Victorian Citrus Glazed Poppy Seed Cake Food

LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray and dust with sugar. Be sure the entire pan is coated (see note below).
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, lemon zest and lemon juice. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or beaters), cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again. With the mixer on low speed, beat in one-quarter of the flour mixture, then one-third of the buttermilk mixture. Beat in another quarter of the flour mixture, then another third of the milk mixture. Repeat with another quarter of the flour mixture and the remaining milk mixture. Finally, beat in the remaining flour mixture. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and give a quick mix with a rubber spatula to make sure all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
• Spoon the thick batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for ten minutes on a rack.
• While the cake cools, make the syrup. Combine the water and granulated sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
• Invert the warm cake onto the rack. Slip a large piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil under the rack to catch all the drips from the syrup. Gradually brush the hot syrup over the cake, letting it soak in (a little syrup will drip off, but try not to rush so that most of it is absorbed). Allow the cake to cool completely, about one hour. When the cake is cool, carefully transfer it to a serving platter.
• To make the glaze: stir the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl, mixing until completely smooth. Add more confectioners' sugar if necessary to make a thick, opaque glaze (it should be thicker than you'd think -- you want it the consistency of honey or molasses). Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let the glaze harden before slicing and serving the cake, about 15 minutes. The cake will keep nicely for 3 days if kept covered on the countertop.
• Note: If you'd like to make your own buttermilk, check out the easy method here.
• Note: You'll need 3 large lemons for this recipe
• Note: As the recipe indicates, I grease the Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray and then dust it with sugar. It has always worked beautifully for me, but a number of readers have mentioned problems with the cake sticking. If you'd prefer to use a different method, treat the pan by generously coating it with butter and then dusting it with flour, or use a nonstick baking spray with flour like Pam with Flour or Baker's Joy. (Also, it's best not to use a Bundt pan with an intricate design for this cake, as they are more prone to sticking.) Another option (that is foolproof) is to use two 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pans instead of a Bundt pan. Loaf pans are much less prone to sticking, and you can line them with parchment paper for extra insurance. To prepare the loaf pans, spray them with nonstick baking spray, line the bottoms with parchment, and then spray them again. The bake time will be 50 to 60 minutes, and you will only need half of the soaking syrup.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen (without the glaze) for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving. (Add the glaze after the cake is thawed.)

CITRUS POPPY-SEED CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place two racks in center of oven. Butter three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans; line each with a circle of parchment paper. Butter paper, and dust pans with flour; tap out excess. Set aside.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-low speed until lightened, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar; beat until color has lightened, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice. Drizzle in eggs, a little at a time, beating on medium-low speed after each addition until batter is no longer slick but is smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop to scrape down bowl once or twice so batter will combine well. Beat in vanilla on medium-low speed.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low. Alternately add reserved flour mixture and milk, a little of each at a time, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl once or twice. Beat in lemon zest, orange zest, lime zest, and 1/3 cup poppy seeds.
• Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake 30 minutes, then rotate pans for even browning. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, 5 to 10 minutes more. Transfer to wire racks to cool, 15 minutes. Turn out cakes, and set on racks, tops up. Cool completely.
• Remove parchment from bottom of each layer. Save best-looking layer for the top. Place one layer on the serving platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups cream-cheese frosting over the top. Place second cake layer on top, and spread remaining 1 1/2 cups frosting over top. Place reserved layer on top. Chill cake, loosely covered with plastic wrap, 1 hour.
• To serve, stir lemon glaze well, then pour onto center of top layer of cake, letting it run down the sides. Using a single-hole zester, cut long strips of zest from orange and lemon, if desired. Arrange zest in loose spirals on the top of cake, and sprinkle lightly with poppy seeds.

VICTORIAN CITRUS GLAZED POPPY SEED CAKE

Steps:

• Soak the poppy seeds in the milk for 4 hours or more. Rinse the seeds under cold running water, and then drain well.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan or a 10-inch tube pan.
• Cream the butter and gradually beat in 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar. Beat in the brandy, grated lime and orange rinds, lavender powder and poppy seeds. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Continue beating for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is very light and creamy.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and beat until the peaks are stiff but not dry.
• Sift the flour and salt over the egg yolk mixture a third at a time, folding in after each addition. Gently fold in a quarter of the egg whites; then fold in the rest.
• Pour the batter carefully into the prepared pan. Bake 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean when tested in the center. If you like a tangy cake,make a syrup by combining the lime juice and orange juice (and brandy!) in a glass measuring cup; stir in the superfine sugar until it has completely dissolved.
• Immediately upon removing from the oven, prick the top of the cake with a long-tined fork or thin skewer and pour the citrus-brandy syrup all over the top to cover it completely. Allow syrup to soak in and let stand until cool, about 1 hour, before removing pan. Place cake on serving platter and garnish with sprigs of fresh edible flowers.

POPPY SEED AND LEMON ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sift the cake flour with 3/4 cup superfine sugar; set aside.
• Put the egg whites, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, the cream of tartar, almond extract and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to high, slowly add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer and sift the cake flour mixture over the whites. Add the poppy seeds and use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour and poppy seeds until completely combined. Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch angel food cake tube pan and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Invert the pan and cool for 1 hour, then remove from the pan and turn upright onto a serving plate.
• Whisk the lemon zest and the remaining 3 tablespoons lemon juice with the confectioners' sugar and just enough water to make a smooth, pourable glaze. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake. Let the glaze set for 1 hour before serving.

GLAZED CITRUS-POPPY SEED CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray, line bottom with parchment, and spray parchment. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter, sugar, and zests with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then beat in lemon juice. Reduce speed to low, and beat flour mixture into butter mixture, alternating with cream and vanilla, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in poppy seeds.
• Pour batter into cake pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and top is deeply golden, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Let cool in pan 30 minutes. Unmold, and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.
• Make the glaze: Boil juices in a small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup. Let cool, then add sugar, stirring until it dissolves. Pour glaze over cooled cake.