I hosted my parents this past weekend and I just had to show off my KitchenAid stand mixer. (I’m a Leo. We like attention.) I decided to test out this lemon poppy seed cake recipe that Joanna Goddard featured earlier last week. To everyone who is reading – this cake was super easy. If you like lemons and cake and poppy seeds, you should make it.

My KA stand mixer worked brilliantly and made the whole cake baking process go really quick and smoothly. For beautifully styled food photos, have a look at Joanna’s post. For photos of my version, keep reading…

sugar, flour, and poppy seeds are measured out

butter and sugar are creamed together with the KitchenAid paddle attachment

flour is added once the sugar and butter are creamy

eggs, milk, poppy seeds & lemon zest are added at the end

the dough is poured into a buttered & parchment lined loaf tin

after about 40minutes in the oven, the cake is ready

a sugary lemony icing is poured and poppy seeds are sprinkled on top

Here’s the complete recipe – from April Carter of Rhubarb and Rose (via Cup of Jo):

Recipe: Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake

For the cake:
¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 
¾ cup sugar
1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
2 eggs
¼ cup milk
¼ cup poppy seeds
Zest of 2 lemons

For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
Juice of ½ lemon
Poppy seeds, for sprinkling

Heat the oven to 350F and butter and line a one pound (4½ x 2½ x 8½ inch) loaf tin with baking parchment. Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, milk, poppy seeds and lemon zest and beat until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as you go.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and remove the baking parchment.

While the cake is cooling, make the glaze. Use a spoon to beat the powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to form a runny but opaque glaze. Set the cooled cake on a wire rack and drizzle over the glaze. Sprinkle over the poppy seeds and allow the glaze to set for a few minutes before packaging up. 

Let me know if you give this recipe a try. I would love to know how it turned out for you.