Lemon-Poppyseed Cake

Let me refer back to my past Twitter "tweets" and show you what Josh said when he tasted this cake...

josh just called me a "f#$%ing craftsman" and demanded that i make him a mattress out of lemon poppyseed pound cake!! ;D ;D
6:17 PM Jan 5th from txt

To be politically correct, I guess I'd be a craftswoman. Either way, this cake was BANGIN!!!! It was dense, tender, and moist. The cake itself had only a hint of lemon flavor, but the crust (which was soaked in a lemon sugar wash) packed a major pucker of sour lemon flavor! The sugar wash went on the outside while the cake was still warm, but it didn't crust over like the book led me to believe it would. That didn't matter, because it was sooo very delicious, and it kept the cake moist for quite a few days! Yeah, it was a HUGE cake, so it did last for a while in our house. The poppyseeds in the cake gave a unique crunch and a slight nutty flavor. Everyone loved it, and I'd definitely make it again!

Lemon-Poppyseed Cake (from "Baking by Flavor" by Lisa Yockelson)
Makes one 10-inch tube cake; about 20 slices

Lemon Peel Infusion (recipe follows)
Lemon-Poppyseed Sour Cream Cake Batter
3 cups unsifted bleached all-purpose flour (I always use unbleached)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs (at room temperature)
1 cup thick, cultured sour cream
3 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup poppyseeds (I only used 1/4 cup)
Lemon Sugar Wash (recipe follows)

Mix the ingredients for the Lemon Peel Infusion; set aside for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the inside of a 10-inch tube pan; set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Cream the butter in the large bowl of a standing electric mixer on moderate speed for 4 minutes. Add the granulated sugar in three additions, beating for 1 minute after each portion is added. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for 45 seconds after each addition. Blend in the lemon infusion. On low speed, alternately added the sifted ingredients in three additions with the sour cream in two additions, beginning and ending with the sifted mixture. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl frequently with a rubber spatula to keep the batter even-textured. The batter will be creamy and moderately thick. Blend in the milk. Stir in the poppyseeds. Spoon the batter into the prepared tube pan. Shake the pan gently from side to side, once or twice, to level the top.
Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until risen, set, and a wooden pick inserted in the cake withdraws clean (mine was done after 1 hour and 10 mins). The baked cake will pull away slightly from the sides of the pan. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cake out and turn it right-side up onto the cooling rack. Place a sheet of wax paper underneath to catch any drips of sugar wash.
Using a soft, 1-inch pastry brush, apply the wash over the top and sides of the cake. Cool completely before slicing and serving.
Store in an airtight cake keeper for up to 5 days.

Lemon Peel Infusion
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
2 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons pure lemon extract.

Combine ingredients in a small non-reactive ramekin. Let the infusion stand for 15 minutes before using.

Lemon Sugar Wash
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar

In a small nonreactive bowl, combine the lemon juice and sugar. Stir well. Let stand 10 minutes. Using the wash now (while the cake is hot out of the oven) will give the surface of a baked pound cake a crackly, sugary veneer. (It just made mine look wet, but it kept it very moist!)