
This is an amazingly moist and flavorful traditional style lemon poppy seed pound cake from Rose Levy Beranbaum. It’s easy to make and is great with berries too.
Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake
Print This Recipe Yield 10Source Adapted from Rose Levy BeranbaumPublishedserves 10 to 12

Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1½ cup sifted cake flour
- .75 cup sugar
- .75 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon confectioners sugar
- 13 tablespoon unsalted butter, at about 70 degrees f.
- 3 tablespoon lightly toasted poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- egg wash of 1 egg & 1 t water (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a medium bowl lightly combine the milk, eggs, and vanilla.
In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients, including the lemon zest and poppy seeds, and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and half the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed (high speed if using a hand mixer) and beat for 1 minute to aerate and develop the cake’s structure.
Scrape down the sides. Gradually add the remaining egg mixture in 2 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. The batter will be less than ½ inch from the top of a 4‑cup loaf pan. (If your pan is slightly smaller, use any excess batter for cupcakes.) If you like a shiny surface you may use the optional egg wash at this point.
Bake 55 to 65 minutes (35 to 45 minutes in a fluted tube pan) or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Shortly before the cake is done, prepare the Lemon Syrup:
In a small pan over medium heat, stir the powdered sugar and lemon juice until dissolved. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, place the pan on a rack, poke the cake all over with a wire tester, and brush it with ½ the syrup. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a spatula and invert it onto a greased wire rack. Poke the bottom of the cake with the wire tester, brush it with some syrup, and reinvert onto a greased wire rack. Brush the sides with the remaining syrup and allow to cool before wrapping airtight. Store 24 hours before eating to give the syrup a chance to distribute evenly. The syrup will keep the cake fresh a few days longer than a cake without syrup.
This looks amazing. I search no more for the perfect Easter side dish.
It snowed here in San Diego too!!! I couldn’t figure out why our neighbors were all standing out in the dark in their driveway until I saw it falling! Needless to say the kids were excited.
The carrot gratin looks delicious, suprised you braved the cold for the Farmers Market!
Saw you in the L.A. Times! You are a rock star!
Either way, I’m okay with it as long as it results in something crispy and creamy. Well done!
We are still weeks away from strolling through farmers markets; I’m envious!
Love all you have going on here with a little bit of Gruyerre and a crunchy top. Made with milk vs. cream is a plus too!
Until this year, a gratin to me meant a potato, onion, cheese dish. I never ventured into other veggies. But that napa gratin I made a few weeks ago changed my mind forever. And I have bookmarked this one to try Greg because it sounds fabulous. This is also one the two brats.…errr.…boys will eat too!
I like the sound of a carrot gratin!
Gosh, that looks sublime. I love the sweetness of carrots. Though, I’ve never thought to put them in a gratin. What a lovely way to showcase them, especially when they look as beautiful as they did when you got them at the market. Wow! I wouldn’t have been able to pass those beauties up either.
I always think of potatoes when I think of gratin but carrots sound like a fabulous idea.
You know, I think that when all the powers that be come together like this to create the perfect gratin environment…you just have to get in the kitchen and listen! I’ve never seen carrots in a gratin before but the whole thing sounds delicious.
I can’t get my kids to eat cooked carrots. Raw is no problem, but cooked (even with a nice al dente crunch) is a no go. Same thing with beets, can you believe it? The two sweetest veggies going and they won’t choke them down. This may be a dish that could do the trick though…the bechamel and breadcrumbs could seal the deal. I’ll keep you posted. — s
This dish looks great! We’re featuring side dishes at the M&T Spotlight and would love for you to submit this. http://www.makeandtakes.com/spotlight
Those carrots are gorgeous. Such a simple, delightful treat. And I’d never thought to do a gratin with them, but why not!?!?!
This carrot gratin sounds amazing, love the panko breadcrumbs on top!
Snow in LA, how crazy is that? My mom’s friend told us that it snowed at her house in Burbank and I almost didn’t believe her! You might just be onto to something with your gratin article = snow theory. I love that first picture of the carrots in the cast iron casserole.
Winter’s antidote and, with snow in the valley, what could be more comforting! Beautiful shot of those sweet carrots suspended in a rich sauce and peeking out from beneath the crisp crust.
i saw the la times article on gratin, was it kale or swiss chard? anyway thought of your caesar salad. i have carrots planted in my garden and some.….…day they will be big enough to eat- in a gratin!
nice to you see you,
Chef Louise
simply yum. brilliant use of carrot, i must give this try.
Leila
Behold the power of gratin. Up here it’s something we use as a repellant to the long cold winters. It helps warm our bones. Now any combination of bechemel, carrot and gratin is guaranteed to sail you straight through to Spring.
Love the picture, and the story is equally fantastic. After all, why not blame someone when you can. I do.
Carrots are not a go-to vegetable as a stand alone side dish around here; however, you sure make a good case for re-thinking that…though I suspect the bechamel and gratin technique will do that to anything.