Food Network is a foodie’s mecca. Everything you ever want or need to know about food can be found there. My Food Network Star is Ina Garten. I tape her shows….I’m a total fan. So when I saw her recent episode of Cooking Like A Pro – Portable Food and the Lemon Poppyseed cake…..heaven. Thus was born my version Zesty Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake.
I will be honest and say I changed very little. I used a vanilla paste instead of vanilla extract. I recently purchased vanilla paste (Amazon) for another recipe, and I’m totally hooked. Vanilla paste is thicker than extract, and it has tiny seeds. Maybe it’s just in my imagination, but I think it tastes better.
I also decorated my cake with candied lemons and some lemon peel. Since Zesty Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake is intended to be portable, it was perfect for a party I was going to attend, so adding the candied lemons and the peel gave it a pretty look. I’m all about food looking pretty!
The cake turned out beautiful. I was unable to attend the party for health reasons, so we have been eating it all week. We did give some to our new neighbor David…I hope he enjoyed it.
This cake is a perfect take-along dessert for any occasion. Full of lemon flavor and super moist. Easy to prepare and can be made ahead and who doesn’t want that?
A big thank you to Ina Garten for sharing this delicious recipe for me to tweak…ever so slightly and create a beautiful, delightful take-along dessert that is sure to be a hit the next time you need to bring dessert!
If you are looking for another easy take-along lemon dessert try our Lemon Ice Box Cake! Super easy to make with a cake mix.
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Zesty Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: Total time 3 1/2 hours includes cooling & setting times
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Adapted from Ina Garten Lemon Poppyseed Cake Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup poppy seeds
Nonstick baking spray with flour
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar, divided
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
1/3 cup grated lemon zest, (about 4 large lemons)
2 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided
For the glaze:
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Pour the buttermilk into a 2-cup measuring cup, and stir in the poppy seeds. Leave set at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
Preheat, the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the inside of a Bundt pan with the baking spray making sure to coat thoroughly then set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 cups of sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy.
Reduce mixer speed to low, add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated after each egg. Add the vanilla, and lemon zest, scraping down the bowl with a spatula.
Sift the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into a medium bowl.
Add 1/4 cup of the lemon juice to the buttermilk/poppyseed mixture.
With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture in thirds, beginning and ending with the flour.
Scrape the bowl with a spatula to be sure the batter is all well mixed.
Place the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top, and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
While the cake is baking place the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and the remaining 1/2 cup of lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
When the cake is done, allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then turn the cake out onto a baking rack set over a sheet of parchment paper.
Brush the warm lemon syrup slowly over the cake, letting it be absorbed into the cake. Set aside for at least 30 minutes to cool.
To make the glaze, whisk the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice together in a small bowl, adding a little more sugar or lemon juice to make a smooth, thick glaze.
Drizzle over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Transfer to a flat cake plate and garnish with lemon zest and candied lemons if desired.
Serve cake at room temperature.
Keywords: lemon, poppyseed, bake, take-along, cake, moist
