Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe

• Nonstick cooking spray or unsalted butter, for greasing
• 1¾ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 lemon
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup buttermilk or sour cream
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• ½ cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. 2

   Grease an 8-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and dust lightly with flour.

3. 3

   Zest and juice the lemon.

4. 4

   Set aside the fresh lemon juice.

5. 5

   In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingers to massage the zest into the sugar until lemon flavor infuses the sugar.

6. 6

   Add the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla to the sugar mixture and mix at low speed using the paddle attachment until fully incorporated.

7. 7

   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

8. 8

   Carefully add the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture, continuing to mix at low speed.

9. 9

   Add the vegetable oil and poppy seeds, and continue to mix until fully incorporated.

10. 10

    Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The bake time will be about 50 minutes (15–20 minutes for cupcakes).

11. 11

    Let the cake cool in the pan until just cool enough to unmold.

12. 12

    Meanwhile, make the lemon glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together reserved lemon juice and confectioners' sugar.

13. 13

    Unmold the cake and set it on a wire rack inside a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

14. 14

    Use a pastry brush to spread the glaze over the cake and let it cool completely on the rack.

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