Rich Lemon Poppy 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:

• 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.

GRANDMA'S LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water and oil; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Fold in poppy seeds. Transfer to a greased and floured 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack., For drizzle, in a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, water and lemon juice; drizzle over cake.

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 POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
• Grease (or spray) and flour 10-inch bundt or tube pan. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time beating well after each addition. Sift together dry ingredients. Add all at once to butter mixture. Blend just until smooth. Add sour cream, lemon rind, and poppy seeds. Blend just until smooth. Bake for approximately 1 hour. Let cool in pan before removing.

RICH LEMON-POPPY CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F Cream together the butter and sugar with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
• Combine all dry ingredients in another bowl, and whisk together lightly. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar/egg mixture and combine until just moistened. Add ½ the buttermilk and combine. Add ½ the remaining dry mixture, then the remaining buttermilk, and lastly, the remaining dry mixture. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, just until all ingredients are moistened. Increase speed to high. Beat, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
• Pour batter into greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan or 10-inch tube (angel food cake) pan. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely. (I used two loaf pans, no flour and baked for 30-35 minutes. It gave the cakes a nice crusty buttery outside, more like a quickbread.).
• Stir together powdered sugar and enough lemon juice in small bowl for desired glazing consistency; drizzle over cooled cake.