Lemon and poppy seed cake

Name: Lemon and poppy seed cake - Petronela C.
Ingredients: 200 g butter; 250 g raw sugar; 4 eggs; 4 tablespoons of full; fat yogurt; juice and zest of one lemon; 300 g flour; 1 baking powder; 1 tablespoon of ground poppy seeds. GLAZE (I didnt add it; but Im sure it enhances the lemon flavor): juice of one lemon; 80; 140 g powdered sugar or 2; 3 tablespoons of honey.

Dessert - Lemon and poppy seed cake by Petronela C. - Recipia

Lemon and Poppy Seed Loaf When I have poppy seeds on hand and don't want to start a complicated cake, I often choose this lemon loaf. It's easy to prepare, especially if you use a food processor, and the batter doesn't require any special techniques. The yogurt helps keep it moist, the lemon provides the main flavor, and the poppy seeds add a distinct texture. The glaze is optional, but the powdered sugar version enhances the lemon flavor and changes the loaf's appearance. Quick Information Preparation time: not specified in the original recipe Baking time: approximately 1 hour Total time: preparation time plus about 1 hour of baking and cooling the loaf Servings: the number depends on the thickness of the slices Difficulty: easy Recipe type: homemade loaf, suitable for dessert or snack Ingredients For the loaf: 200 g butter, softened at room temperature 250 g brown sugar 4 eggs 4 tablespoons full-fat yogurt Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon 300 g flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 tablespoon ground poppy seeds For the glaze, optional: Juice of 1 lemon 80-140 g powdered sugar or 2-3 tablespoons honey The 140 g of powdered sugar produces a white glaze that covers the loaf better. With 80 g, the glaze will be thinner and less opaque. Instructions 1. Leave the butter at room temperature until it becomes soft. Prepare a loaf pan and line it with parchment paper. To make the paper fit easier, you can crumple it beforehand. After unfolding, it becomes more flexible and takes the shape of the pan without sticking up too much on the edges. 2. Preheat the oven. 3. Place the softened butter and sugar in a bowl and mix until you achieve a fluffy cream, and the sugar starts to dissolve into the mixture. 4. Add the eggs one at a time. Mix well after each egg, then incorporate the next one. It’s important not to add them all at once to keep the mixture smooth. 5. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Continue mixing until the ingredients are well combined. 6. In a separate bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder and ground poppy seeds. 7. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix just until the batter becomes smooth. There's no need to overmix once you no longer see traces of flour. 8. Pour the batter into the pan in several stripes, then level the surface with a spatula. 9. Place the pan in the oven and bake the loaf at medium heat, at 175-180 degrees Celsius, for about 1 hour. In the end, the loaf should be golden brown and have a nice crack on top. 10. Remove the loaf from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack, parchment paper and all. Let it cool before slicing or glazing. For the glaze, squeeze the lemon juice into a bowl and gradually add the powdered sugar. Mix until you achieve a thick enough consistency to spread over the loaf. If using 140 g of powdered sugar, the glaze will be white and cover the surface better. If you prefer not to use powdered sugar, you can mix the lemon juice with 2-3 tablespoons of honey. Pour the glaze over the cooled loaf, let it set, then slice and serve. Why I Make This Recipe Often It's a simple loaf with common ingredients and few steps. You don't need to prepare a separate cream or work with multiple mixtures. The butter, yogurt, and lemon create a pleasant batter with a moist texture, while the poppy seeds subtly change the texture without overpowering the citrus flavor. I especially make it when I need a quick dessert that doesn’t require much attention once it goes into the oven. Tips The butter should be soft but not melted. If it's melted, the mixture won't have the same consistency achieved by mixing the butter with the sugar. Add the eggs one by one and mix after each. This step helps the mixture stay cohesive. Grate only the yellow part of the lemon peel. The white part underneath can taste bitter. Do not overmix after adding the flour. Stop the processor as soon as the batter is smooth. Baking time is approximate. The loaf should be golden brown and have the characteristic crack on top, but it's not useful to take it out before it's baked inside. Let the loaf cool on a wire rack before pouring the glaze. Otherwise, it may thin out and run too quickly. Substitutions Brown sugar can be used as specified in the recipe. For the glaze, powdered sugar can be replaced with 2-3 tablespoons of honey mixed with lemon juice. If you choose not to put glaze, the loaf can be served plain. In the original recipe, the glaze was omitted to avoid excess sugar, but the powdered sugar version enhances the lemon flavor. The yogurt used is full-fat, as specified in the recipe. No substitution amount is indicated for other types of yogurt, so it's safer to keep the same amount and use yogurt with a similar consistency. Variations You can make the loaf with a thin glaze using about 80 g of powdered sugar, or with a more opaque glaze using up to 140 g. The difference is mainly in consistency and appearance, but the larger amount of sugar makes the glaze sweeter. The poppy seeds should be used ground, in the amount specified in the recipe. They are mixed with the flour and baking powder, not directly into the butter cream, to distribute more evenly in the batter. You can keep the loaf without glaze and only add glaze to the portion you plan to serve. This way, it remains available in both versions, plain or with a more intense lemon flavor. Serving Ideas Slice the loaf after it has completely cooled, so the slices remain as uniform as possible. It can be served plain, with lemon glaze, or with a few drops of glaze allowed to drizzle over the edges. For a neater portioning, it’s easier to glaze the whole loaf and let it sit a bit before slicing. Frequently Asked Questions Can I skip the glaze? Yes. The glaze is optional. The loaf can be served plain, and the lemon flavor remains present due to the zest and juice used in the batter. How much powdered sugar should I use for the glaze? You can use between 80 and 140 g. With 80 g, you get a thinner glaze, while with 140 g, you get a white and thicker one. The exact amount may vary depending on how much juice the lemon has. Why crumple the parchment paper? Parchment paper is rigid and can lift in the corners of a loaf pan. If you crumple it beforehand, it becomes more flexible and fits more easily in the pan. Can I use unground poppy seeds? The recipe is written for ground poppy seeds. To maintain the intended texture and distribution, it is recommended to use ground poppy seeds in the indicated amount. How can I tell if the loaf is baked? After about an hour, the loaf should be golden brown and have the characteristic crack on top. If it doesn't have this appearance yet, it needs to stay in the oven a bit longer without rushing the baking. Nutritional Values The values below are estimated and refer to the loaf without glaze, divided into approximately 10 slices. They may vary depending on the type of butter, yogurt, sugar, and portion sizes. Per slice: Approximately 400 kcal Protein: approximately 7 g Fat: approximately 19 g Carbohydrates: approximately 49 g If you use the glaze with 80-140 g of powdered sugar, each slice may have an additional approximately 30-55 kcal and 8-14 g of carbohydrates, depending on the chosen amount and final number of servings. These are estimates, not calculated values for a specific brand of ingredients. Storage and Reheating Store the loaf covered at room temperature after it has completely cooled. The glaze may harden slightly on the surface without changing the serving method. For softer slices, the loaf can be left for a few minutes at room temperature before serving. There is no need to reheat it. It is best served at room temperature, plain or with lemon glaze.

Lemon and poppy seed cake

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