Spelt Lemon & Poppy Seed Cake

Perfect with a cuppa this super moist Lemon and Poppyseed cake made with spelt flour is zinging with lemon and the slight crunch of poppy seeds. You could swap the spelt flour for plain or gluten-free flour if preferred.  I have made this recipe with my favourite bundt tin but you could also bake this in a round or square tin just check your timing. You made need slightly more time. I hope you enjoy baking this as much as I do. Serves 12

Fun Facts About Poppy Seeds

History

• On an Egyptian papyrus scroll, 1550BC the lists poppy seed as a sedative
• Minoan civilisation in the bronze age, mixed poppy seeds with milk and honey to calm crying babies
• Colours – Indian white or blue/grey European

Health Benefits

• Asian cultures use it to increase fertility and aids in fighting insomnia
• High in Calcium – 1 tsp has 4% of your daily needs – good for bone strength,
• Aids digestion and used to cure mouth ulcers
• High in zinc – good for eyes and thyroid
• A natural analgesic to relieve pain

Production

• In 2016 it was recorded that the Czech republic has  31% of the world's production of poppy seeds was 92,610 tonnes, followed by Turkey and Spain

Food

• North America, UK and Australia mainly used sprinkle on top of bagels, in muffins and cakes
• Central and Eastern Europe – made into a paste and used in strudels and poppy seeds rolls
• Russia –  called sushki
• Germany – Mohnstrudel and Mohnstriezel

Travel Tips

• Avoid eating any foods containing poppy seeds two or three days before taking a drug test
• International travellers – poppy seeds cause false-positive results in drug tests, it is advised in airports in India not to carry such items to other countries ~
• A poppy seed cake wouldn’t be welcome in Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan or the UAE. This is largely due to their opiate content, although only one poppy (papaver somniferum) can make this claim.

Ingredients

• Spelt Flour (or plain if preferred) – 300g / about 2.5 cups
• Unsalted Butter (or dairy-free) – 175g  / about 3/4 cup / about 1.5 sticks
• Eggs – 3
• Castor Sugar –175g / about 3/4 cup
• Baking Powder – 2 tsp
• Lemon  – 3 tbsp  juice + 2 tsp zest
• Vanilla Extract – 1 tsp
• Blue Poppy Seeds – 30g / about 1/4 cup
• Milk Oat or Regular – 250ml / about 1 cup (plus 1 tbsp lemon juice to make buttermilk)
• Greek Yogurt – 3 tbsp

Lemon Drizzle

• Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp
• Icing Sugar – 50g / about 1/2 cup
• Cream Cheese – 50g / about 31/4 tbsp
• Lemon Zest – 1 tsp

Method

1. PREHEAT oven to 170˚C fan, 190˚C
2. GREASE your bundt (I used a 23cm) or ring pan melted butter
3. ADD the lemon juice to the milk and set aside for 5-10minutes.
4. CREAM the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer or with a hand beater until fluffy.
5. ADD in the zest, vanilla and oat milk.
6. WHISK the flour and baking powder in a large bowl.
7. COMBINE 1/2 flour with the other ingredients mix slightly, then add the rest of the flour in the mixer and slowly mix until combined. Be careful to not over-mix.
8. ADD the poppy seeds and mix for another minute. Ensure you check that the sides are scraped down and the mixture is combined.
9. POUR in the cake batter into the pan, tap to remove any air bubbles and smooth over the top
10. BAKE 40 minutes – at 30 minutes, cover the top with foil to prevent the top from overcooking and cracking
11. COOL slightly for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Hint – place a damp tea towel under the tin to assist in removing the cake. Use a silicone or plastic spatula to help release the cake from the sides of the tin.
12. SIFT icing sugar
13. WHISK or BEAT the icing sugar, cream cheese and lemon juice until smooth
14. REST the cake for another 20 minutes before drizzling the icing over the cake, (watch the video for more detail).
15. SPRINKLE with a little lemon zest (if dried out even better) on top of the drizzle icing.
16. Best stored in a covered container on the kitchen bench. Best consumed within 3-4 days. May be frozen without the icing.