This recipe, based on one from the Cake Bible, produces a rich, tasty cake with a fine crumb and a soft texture. The lemon flavor is not overwhelming, but still strong enough. It sure went over well enough at a small family gathering today! This is a generous recipe; it may be cut in half if desired; cut baking time to 35-40 minutes as well.
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
6 Tbs milk
6 large eggs
1 Tbs vanilla
3 C cake flour
1.5 C sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbs poppy seeds
2 Tbs lemon zest
26 Tbs butter
1/2 C lemon juice
1/2 C sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine milk, eggs and vanilla.
Combine dry ingredients and zest and add the butter and 1/2 of the egg mixture.
Beat for 1 minute at medium speed.
Add the remaining egg mixture in 2 more batches, beating for about 20 seconds after each addition.
Grease and flour 2 4-cup loaf pans or 2 6-cup tube pans, fill with cake batter and bake for 55 to 65 minutes (till a toothpick comes out clean), covering w/foil for the last 20 minutes or so to avoid over-browning. (Bake 35-40 minutes if recipe has been cut in half.)
When the cake is almost finished, heat the lemon juice and the additional sugar to form a syrup. As soon as the cake is removed, poke holes all over the top of the cake and brush on the the syrup. Enjoy!