The lemon poppy seeds cake is a cake rich in citrus, making it vibrant to look at and tangy and refreshing to eat. The cake itself is moist and soft and has a delicate texture. This dish brings together the zestiness of lemons with the subtle crunch of poppy seeds and the sweetness of the cake. It's a sure treat for the senses. The cake might look simple and unassuming, but each bite has complex flavor notes that work in perfect harmony together. It's a great dish to enjoy with tea or coffee in the mornings as breakfast, refreshing and energising you, and an equally good option for an after meal dessert, brightening up your palate and ending the meal on a high note. This is also a rather simple dish to make that you can turn into an eggless lemon cake recipe by substituting the eggs with yoghurt. So follow this recipe and learn how to make this versatile dish yourself, which you can serve and enjoy whenever you prefer.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 113 gm unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 213 gm granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest, loosely packed
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 205 gm all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 123 gm plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
For the glaze:
- 200 gm confectioner’s sugar, sifted
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 2 tbsp full fat greek yogurt (to thicken the glaze)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F or 177°C.
- Grease a loaf pan with butter and add parchment paper that extends the height of the pan, making the cake easy to pull out after it's baked. Set aside.
- In a bowl, add the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well and set aside.
- In another bowl, add the butter and beat with a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until soft and creamy. Then add the sugar and beat until it is all thoroughly dissolved. The mixture should be pale and fluffy.
- Then add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add one egg, beat until it is thoroughly incorporated, then add the next egg and so on. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and drop the mixture back into the middle. Make sure everything is mixed in evenly.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- Now slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl. Add a spoon or two of the flour mixture and beat until it's well combined. Then add a spoonful of the Greek yogurt and beat. Then add another spoonful of the flour mixture. Alternate in this way between the flour mixture and yogurt, ending with the flour mixture. Beat it all in.
- Drop in the poppy seeds and stir them in until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about an hour. The exact time will depend on the machine you're using. You’ll know it's done when it's golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Then remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Pull out the cake using the edges of the parchment paper and set aside to cool.
- While it's cooling, making the glaze. In a bowl, add the sugar and milk and whisk thoroughly. Then add the yogurt and whisk until incorporated.
- Place the cake on the serving plate and pour the glaze on top. Let it drizzle over the sides. Sprinkle more poppy seeds on top, if desired. Serve cool.
Notes, tips and tricks:
- Leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about three days, or for a week in the fridge. It can also be frozen for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before eating.
- If you want a more lemony flavor, replace the milk with lemon juice in the glaze.
- The recipe calls for unsalted butter. If you don't have that, you can use salted butter too, but then skip the additional pinch of salt. Keep in mind that it's better to use unsalted butter and add the salt pinch since the salt really brings out the various flavors of the dish more strongly.