My baby brother Callum turned 18 earlier this week. 18! I can still remember with vivid clarity waking up on Remembrance Sunday in 1991 to find my Nana in my sisters’ bedroom because my Mum & Dad were away to the hospital. He was a scrawny wee bag of bones – all 4lb 15oz of him – but from tiny acorns grow mighty 6ft 4 oaks

Of course, no family birthday goes without cake! Unfortunately I was massively pressed for time so asked Bob to remake a cake I’d tried out for Greer’s christening. When I made this, I sliced it up and the entire cake vanished in literally one minute. Gone. And in my mind that’s generally a pretty good sign that it’s good cake. Knowing that Callum isn’t particularly a sweet aficionado, a lemony cake seemed like a good idea and lo! Lemon poppyseed cake it was.

Recipe originally published here

Ingredients
100ml milk
3tbsp poppyseeds
150g butter
150g caster sugar
½tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs separated
150g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
Small pinch salt
1tsp mixed spice
1tbsp finely grated lemon zest

For the topping
70g caster sugar
30ml lemon juice

Heat oven to 180C/Gas 4. Bring the milk to the boil, add the poppy seeds and set aside to cool. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together until creamy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well. Fold in the sifted flour, baking powder, salt and mixed spice, then fold in the lemon zest, milk and poppy seeds. Beat the egg whites until peaky, and fold through the mixture.

Pour into a buttered and floured 20cm diameter high-sided cake tin and bake for 40 mins or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

To make the topping, stir the sugar and lemon juice into a paste. While still hot, brush the cake with the sugar paste, then leave in the tin to cool.

Let me know if you try this – it is ACTUALLY to die for!

Posted under baking