Lemon and Poppy Seed Buttermilk Cake

Name: Lemon and Poppy Seed Buttermilk Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Ingredients: 150 g (5oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease; 175 g (6oz) granulated sugar; 3 large eggs, lightly beaten; Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; 125 g (4oz) buttermilk; 1 tbsp. poppy seeds; 250 g (9oz) plain flour; 2 tsp. baking powder for the icing; 150 g (5oz) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature; 75 g (3oz) unsalted butter, softened; 2 tbsp. lemon curd; 350 g (12oz) icing sugar, sifted

A true afternoon-tea classic – buttermilk gives this cake extra body and moisture

By The GH Kitchen TeamPublished: 10 April 2012

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Cuisine, Food, Finger food, Serveware, Ingredient, Dessert, Sandwich Cookies, Sweetness, Baked goods, Dishware,

Preparation Notes: plus cooling

Serving notes: Cuts into 10 slices

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Prep Time:

25 mins

Cook Time:

40 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 5 mins

Ingredients

150 g (5oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
175 g (6oz) granulated sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp. vanilla extract
125 g (4oz) buttermilk
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
250 g (9oz) plain flour
2 tsp. baking powder for the icing
150 g (5oz) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
75 g (3oz) unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp. lemon curd
350 g (12oz) icing sugar, sifted

Directions

1. Step 1
  Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Lightly grease and line a 20.5cm (8in) round cake tin with baking parchment. Put butter and granulated sugar into a large bowl and beat together using a handheld electric whisk until pale and fluffy, about 3min. Gradually beat in eggs, mixing constantly, followed by the lemon zest and juice, vanilla extract, buttermilk and poppy seeds.
2. Step 2
  Sift over flour and baking powder, then fold together with a large metal spoon. Empty mixture into the cake tin and bake for 40min or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool for 5min in tin, then take out of tin and cool completely on a wire rack.
3. Step 3
  Once the cake has cooled, peel off the parchment and transfer to a cake stand or serving plate. To make the icing, put the cream cheese, softened butter and lemon curd in to a food processor and whiz together until smooth (alternatively, whisk together by hand). Add the icing sugar and whiz again to combine. Spread over the top of the cake and decorate with crystallised rose petals, if you like.
  
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Per Serving:

Calories: 569
Total carbs: 78 g
Sugars: 58 g
Total fat: 29 g
Saturated fat: 17 g

The GH Kitchen Team

The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor ⁠Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce ⁠Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time