Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

I'm a huge fan of poppy seed muffins. One of the best things about college Costco trips was a chance to buy a huge package of those tasty treats! Lemon poppy seed, however, is the absolute pinnacle. Whether in muffin form or bundt cake (which is just so fun to say), this glazed lemon poppy seed cake is one of my absolute favorite recipes. The perfect treat to make for a lovely tea party.

It took a lot of searching around the web to find a recipe that was perfect. I like simple recipes with simple ingredients. For this particular treat, I wanted butter, not oil, and I had a tough time finding a lemon & poppy seed combo. I have The Farm Chicks to thank for this awesome recipe:

note: I changed the glaze to vanilla instead of lemon, but either works really well! Also, poppy seeds can be expensive, and I'm pretty sure this would taste great even without them. You can also add/subtract the amount of zest, to suit your own taste. Next time I would add even more zest.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter (2 sticks) at room temp
2 cups fine granulated sugar
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
zest from two lemons
juice from one lemon (med size)
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons poppy seeds

Vanilla Glaze:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon of milk
few drops vanilla
note: for original lemon glaze, just add a tablespoon of lemon to 1 cup confectioner's sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter and flour the bundt pan (I have a springform tube pan from Ikea). 


In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time, and then vanilla--beat well. Add in zest and lemon juice, beat until just combined.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. With your mixer on medium-low, alternate between adding the buttermilk and the flour mixture to the butter/egg mix.

 Finally, mix in the poppy seeds. Once combined, pour into the bundt pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown and cooked all the way through. 

 Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out on to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Mix together your glaze and whisk well. Once your bundt is fully cooled, drizzle the glaze on top of it, making sure to drizzle the sides as well. Serve it with coffee for a morning treat, or as part of your afternoon tea. 

Happy Snacking!

Antonia