Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake
I love lemon poppy seed anything and everything! What is it about the poppy seeds that make food taste so special?
I'm a sucker for anything with lemon in it, savory and sweet. Even when I have avocado toast in the morning, I load it up with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Since lemon poppy seed muffins are my favorite muffins ever, I wanted to create a recipe that flavor, in the form of a pound cake. Pound cakes, like pancakes, muffins, etc, are a great blank canvas to add a bunch of flavors to, like this Pumpkin Pound cake that I LOVE making in the fall!
Once of my favorite things to do with this Lemon Poppy Seed Poundcake, since it makes a lot, is to turn the extra into a trifle. I cut the poundcake into small cubes, and then layer it with homemade whipped cream and berries. It is a summer dessert that is so light and refreshing. I made it for the 4th of July to take down to the beach, and everyone (from kids to parents) went crazy over it. The lemon adds a nice tang that cuts through the sweetness of the fruit and creaminess of the whipped cream. Try it!
Tips for the perfect Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake
*Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. This helps everything to incorporate nicely.
*There are two ways to prepare your bundt pan, either cover it with butter and a layer of flour, or spray it with cooking spray. It will depend on your bundt pan. If you are worried about it not being non-stick, I recommend going with the butter and flour method. Either way, don't slip this step, or your cake with stick to the pan.
*You will get more lemon juice out of your lemons if they are room temperature. It is a good idea to take them out the night before.
*Allow the pound cake to cool before topping it with the glaze, otherwise it will melt everywhere and not look as pretty.
Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake
Author:
Maria Provenzano
Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup full fat sour cream, room temperature
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
3 cups flour
6 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze:
1 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar, plus more if needed
2-4 tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract (preferably Tahitian vanilla)
Lemon zest for topping
Instructions
*Preheat oven to 325 degrees
*Combine the flour, poppyseeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until well mixed
*In another bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, and lemon zest
*Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, being sure to scrape down the side of the bowl
*With the mixer running, add the eggs in one at a time, and stir until well combined
*Stir in the vanilla
*Slowly stir in some of the flour mixture and then add in the lemon and sour cream mixture, alternating the two, starting and ending with the flour
*Mix just until combined, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl
*Careful not to over-mix
*Butter and flour a large bundt pan by first coating it evenly with butter, then sprinkle some flour over the buttered pan, shaking it around so that the flour is evenly distributed over all of the butter, then flip the pan over the sink, and give it a tap to remove any excess flour
*Pour the batter into the prepared pan
*Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until you are able to insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out clean
*Allow to cool for about 20 minutes on a cooling rack
*Carefully flip the bundt cake over to remove it from the pan, and allow to cool completely
*Mix up the glaze by whisking together 1 cup of powdered sugar with vanilla and lemon juice; you want the glaze to be thick, so you may need to add another 1/2 cup or so of powdered sugar
*If it is too thick, add more lemon juice
*Drizzle the glaze over the cooled poundcake
*Use a microplane to add a bit more fresh lemon zest over the top of the poundcake to make it look extra pretty
