The pound cake first got its name because when it was first created, it had a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour, and it took considerable effort to make. Luckily today, things have changed; a lot! We no longer use a pound of each of those ingredients and fortunately, they are pretty easy to make today, but the name remains the same. Whether they be the pound cakes of yesterday or the more efficient, slightly healthier versions of today, we still love our pound cakes, in all varieties. Adding lemon and poppy seeds makes this cake an even more delicious and desirable dessert, at least to me, and I think by adding both the lemon and the poppy seeds it makes this the perfect light Spring treat, that can be eaten at any time of the day.
Before baking.
The finished lemony treat.
Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake
2 cups flour
2 TBSP poppy seeds
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 TBSP lemon juice
3/4 cups or 1 1/3 sticks of softened butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp lemon extract
1/2 cup of either plain yogurt or sour cream
Preheat the oven to 325*F Spray your baking loaf pan with cooking spray.
Mix all the dry ingredients together and set aside. Blend the butter and sugar together for about 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, and blend. Add the lemon juice, lemon extract and yogurt or sour cream until well blended. Add the flour mixture 1/2 at a time and blend well. Pour the batter into your prepared baking loaf pan and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and it is golden brown.
Let the cake cool completely then spread with lemon glaze.
Lemon Glaze
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 TBSP softened butter
3 TBSP heavy whipping cream
1 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
pinch of salt
Combine everything together in a mixer and mix thoroughly. It will be a thick glaze. Immediately spread over the cake. There is a delicious bit of spring in every bite. Enjoy.
A Jeanne in the Kitchen 