Lemon, Olive Oil, Poppy Seed Cake

This is essentially a summer cake enlivened with lemon juice and zest; just the kind one would want to have when it is blazing sun is beating down and striving to sneak in through the closed curtains of our home.

The flavors are refreshing, a little tart and as sweet as you want it to be, enhanced with a bit of crunch. And I love it. Love it that it is just the kind of cake I crave for during summer. Light, lemony and vibrant. Love it even more that it is so easy to make.

“Mommy! we are half way into the summer vacation and you have not baked anything yet!” The girls complained in unison. It is true. I have not baked anything for many months now. Not a bread, or a cookie, nor a cake or a tart. Nothing.

The bookmarked list keeps growing, the berries are summer  fruits and summer are passing by…   The girls got so frustrated that one day they gathered up their own gear and made cake pops. It is about time that I got to bake at least one cake.

After I had baked the Orange Olive Oil Cake, I came across Peter’s Lime, Olive Oil, Yogurt Cake and I had bookmarked it.

Then I saw Asri’s beautiful  Lime, Poppy Seed cake and I had asked her for the recipe, yearning to make it.  And now it is summer. The perfect time for light cakes.

This is the right kind for weekend breakfasts, a little tea and company, picnics, or dessert or for anytime treat. Delicate, airy and not weighed down by heavy frosting or icing.

A few months back we had bought a few packs of the Girl Scout cookies (the Savannah Smiles). I have been addicted to those for a while. The extra lemony tart as I bit into the cookies were complimented by the light dusting of powdered sugar.

So there had been more than inspirations to bake this cake.  Only I had to find the right time.

Lemon, Olive Oil, Poppy Seed Cake

(adapted from Souvlaki for the Soul)

 

Ingredients: (makes a cake in 9 inch pan)

1. 2 cups of all purpose flour
2. 1 + 3 /4 teaspoon baking powder
3. 3/4 cup sugar
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
5. 1 cup whole full fat Greek yogurt or thick well drained yogurt
6. 1/3 cup  + 2 tablespoon of olive oil
7. zest of  3 large lemons, divided
8. 1/4 cup lemon juice (adjust amount to how tart/sour you want it)
9. 2 eggs
10. 2.5 tablespoon poppy seeds (more or less as per taste)

 

 

For the Glaze: (optional)

1. 1/4 cup sugar
2. 1/4 cup lemon juice
3. zest

 

* Note: I usually use less sugar for the cake and this was just right with the added glaze. Please adjust the amount of sugar especially you like you cakes very sweet and you are not using the glaze.

 

 

Method:

Pre-heat  oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 inch cake pan/or line with parchment.

Combine flour and baking powder and sift them together. Add salt and set aside.

In another bowl whisk yogurt,and egg. Combine oil, sugar, zest, lemon juice, poppy seeds and stir them together. Pour the wet mixture into the flour and mix using a wooden spoon/spatula until just combined. Do not overwork the mix.

Pour into the cake pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes. The cake is ready when it is light  brown on top and a skewer/toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (adjust baking time).

Leave it to cool in the cake tin and then invert it onto a cake cooler/grid.

 

To prepare the glaze:

Combine all the ingredients for the glaze in saucepan. Simmer over heat only until the sugar dissolves for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.

 

Drizzle over cooled cake. Slice and enjoy!!

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• Spiced Carrot Coconut Orange Cake
• Orange Olive Oil Cake
• Orange Scented Almond Poppy Seed Muffins
• Pineapple Layer Cake
• Pineapple Orange Ginger Cake
• Orange Flavored Chocolate Cake
• Liquor Soaked Apple Walnut Ginger Cake
• Blueberry Lime Muffins