This is one of my recipes I go to when the hot summer days start to become unbearable. Lemon Poppy-Seed Tea Cake is a delight on the tongue. The sour lemon and the sweet sugar glaze are a perfect combination. It’s like a sophisticated glass of lemonade in a cake. I chose to make it for the summer book study and there is one piece left this morning and it’s calling my name. I found this recipe years ago in one of Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food magazines.
- 3/4 cup (1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature plus more for the pan (I used margarine and it worked just as well.)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest, plus 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
- 1/4 cup whole milk (I used skim.)
Simple Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch (8 cup capacity) loaf pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds; set aside.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar on high until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; mix vanilla and lemon zest. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture in two parts and milk in one, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
- Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. In a medium saucepan, bring lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar; set syrup aside.
- Remove cake from oven. While cake is still in pan, poke several holes in top with a toothpick. Set aside 2 tablespoons syrup; pour remainder over cake. Cool cake completely in pan, about 2 hours. Turn cake out of pan, place right side up, on a platter, and brush all over with reserved syrup. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.
