After much searching, Anne and I found this amazing recipe. It screams spring right from the get go. It is beautiful, light and airy and has the perfect taste. The poppy seeds do not give it much flavor, but add such a nice touch to an otherwise classic lemon cake. There are just so many things you can do with this and many different ways to serve it. If you are planning Easter Brunch, this has got to be on your menu. And if you are not? Well, make it anyways! It is so tasty and delicious.
Check out what our friends over at Cooking Classy had to say about this:
“My favorite part is definitely that sugar coated topping. You’ll be wanting to steal that portion from your kids or that guy sitting next to you (just do it while they aren’t looking, like I did :))”
Hahaha, Oh yes, that topping is going to be your favorite part and you will want it all for yourself!
Ingredients
1 2/3 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup granulated Domino sugar
2 Tbsp lemon zest (from about 3 lemons)
1/2 cup Land O’ Lakes unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp Daisy sour cream
1/4 cup McArthur milk
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Lemon Glaze
1/4 cup Domino granulated sugar
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8 by 4-inch baking dish, set aside.
In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 20 seconds, set aside. Add sugar and lemon zest to the the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Rub lemon zest with sugar using your fingertips, until the mixture becomes moist and pale yellow. Add butter to sugar mixture and whip on medium speed until pale and fluffy (if not using a paddle attachment that constantly scrapes bowl while mixing, then occasionally throughout entire mixing process, stop mixer and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl). Mix in eggs one at a time, adding in vanilla with last egg.
In (microwave safe) liquid measuring cup used to measure milk, whisk together the milk with sour cream. Heat mixture in microwave just until no longer cold (you basically want room temp here, without having to leave this dairy out to reach room temp).
Working in three separate batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture (to the butter/sugar mixture) alternating with 1/2 of the milk mixture and 1 Tbsp lemon juice (each time), and mixing just until combined after each addition. Bake in preheated oven 45 – 55 minutes, tenting with foil at 40 minutes (don’t let foil touch loaf), until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean (or with a few small crumbs). Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes in loaf pan (and no longer than 8 minutes or it won’t be as porous and absorb the lemon glaze as well), then invert loaf onto a wire rack and brush top with the lemon glaze (it will take several coats but use it all. Give it a second between coats to absorb as needed). Let loaf cool on wire rackl (I also recommend covering it with a extra large bowl if you have one to seal in some of the moisture), then cut into slices. Store in an airtight container.
For the lemon glaze:
Combine lemon juice and sugar in a bowl and heat in microwave on HIGH power (or over stove top on small saucepan, med-high heat) and heat in 15 second intervals, whisking between intervals until sugar has dissolve and mixture is hot.
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Quick Tip: Serve with a side of scrambled eggs for a full breakfast.
Thanks again to Cooking Classy for this amazing recipe.
