Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

There is something about lemon that tastes like summer and given our current deep freeze is quite refreshing. Adding poppy seeds to this cake gives it a nice crunch, not to mention a classic combination. I think I’ll still have my cake with some hot tea – lemon cake or not, it is still winter.

½ cup oil
¾ cup sugar
½ cup milk
2 eggs
zest of 3 lemons
1 ¼ cups Partially Sifted Flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tbsp poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat together the oil, sugar, milk, eggs and zest. Add in the flour, baking powder and salt just until mixed. Fold the lemon juice and poppy seeds into the batter. Pour the batter into a greased pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Once cooled, I made a simple glaze of lemon juice and icing sugar for the top though it’s very good without it. 

Lemon Biscotti

Biscotti is the twice baked potato of the cookie world. It is first cooked like a loaf then sliced and baked again. This gives the cookie its dry texture, which is perfect for dunking.

1 cup sugar
½ cup butter
2 tbsp lemon juice (the juice from 1 lemon)
2 tsp grated lemon peel
2 eggs
3 ¼ cups Partially Sifted Flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Beat sugar, butter, lemon juice, lemon peel and egg until smooth. Add in dry ingredients. Shape dough into two rectangles, each 10 x 3 inches. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes. Cut cookies into ½ inch slices and place back onto the cookie sheet with the just cut side down. Bake for 15 more minutes or until crispy and light brown.