Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Welcome to the January round of the Improv Cooking Challenge, hosted by Kristen over at the Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker.  The two ingredients for this round of the Improv Cooking Challenge were lemons and sour cream....yummy, right?  I wanted to make something on the simple side, and not too heavy (since we were leaving for Maui the next day!).  I found this recipe for a Lemon Poppy Seed Sour Cream Cake in Rose's Heavenly Cakes, by Rose Levy Beranbaum.  I've had the book for a while now, and though I've loved looking at the pictures in it, I hadn't tried a recipe in it yet.

This cake absolutely hit the spot.  It has a lovely lemon-y taste from the lemon zest in the cake and the lemon juice the the syrup drizzled over the top.  The sour cream gives it a nice little tang-y kick.  And the poppy seeds.....they're so pretty (although the recipe did pretty much use up my whole jar of them).

So grab some lemons.......and Enjoy!

Lemon Poppy Seed-Sour Cream Cake
Source: Rose's Heavenly Cakes, by Rose Levy Beranbaum

2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 1 T sour cream
1 3/4 t pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/4 cups superfine sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
5 t loosely packed lemon zest
1/3 cup poppy seeds
14 T unsalted butter (65 to 75 degrees)

Coat a bundt cake pan or fluted tube pan with baking spray with flour.

With the oven rack in the lower third of the oven, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees if using a dark pan).

Whisk together the whole egg, yolk, 1/4 cup of the sour cream, and the vanilla, in a medium bowl until just lightly combined.

In the bowl of a standing mixer with the flat beater attachment, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt lemon zest, and poppy seeds on low speed for 30 seconds.  Add the butter and the remaining sour cream.  Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened.  Raise the speed to medium and beat for 1 1/2 minutes.  The mixture will lighten in color and texture.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Starting on low speed, gradually add the egg mixture in two parts, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure.  Using a silicone spatula or spoon, scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface evenly with a small metal spatula.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted between the tube and the side comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center.  The cake should start to shrink from the sides of the pan only after removal from the oven.

Shortly before the cake is finished baking, make the lemon syrup.

Lemon Syrup

1/2 cup plus 1 T sugar
6 T lemon juice, freshly squeezed (2 large lemons)

In a 1-cup or larger microwavable glass measure (or in a small saucepan over medium heat), heat the sugar and lemon juice, stirring often, until the sugar is dissolved.  Do not allow it to boil.  Cover it tightly to prevent evaporation.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, place the pan on a wire rack, poke the cake all over with a thin skewer, and brush it with about 1/3 of the syrup.  Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Invert it onto a 10-inch cardboard round or serving plate.  Brush the top and sides of the cake with the remaining syrup.  Cool completely and wrap airtight.

For best flavor, complete the cake 1 day ahead.

Check out what everyone else made!






This post is linked to:
Bake With Bizzy - It's a Keeper Thursday - Sweet Treats Thursday - Full Plate Thursday - Show Off Your Stuff - Anything Goes Linky - Fun Stuff Fridays - Seasonal Inspiration - Fusion Friday - Friday Favorites - Friday Food - Sweet Tooth Friday - Sweets for a Saturday - Sweet Indulgences Sunday - T' Time - Tuesday Talent Show - Crazy Sweet Tuesday - Link Party - Bake with Bizzy -  Link It Up Wednesday - Mrs. Fox's Sweet Party - These Chicks Cooked - Cast Party Wednesday

Apple Pie Cake

This is the first month of the Improv Cooking Challenge, started by Sheryl over at The Lady Behind the Curtain.  Each month she will give the participants two ingredients, and we're to come up with any recipe we want as long as it includes those two ingredients.  For this month, the two ingredients are apples and caramel.

I decided to go with a recipe that I haven't made in years (Apple Pie Cake), and add to it the Caramel Rum sauce that was so amazingly delicious from the Club: Baked challenge a couple weeks ago (Bananas Foster Fritters).

The toughest thing about this recipe is peeling, coring, and slicing all those apples!  There are a lot of apples needed for this, and you will get a springform pan packed to the gills with apples!  Don't worry, they will cook down a bit.  But you may want to make sure you have some people to share this with.....there's a lot to go around!  The great thing about this recipe is that the same dough that is used on the bottom is sprinkled on the top....only two bowls to dirty!

I waited until the pie/cake had cooled before drizzling on some of the caramel sauce, but because I hadn't waited for the caramel sauce to completely cool off it kind of soaked into the topping.  Had I gotten it completely cooled off before drizzling it on, you would have seen it better in the photo, but trust me, it was still delicious!  This sauce was a gigantic hit for our Baked challenge.....caramel and rum go together perfectly.....not to mention it's a piece of cake to throw together!  It's easy to throw together because it's not a traditional caramel sauce where you would dissolve your sugar and wait for it to get to the darkness you like......this one is much much easier!

APPLE PIE CAKE
Source: Martha Stewart

2 cups flour

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

5 pounds tart apples, such as Granny Smith (about 12)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.  Using an electric mixer or a pastry cutter, cut in butter until the mixture forms pea-size pieces.  Press two-thirds of the mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up the side of a 9-inch spring form pan.

Preheat oven to 350.  Peel the apples, cut into thin slices, and place in a bowl.  Pour off any accumulated liquid.  Toss the apple slices with the remaining teaspoon cinnamon and the lemon juice, and put them in the prepared pan, pressing down gently as you pack them in (they will mound above the edge of the pan).  Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture on top.

Put the pan on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.  Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and let the cake cool in the pan to set.  Serve at room temperature.  

CARAMEL RUM SAUCE
Source: Baked Explorations

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dark rum
Pinch cinnamon (optional)

Place butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, and stir together until smooth.  Add the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a boil.  Once a boil is reached, remove from heat and stir in the extract, rum, and cinnamon.  Set aside until ready to serve.





This post is linked to:
Show Off Your Stuff - Sweet Tooth Friday - Friday Favorites - Anything Goes Linky - Fusion Fridays - I'm Lovin' It - Friday Food - Sweets for a Saturday - Seasonal Inspiration - Fat Camp Friday - Sweet Indulgences Sunday  - Monday, Mmmm....Dessert - Tea Party Tuesday - Tasty Tuesday - Tuesday Talent Show - T' Time - Crazy Sweet Tuesday - These Chicks Cooked - Cast Party Wednesday - It's a Keeper Thursday - Turning the Table Thursday - Sweet Treats Thursday - Full Plate Thursday - Bake with Bizzy - A Themed Baker's Sunday