Lemon Poppyseed Coffee Cake
Lately, we have been having lots of guests visit our home in Vermont. Because my wife and I get up at 4 am, long before most other people even wake up, I wanted to offer our houseguests something quick and easy to enjoy while drinking their coffee. I make this Lemon Poppyseed cake ahead of time and cut it into 4 chunks, freezing each separately. I can pull a piece out the night before and decorate it in the morning so my guests can enjoy what looks and tastes like a freshly made cake.
Lemon Poppyseed Cake, Photo by Francois de Melogue
Lemon Poppyseed Coffee Cake
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1.5 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature, extra for preparing the loaf pan
1 - 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 lemons zested
3 large eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup of mixed berries
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8.5” by 4.5” loaf pan. I opted for an enamel le Creuset terrine pan because I wanted a narrower, higher-profile cake. Line the pan with parchment paper.
In a bowl, mix together the flour, poppy seeds, and baking powder.
In a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and zest. Add the eggs 1 by 1 and beat until smooth. Add the juice and buttermilk. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix well. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.
In a bowl, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice until smooth. I sometimes like to add lemon zest to give a bit more flavor and visual appeal.
Place the cake on a serving platter and drizzle with the glaze. Arrange berries on the top and serve.
Pouring icing over lemon poppyseed cake, photo by Francois de Melogue
Notes
The actual cooking time is going to vary on how accurate your oven is and the size of your loaf pan. Mine took just a hair under an hour to cook but yours may take longer.
Variations
Try using Greek yogurt in place of the buttermilk. Try using oranges in place of lemons.
