Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake

Ingredients

• 175g unsalted butter, softened
• 175g caster sugar
• Finely grated zest of 2 lemons, reserve the juice
• 3 large eggs
• 250g self raising flour
• 50g poppy seeds
• 4tbsp milk
• For the icing
• 100g icing sugar
• Juice from the zested lemons

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 150C/130C/fan/300F and grease and line a loaf tin with baking parchment.
2. In a large bowl beat the butter until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat until very pale. Add the lemon zest and mix until combined.
3. Beat in one egg and a heaped tablespoon of the flour, repeat until all the eggs have been used. Sift the remaining flour into the mixture and beat until there are no traces of flour left.
4. Put a half a tablespoon of the poppy seeds to one side and pour the remaining seeds into the mixture along with the milk, mix well.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. You will find that the mixture is quite thick so use a spatula to spread into the tin and smooth the top. Bake in the oven for about an 1 hour and 10mins. Insert a skewer into the cake, if it comes out clean it is ready.
6. Leave to cool in the tin for 10mins then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Whilst cooling make the icing; sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add just enough of the reserved lemon juice to make a thick icing.
7. When the cake is completely cold use a spoon to cover the top of the cake completely, allowing it to drip down the sides. When the top is covered sprinkle the reserved poppy seeds liberally over the top and serve.