar and butter together in a bowl with an electric mixer until light; beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Reduce mixing speed and add poppy seeds, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
• Combine flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in another bowl. Beat in flour mixture slowly, alternating with buttermilk.
• Spoon batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 65 to 75 minutes.

LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE

Steps:

• Pour the buttermilk into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, stir in the poppy seeds, and set aside at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly spray the inside of a Bundt pan with the baking spray and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 cups of the granulated sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, the vanilla, and lemon zest, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Sift the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into a medium bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the lemon juice to the buttermilk mixture. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture in thirds, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula to be sure the batter is well mixed. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Meanwhile, place the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and the remaining 1/2 cup of lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Set aside. When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a baking rack set over a large plate. Spoon the warm lemon syrup slowly over the cake, allowing it to be absorbed into the cake. Set aside for at least 30 minutes to cool.
• For the glaze, whisk the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice together in a small bowl, adding a little more sugar or lemon juice to make a smooth, thick, but pourable glaze. Drizzle over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Transfer to a flat cake plate and serve at room temperature.

MOIST LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
• Sift together the flour, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar and salt. Then mix in the lemon peel, poppy seeds and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• In a saucepan over low heat; cook 3/4 cup white sugar and the lemon juice until stirring until sugar is dissolved. Let cool to just warm or to room temperature.
• Remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack-place a cookie sheet underneath this rack. Prick the top of the cake several times with a toothpick. Brush the top of the cake with the warm or room temperature syrup, allowing lots of the syrup to run down and soak into the sides and bottom of the cake. Cool slightly in the pan before removing the cake to the wire rack to cool completely. When completely cooled, wrap the cake in foil or plastic freezer wrap and let the cake rest at least one day before serving to your guests.

LEMON-POPPY SEED BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter and flour a Bundt pan.
• Sift flour, baking powder, soda and salt into a bowl.
• Beat butter at high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add sugar in 2 additions, beating for 2 minutes after each addition.
• Beat in lemon zest, vanilla, and egg yolks and beat until light-colored.
• On low speed, beat in flour in 3 additions and buttermilk in 2, beginning and ending with flour.
• Stir in poppy seeds.
• Beat whites separately until foamy.
• Add pinch of salt; continue beating until firm, not stiff peaks form.
• Stir ¼ of whites into batter to lighten; then fold in remaining whites.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake in lower third of oven for about 55 minutes.
• At serving time, sprinkle with icing sugar.

LEMON POPPY SEED BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Grease and flour a 10-inch (2 L) tube pan, plain or fluted.
• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper and resift twice more.
• Beat butter in mixer bowl on moderately high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add granulated sugar in two additions, beating for 2 minutes after each addition.
• Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating on high speed for 1 minute after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl often with rubber spatula.
• Beat in lemon zest and vanilla.
• On low speed, beat in flour mixture in three additions and buttermilk in two, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Stir in poppy seeds.
• Beat egg whites in clean mixer bowl with clean beaters until foamy.
• Add pinch of salt; continue beating just until firm, not stiff, peaks form.
• Stir about one fourth of the beaten whites into batter to lighten; fold in remaining whites carefully but thoroughly.
• Pour batter into prepared pan; bake in lower third of oven until wooden pick inserted into cake is withdrawn clean and dry, about 55 minutes.
• Cool cake in pan 10 minutes.
• Turn out of pan onto wire rack to cool completely; if plain tube pan was used, invert cake onto second rack to cool, right side up.
• At serving time, sprinkle top of cake with confectioners' sugar.

POPPYSEED LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/350°F Butter a 9in/23cm springform cake tin and dust with flour.
• Sieve together the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Stir in the poppy seeds and lemon zest. Beat together the butter and 4 1/2oz of sugar until light and fluffy. In a jug, whisk together the egg yolks, yoghurt and vanilla.
• In a very clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar a spoonful at a time, beating until the meringue mix holds stiff peaks.
• Beat the flour mixture and the egg mixture alternately into the butter and sugar, starting and ending with the flour (ie, flour/eggs/flour/eggs/flour). Stir about a third of the meringue mixture into the batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the rest. Spoon the cake mix into the tin, smooth the top and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
• While the cake is baking, make the syrup. Combine the juice, sugar and zest in a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Simmer for two minutes, then remove from the heat.
• Take the cake out of the oven and spike all over the top with a skewer. Pour the syrup over, letting it trickle over the top and down the sides. Leave to cool in the tin, then dust with icing sugar before serving.