Lemon & Poppyseed Cake

This cake has been on my mind for the last week because the uber-talented Sharon Hearne-Smith (food stylist, home economist, new mama to Pearly Pie & diva singer) has been looking for poppy seeds in vain.  As usual, I fell over a packet of them in Marks the other day so I bought a packet and decided to make the cake.  Also, Little Sis brought me home some fresh off the tree lemons & limes from Spain - picked in her friend's back garden, no less, so I wanted to use the lemons for something simple and gorgeous.

This is incredibly easy to make as it's an all-in one-bowl recipe, so minimal effort and washing up for maximum taste.  One really important thing to remember when you make this cake is to use an unwaxed lemon - you really don't want to be eating a coating of wax on the lemon zest.  They're easier to get hold of than ever before, so please make the effort...

Lemon & Poppyseed Cake

220g Caster Sugar
185g Butter, softened
3 Eggs
50g Poppy Seeds
300g Self Raising Flour
Grated zest of 1 unwaxed Lemon
185ml Milk

Preheat your oven to 180c / Gas Mark 5

Either in an food mixer or a large bowl using an electric whisk, mix together the sugar, butter, eggs, flour, poppy seeds & flour until light and fluffy.

Add the milk & beat until you have a loose, smooth mixture.

Pour into a lined 2lb loaf tin or 25 x 25cm square tin and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.  (the square tin will cook more quickly than the loaf tin).

Let the cake sit in the tin for 10 minutes before removing & transferring to a wire rack to cool.

This is a really light and delicate cake, so it's delicious in its unadorned state, but if you want to make it a little more fancy, cover it in a lemon icing.