Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients:
Lemon Cake:
grated zest of 2 lemons
1 ⅛ cups (227 grams) granulated sugar
1 ⅞ cups (227 grams) cake flour sifted
2 Tablespoons (18 grams) poppy seeds, optional
¾ teaspoon (3 grams) baking powder
¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) salt
12 Tablespoons (170 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 Tablespoons (28 grams) lemon juice
2 Tablespoons (25 grams) vegetable oil
¼ cup (57 grams) full-fat sour cream
Glaze:
1 cup (114 grams) confectioners’ sugar
1 Tablespoon (14 grams) lemon juice
1 Tablespoon (14 grams) whole milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a standard loaf pan (8.5 in. x 4.5 in.) with cooking spray and set aside.
Make the cake:
- Grate the zest of two lemons into a medium bowl with sugar. Using clean fingers, rub the zest into the sugar to release the oils from the zest. Set aside.
Juice the lemons. Set the juice aside for use in the cake and the glaze.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer using a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer), cream the butter and sugar by first beating butter on high speed until smooth and creamy (about 30 to 60 seconds) and then adding the sugar with lemon zest and beating on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
Add the vanilla and beat until blended.
Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed until blended.
Add the lemon juice and vegetable oil and beat until blended. The batter will appear curdled, but don’t worry; it will come back together when the flour is added.
Add the sour cream and beat until well combined.
With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and stir just until blended.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake is domed and golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully turning the pan over to remove the cake. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the glaze:
When the cake is completely cooled, make the glaze. Add confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly add milk, stirring until the glaze is thick but pourable. You might not need to use all of the milk.
Place the cake on a cooling rack on top of a plate and slowly pour the glaze over the top of the cake. Let the glaze set before slicing and serving the cake.
Notes:
Different brands of cake flour contain different amounts of protein, which will impact the cake’s texture. I recommend Softasilk Bleached Cake Flour, which contains 6.9% protein, for this recipe.
Don’t skimp when rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar, since this releases the oils from the lemon zest, enhancing the lemon flavor of the cake. Basically, the sugar crystals scratch the zest, releasing its flavorful oils.
Be sure to fully cream the butter and sugar. Properly aerating the butter will help the cake to rise as it bakes and achieve the ideal texture.
When the lemon juice is added, the batter will appear curdled and lumpy. Don’t panic; this is expected as the acidic lemon juice reacts with the proteins in the eggs. The batter will come back together when the flour mixture is added.
Storage Instructions:
Room Temperature: Store the loaf cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Unglazed cake can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost the cake at room temperature before glazing and serving.
Recipe courtesy of Always Eat Dessert.com
