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Lemon Poppyseed Bread

Posted on 09/01/2010 by Maura

Where did today go?  I meant to post this early this morning, and then I had to bring Tim his drill charger, then I fell asleep on the couch with the remote in my hand, then I had to shower to try to wake myself up, then I drank two cups of coffee… .  Somehow, I made it to work on time, although a bit groggy and intensely caffeinated.

How I wish I had this bread this morning.  Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea, this is one of my favorite “cakes.”  Whether it is in fact a bread or a cake, I’m not sure, but it is a perfect excuse to eat sugar in the morning.  The bright, lemony flavor pairs perfectly with the poppy seeds.  Using cake flour instead of all-purpose makes for a very moist, light cake.  This could definitely pass for a dessert, especially if served with whipped cream, although it certainly does not need it.

Next time I will experiment by making these into muffins with some coarse sugar on top.  Yum!

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Adapted from the Los Angeles Times via Noble Pig

Ingredients

2-2/3 cups cake flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

1-2/3 cups sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

zest of one lemon

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add poppy seeds and set aside.

Beat butter with an electric mixer for about one minute.  Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and airy; about 2 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add 1 egg at a time to butter-sugar mixture, beating well after each addition until batter is smooth.  Add lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well.

Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk until all of the dry ingredients and buttermilk are used up.  Start and end with dry ingredients.  Scrape down sides of the bowl with rubber spatula after each addition.  Do not over mix.

Grease bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch cake pan.  Pour batter into pan and use a spatula to spread batter evenly.  Bake at 350 degrees for 27-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

About Maura

I have a secret: I cannot do anything in moderation. I always have to take things to the extreme, at the expense of my own and my family's sanity and often times my dad’s checkbook. When I started taking horseback riding lessons, I insisted on having a pony. When I ice skated for probably the second time, I made my mom buy me ice skates that were never again worn. When I thought I wanted to be a teacher, I made my parents turn one of the rooms in the basement into a school room, stocked with an overhead projector, pull-down maps and a real, classroom-sized chalkboard and white board. When I discovered cooking I bossed my older sister around in the kitchen for an entire day, forcing her to make dozens of recipes with me against her will and then had her do all the dishes (sorry Cait). And, when I discovered food blogs I bought the biggest binder I could find, printed out 250 recipes in one day and laminated and categorized each one. My dad was not happy about the ink situation. So, what does this tell you about me? For one, you can trust that every recipe I post is more than delicious and has been meticulously tried and tested for you. Also, that I’m an anal freak. Enjoy! View all posts by Maura → This entry was posted in Breakfast, Cakes, Dessert, bread, vegetarian. Bookmark the permalink. ← White Wine Sangria Onion Strings →