Lemon Poppy Sour Cream Bundt Cake

The latest darling of the blogosphere, Rose's Heavenly Cakes, is finally in my hands. I couldn't be more thrilled. I must say, that the book deserves all the buzz it's getting. It's stunning to behold, with mouth watering photos on almost every page. It's just a pleasure to read and there's lots to choose from. This is the first of three cakes I've made so far and I don't think this book is going to be one I let up on any time soon. In fact, when I heard that one of the B's kids was going to be celebrating a very momentous achievement in his learning and L asked me to make a cake, I turned to this book. This Lemon Poppy Sour Cream Bundt Cake was the first cake my eye caught and I decided to make. (I also made the Chocolate Velvet Fudge Cake, but that never made it to the party. Gotta love the girls; but more on that later.) Rose says this is her signature cake and I can understand why, having made it. Studded with poppy seeds and bits of lemon, this sour cream based cake is so moist and tender, soft and utterly delicious. There are many more superlatives I could use, but I'll stop here. I could not stop eating it. It's one to be made over and over. In fact, I wonder if the base could be adapted to any number of flavors. The cake was easy to assemble although this was the first cake I've made using her technique. Rose blends the dry ingredients and creams that with the fact before adding the liquids. I think the fat coats the flour particles thus preventing gluten formation and yielding a tender product. Or something like that. The resulting batter is nothing short of silky; the cake itself, nothing short of heavenly.

Lemon Poppy Seed Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Rose's Heavenly Cakes

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

200 grams sour cream

1 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

250 grams cake flour or all purpose flour

250 grams sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

10 grams freshly grated lemon zest

50 grams poppy seed (you can leave these out)

200 grams margarine or butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan very thoroughly.

Place the eggs, sour cream and vanilla in a bowl,

mix thoroughly to combine and set aside.

Place all of the dry ingredients in a bowl,

and whisk to combine.

Break up the margarine or butter and place on top of the dry ingredients.

Beat on medium speed for one and a half minutes until the batter lightens.

Add the liquid ingredients in two batches, beating in between and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Here is the silken batter, completed. Spread into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Here is the baked cake.

Let the cake cool in the pan for ten minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. Unfortunately, none of my bundt cakes ever come out perfect... I think dusting with a light coating of powdered sugar is just lovely. So unassuming, but soooo delicious. Enjoy!