Bitter Lemon Poppyseed Loaf Cake
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- 2 lemons, roughly chopped, seeds removed (I save the seeds for making jam)
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 190g/6.7ozs. butter, melted
- 1.5 cups cake flour
- 1 cup caster or superfine sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
-
2 tablespoons poppyseeds
-
180g/6ozs. icing or powdered sugar
- 5-6 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 slices lemon and thyme sprigs to decorate
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 150C/330F and line a loaf tin with parchment on the base and sides. Process the lemons until they become fine and no longer chunky (I put them in the high speed blender). Blend with the eggs and then add in the butter. In a bowl whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and poppy seeds.
Step 2 - Make a well and stir in the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool completely.
Step 3 - Because I loathe sifting, I place the icing sugar in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the lemon juice so that it becomes a thick but spreadable consistency. Spread over the cooled cake and add the lemon slices and thyme before the icing sets.