Description
Poppy seed coffee cake brings zesty morning sunshine straight to your breakfast table with a tangy lemon twist that makes your taste buds dance. Crumbly, tender slices paired with hot coffee create pure morning comfort that’ll wake you right up.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup sour cream
Supporting Ingredients:
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Leavening and Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Crank the oven to 350°F and coat a 9-inch square pan with butter or cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Grab a medium bowl and combine 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, and ¼ tsp salt with a whisk until perfectly blended.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat ½ cup softened butter with 1 cup sugar until the mixture looks light and airy, about 3 minutes with an electric mixer.
- Crack 2 eggs into the butter mixture, adding them one at a time and mixing thoroughly after each addition.
- Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract and ½ cup sour cream until the batter looks smooth and creamy.
- Slowly incorporate the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, alternating with ¼ cup milk to keep the batter silky.
- Gently fold in 2 tbsp fresh lemon zest and 3 tbsp poppy seeds, making sure they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, using a spatula to spread it evenly to the edges.
- Slide the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick that should come out clean when inserted.
- Remove the cake and let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes to settle.
- Whip up a quick glaze by whisking 2 tbsp lemon juice, ½ cup powdered sugar, and 1 tbsp water until smooth.
- Drizzle the tangy glaze over the cake while it’s still slightly warm, allowing it to seep into the tender crumb.
- Allow the cake to cool completely so the glaze can set and the flavors can meld together before slicing.
Notes
- Grate fresh lemon zest for the brightest citrus flavor, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath.
- Check cake doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center, which should come out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Fold poppy seeds gently to prevent overmixing, which can make the cake tough and dense.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute sour cream with coconut yogurt and use almond milk instead of regular milk.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 295 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg