Lemon Poppy Seed Glazed Balls 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 POPPYSEED GLAZED BALLS

Steps:

• Butter an 8 1/2-inch cake or springform pan; set aside. Sift together flour and salt into a small bowl; set aside. Place butter in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add sugar, and continue to beat until very light in color and fluffy, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, about 2 minutes more. Add vanilla, if using. Add flour mixture, and combine on low speed, scraping with spatula if necessary, until flour is just incorporated and dough sticks together when squeezed with fingers.
• Pat dough into prepared pan. If rolling out dough to cut into shapes, form into a flat disk; wrap in plastic. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Roll into 1-inch balls with your hands; chill. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Bake until firm and just starting to color, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Dip cooled shortbread balls into lemon-poppyseed glaze, allowing excess to drip off.

GLAZED LEMON POPPY-SEED CAKE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Butter a 9-inch round cake pan.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt in a bowl.
• Beat together butter and granulated sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in eggs until combined. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and poppy seeds and mix until just combined.
• Transfer batter to cake pan, smoothing top, and bake until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean and top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then invert onto rack.
• Whisk together confectioners sugar and lemon juice in a bowl until smooth. Pour glaze over warm cake, spreading it with a spatula to drizzle over edge. Let stand until glaze is set, about 15 minutes.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

LEMON POPPYSEED MUFFINS WITH LEMON GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 12 muffin cups with paper muffin liners.
• Whisk flour, white sugar, lemon zest, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Beat buttermilk, sour cream, vegetable oil, and egg together in another bowl. Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and stir until batter is just combined. Pour batter into the prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.
• While muffins are cooling, whisk confectioners' sugar and lemon juice together in a bowl until glaze is smooth. Drizzle glaze over muffins.

LEMON POPPYSEED GLAZE

Steps:

• Whisk together the sugar, cream, and lemon juice until well combined and no lumps remain. Stir in the poppyseeds, and use immediately, or refrigerate up to 2 days.

LEMON-POPPY SEED GLAZED BALLS

Steps:

• Prepare basic shortbread, and roll into 1-inch balls; refrigerate 20 minutes. Bake on a cookie sheet until firm and just starting to color, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Make glaze: Whisk together confectioners' sugar, cream, and lemon juice until well combined and smooth. Stir in poppy seeds. Dip top half of cooled shortbread balls into glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet to set.