Lemon and poppy seed cake recipe

Lemon and poppy seed cake recipe

Having slightly more free time this week…actually, I have been baking because it is almost the end of the rotation before I move on to the next one. Been a really busy 6 months….feel that I am constantly on call and working 12 hour shifts most days.

Anyway, I can finally post this recipe from Hummingbird which was pretty popular and well received. Wiped clean off the plate in no time!

Inspired to make a lemon and poppy seed cake because of Kember and Jones cafe (which is one of my fav cafe in west end Glasgow)  who serves a really irresistable poppy seed cake.

Recipe for lemon and poppy seed cake by Hummingbird recipe book:

Ingredients:

85g unsalted butter at room temperature

245g caster sugar

grated zest of 1 1/2 unwaxed lemons

15g poppy seeds, plus extra to decorate

165ml whole milk

235g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 egg whites

Lemon syrup:

freshly squeezed juice and zest of 1 lemon

50g caster sugar

Lemon glaze:

freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

250g icing sugar, sifted

a 24-cm ring mould, greased and dusted with flour

Steps:

1) Preheat the oven to 170 degrees (325 farenheit) Gas 3.

2) Put the butter, sugar, lemon zest and poppy seeds in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat until all the ingredients are well incorporated (don’t worry if the mixture looks slightly split). Slowly add the milk and continue to beat until incorporated (don’t worry if the mixture looks slightly split)

3) In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions, scraping any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. Beat thoroughly until all the ingredients are well incorporated and the mixture is light and fluffy.

4) In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a handheld electric whisk until stiff peaks form. Using a metal spoon, fold the whisked egg whites into the cake mixture until well mixed but do not overmix. Pour into the prepared ring mould and smooth over with a palette knife. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the sponge bounces back when touched.

For the lemon syrup:

While the cake is baking, put the lemon juice and zest, sugar and 100ml water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil over low heat. Raise the heat and boil until it has reduced by half, or until it has a thin syrup consistency. When the hot cake comes out of the oven, pour the syrup all over the top. Leave to cool slightly in the mould before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

For the lemon glaze:

Mix the lemon juice and icing sugar in a bowl until smooth. It should be thick but pourable – a little water or more sugar to thin or thicken as necessary.

When the cake is cold, put it on a cake stand, pour the glaze over it and decorate with poppy seeds.