Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake

Adapted from Joy of Cooking

3 large eggs

4 tablespoons milk

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

1 ½ cups sifted cake flour

¾ cup sugar

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

13 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup sugar

¼ cup lemon juice

Pre-baking note: Have all ingredients at room temperature.  If the butter is ‘cut in’ cold the resulting cake will be dry like biscuits.

Preheat your oven to 350.  Spray each mini bundt pan with cooking spray.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl.

In a separate larger bowl create your flour mixture by whisking together the sifted cake flour, ¾ cup sugar, poppy seeds, lemon zest, baking powder and salt.

Add half of the egg mixture to the flour mixture, along with the 13 tablespoons of butter (yes, that’s a lot of butter…but worth it!).  Beat on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the speed to high and beat for 1 minute longer.

Gradually add the remaining egg mixture in two parts, beating the mixture for 20 seconds after adding each.

Spoon batter into a quart or gallon freezer bag.  Snip off the corner and pipe into pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Shortly before the cake is done, combine 1/3 cup sugar and ¼ cup lemon juice in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar is dissolved.

As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, place them cooling rack and poke them all over with a toothpick. Put a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper under the rack.  Brush the cakes with half of the syrup mixture just created. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

Invert them onto a greased rack. Poke holes in the bottom and sides of the cakes and brush the remaining syrup over them.

Let cool completely, then wrap it airtight and let sit for 24 hours.