Meyer Lemon Poppyseed Loaf

Living in southern California we’re lucky to have access to a variety of gorgeous citrus, often without having to purchase it. At work there’s frequently a basket filled with oranges, lemons or grapefruit, available for the taking. At home we have a dwarf lemon tree in a pot out back which produces an amazing amount of fruit. Last week a neighbor gifted us a bag of Meyer lemons and I knew I had to bake something.

This loaf cake is exactly what I had hoped it would be-very moist with the sweet lemony-orange flavor of the Meyer lemons. Thinking that an entire cake would be too much for the two of us I froze most of it. Good news is that it freezes nicely. Turns out that the cake is so tasty that I took the rest of the cake out of the freezer rather quickly and then a few days later baked another loaf! I definitely recommend using lemon juice in the topping to kick up the citrusy flavor.

 

Meyer Lemon Poppyseed Cake (from Browned Butter Blonde blog)

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup plus 1 TBSP granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1½ TBSP lemon zest
• 2 TBSP lemon juice
• 1½ tsp vanilla
• 1½ cups plus 2 TBSP all purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1½ TBSP poppyseeds
• ½ cup plain greek yogurt, room temperature

Glaze

• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
• 3-4 TBSP whole milk or use fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Spray a 9 x 4 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line with a piece of parchment paper that covers the bottom and extends past the short sides of the pan. You will use these as handles to pull the loaf out of the pan once it has cooled slightly, I skipped the parchment step and just sprayed the pan an it came out nicely.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
4. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each egg is added.
5. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
6. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix until combined.
7. With the mixer on low, add some of the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and then alternate with the greek yogurt, ending with the flour mixture.
8. Remove from mixer and stir in poppyseeds with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
9. Mix until barely incorporated. Do not over mix.
10. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 55-60 minutes until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
11. If cake is browned too quickly towards the end of the baking time, cover the top with a piece of aluminum foil.
12. Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes
13. Using the parchment paper handles, carefully lift the cake from the pan and set aside to cool on a wire rack.

For the Glaze

1. While cake is cooling, whisk together the confectioners sugar and milk in a small bowl
2. While cake is still slightly warm, spoon the glaze over the top of the cake allowing some to drizzle down the sides
3. Sprinkle top with an additional ½ tsp poppyseeds if desired