This is based on a recipe from Diane Irvine, a coworker of my father’s. This produces batter for 2 pans (9 x 5 x 3 inches each); feel free to use another dish of equivalent volume.
Batter ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup poppyseeds
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups lowfat buttermilk
- 6 eggs
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 teaspoons fresh lemon zest; or 1 tablespoon dried lemon peel
- 2 teaspoons vanilla; or 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
Syrup ingredients
- 3/4 cup lemon juice
- 3/4 cup sugar
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the eggs one at a time to the cream sugar. Beat till light and fluffy.
- In a smaller bowl, mix together the buttermilk, poppyseeds, zest and vanilla.
- Back in the large mixing bowl, stir in the baking soda and powder and half the flour. Then stir in half of the buttermilk mixture. Mix until well incorporated.
- Repeat with the remaining flour, followed by the remaining buttermilk mixture.
- Butter and flour the baking pan(s). Equally divide the batter betweenn the two pans.
- Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes, or when the cake pulls away from the pan’s sides and a knive in the middle comes out clean.
- While the cake bakes, prepare the syrup. Over medium low heat, dissolve the sugar and lemon juice in a sauce pan.
- Cool the cake for about 20 minutes, then remove it from the pan. Place on racks, under which wax paper has been placed.
- Poke the cakes all the way through with a long, thin stick, such as one used for kebabs, or a broomstick needle. Do so over the top and the sides, about every 3/4 inch or so.
- Using a pastry brush, baste the top and sides of the cake with the syrup.
- Allow the coated cakes to cool for at least an hour before serving.
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