Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes

Adapted from http://www.pickycook.com/breakfastandbrunch/lemonpoppyseedpancakes.aspx/

Makes about 12 large pancakes

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup poppy seeds
pinch of salt
zest of 4 lemons
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted

To make the pancakes combine the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, salt in a large bowl. In another bowl the buttermilk, eggs, butter, and lemon zest. Add the wet to the dry. Stir all the ingredients until they are just combined. Don't worry if the batter is a bit lumpy, you don't want to over mix.

Heat your skillet, pan, or griddle to medium-hot and brush it with a bit of butter. Test for the right temperature. If a drop of water dropped onto the pan starts to dance, you are in the ballpark. Pour about 1/3 of a cup of batter into the skillet. Wait until the pancake bottom is deep golden in color, then flip with a spatula and cook the other side until golden and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter. 

Serve with macerated strawberries.

Lemon Poppyseed Cake

Lemon Poppyseed Cake

Adapted significantly from  “Butter Sugar Flour Eggs” by Gale Gand, Rick Tramonto, Julia Moskin: Clarkson N. Potter Publishers, 1999

For the cake:

2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
1 cup whole, 2 percent fat, or 1 percent fat milk 
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder 
1/3-cup (2 ½ ounces) poppy seeds  
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract



For the glaze:


Powdered sugar
Lemon juice

In a bowl combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 6-cup loaf pan with parchment. In a large bowl whip the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy.

In a small bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, and poppy seeds. With the mixer running, drizzle the oil and vanilla extract into the egg mixture. With the mixer still running, add alternating batches of flour mixture and lemon-milk mixture to the egg mixture. The batter will be somewhat thin. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for about one hour, until the center is raised and cracked and the whole cake is firm and dry on the top. 

Avoid opening the oven while baking. Do not under-bake or the cake will fall. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.


To make the glaze combine powdered sugar and lemon juice until the mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Pour over the lemon poppyseed cake.

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Adapted from Cupcakes! By Elinor Klivans

For the cupcakes:

2 ½ cups flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cup whole milk

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 large eggs

2large egg yolks

2 ½ cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cups lemon curd

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan until hot (about 150F). Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl beat the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until thickened and lightened to a cream color, about three minutes. Add vanilla extract. Mix in the flour mixture. Slowly mix in the hot milk mixture until the batter is smooth.

Fill each liner with 1/3 cup of batter, about ¼ of an inch below the top of the liner. Bake for about 18 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Recipe makes over 24 cupcakes; more meringue topping may be needed.

Cut a cone-shaped piece out of the middle of the top of each cupcake (save the pieces you cut out for each cupcake!). Fill the holes with lemon curd and replace the pieces of cake that you removed from each cupcake. Place cupcakes 2” apart on a baking sheet.

For the meringue topping:

4 large egg whites

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

¼ cup sugar

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar for one minute. Continue beating egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.

Use a butterknife to spread almost 1/3 of a cup of meringue over the top of each cupcake. Gently dip the knife into the meringue to make swirls. Bake until the meringue is light brown, about 12 minutes.

Cool the cupcakes and serve. These can be refrigerated and served cold, with the baking cups removed.