Lemon poppy seed cake
This lemon poppy seed cake is a buttery loaf fragrant with lemon zest and speckled with lightly crunchy poppy seeds. As soon as it comes out of the oven, it's soaked with lemon syrup to keep the crumb moist and perfectly sweet-tart. A lemon glaze on top makes it bright and fresh, just right with an afternoon cup of tea.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Rising or chilling
- 1 hr
- Total time
- 2 hr 20 min
- Method
- Oven-baked
Ingredients
Batter
Lemon soaking syrup
Lemon glaze
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 170°C and line an 11 x 22 cm loaf pan with parchment paper so that it hangs over the two long sides. The overhang acts as handles so you can lift the loaf out easily. The pan is ready when the paper fits snugly against the bottom and both long sides.
Step 2
Add 8 g grated lemon zest to a bowl with 200 g sugar and rub them together with your fingertips for about a minute. The sugar crystals rubbing against the zest release its oils, spreading the lemon aroma through the whole crumb. The sugar is ready when it's slightly damp, pale yellow and smells distinctly of lemon.
Step 3
Add 170 g softened butter to the lemon sugar and beat on medium speed for about four minutes. Creamed butter holds air that helps the cake rise and stay tender. The mixture is ready when it's much paler, light and fluffy and clings to the beaters in soft peaks.
Step 4
Add 200 g eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then add 80 g sour cream and 20 g lemon juice and beat briefly to combine. Sour cream keeps the cake moist and adds a light, rich tang. The mixture may look a little curdled after the lemon goes in; that's perfectly normal before the flour is added.
Step 5
Whisk together 200 g all-purpose flour, 6 g baking powder, 2 g salt and 15 g poppy seeds, then sift the dry mixture into the butter and fold a few times with a spatula. Mixing just enough keeps the crumb tender rather than tough. The batter is ready when no dry streaks remain and the poppy seeds are evenly distributed.
Step 6
Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top, then use a spatula to draw a line lengthwise down the center, and bake at 170°C for about 50 to 60 minutes. The line helps the cake crack neatly and attractively down the middle. It's done when the crack looks dry, the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out free of wet batter.
Step 7
While the cake bakes, heat 50 g lemon juice with 50 g sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes all over the top with a skewer and slowly brush on the hot syrup. A warm cake and hot syrup let the syrup soak deep into the crumb; the top is ready when it looks wet and glossy and has absorbed all the syrup.
Step 8
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 60 minutes, then lift it out, stir 100 g powdered sugar with 18 g lemon juice until very thick, and pour it over the top. The glaze only stays an opaque white once the cake is completely cool. The glaze is right when it runs slowly down the sides and sets after about half an hour.
Equipment
- Oven
- Loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Hand mixer
- Spatula
- Sieve
- Mixing bowl
- Kitchen scale
- Small saucepan
- Wire cooling rack
Tips
- Zest the lemons before juicing them, taking only the yellow peel, because the white pith underneath tastes bitter.
- If the top browns too quickly halfway through baking, lay a loose sheet of foil over the pan.
- The cake is even better the next day, once the lemon syrup has soaked through evenly and the crumb is moister and finer.
Storage
Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature for up to four days. The unglazed cake can be frozen for up to two months; add the lemon glaze after it has thawed.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The cake sinks in the middle after cooling.
- It wasn't fully baked, or the oven was opened too early. Next time, wait at least forty minutes before opening the oven, and test with a skewer right in the center.
- All the poppy seeds sink to the bottom of the cake.
- The batter was too thin because the butter had melted or the eggs were too cold. Use butter that's just softened and room-temperature eggs so the batter is thick enough to hold the seeds.
This recipe is based on the common ratios for this bake and is written entirely in our own words.
