This Mile High Lemon Poppyseed Pound Cake is wonderful for dessert, snacking, or even for breakfast!
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon extract
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Zest of 3 lemons
8 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups cake flour or White Lily All Purpose Flour
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup (1.25 oz container) poppyseeds
Preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan by brushing with pan coat (if using two piece pan, fit with a parchment paper square between the two pieces first). Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale, light and fluffy (about 6 minutes at medium speed). Add extracts, lemon zest, and salt, beat until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl. Add ½ cup flour and beat to combine. Add 1 egg and beat in until fully incorporated. Repeat with each egg, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon juice and poppyseeds. Add 2 cups of flour, beating until it just disappears. Slowly drizzle in half the buttermilk with the mixer running on low. Beat in the rest of the flour, then drizzle in the remaining buttermilk with the mixer running on low. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and beat for another 10 seconds. Pour batter into prepared tube pan and gently shake to settle the batter. Place on middle rack of oven with a baking sheet on the rack below it to catch any drips. Bake 2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cool until the pan is comfortable enough to handle. (If using two-piece pan, place it over a metal can and press down to remove the outer piece first). Transfer the cake to a wire rack in two steps: first, turn the cake up on its side, then invert fully. Let cool completely.
Lemon Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus a little more
With an electric mixer, beat together powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Add lemon juice a tiny splash at a time until desired consistency. If a thicker icing is desired, add more powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time. If a thinner icing is desired, add more lemon juice, one teaspoon at a time. Slowly drizzle over cooled cake.
