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Lemons are the vibe for spring. Hands down. They’re bright and refreshing and carry many good-for-you antioxidant properties. The key to achieving the natural, yet full lemon flavor in your desserts—a combination of fresh squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest.
Ever since I purchased miniature cake pans, I’ve been obsessed with making little cakes. A 4-inch layer cake is just enough to satisfy a craving for you and a friend (or two), without being tempted to overindulge with the leftovers.
Poppy seeds perfectly balance out the tartness of the lemon and provide a source of fiber & magnesium. Here’s to hoping this lemon-infused cake will bring the sun instead of the rain this weekend!
A few things to know before we get started…
It’s important to let the egg and the milk come to room temperature. The warmer-than-refrigerated temp allows for a lighter and fluffier cake. About 20 minutes on your counter does the trick! Pull them out first, then collect your other tools and ingredients in the meantime.
For consistency in my recipes, I prefer to weigh my ingredients. If you do not have a digital food scale, be sure to measure your flour properly*.
Because this cake is so small and easy to prepare, I don’t bother pulling out my stand mixer. Instead, you’ll need mixing bowls, a whisk, and a spatula (or a wooden spoon).
Bright Little Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Ingredients
90g all-purpose flour (3/4 cup)
67g organic cane sugar (~1/3 cup)
1/4 cup whole milk, room temp
2 1/2 T butter, melted & cooled
1 large egg, room temp
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 t fresh grated lemon zest
1/2-1 T poppy seeds
1/4 t pure vanilla extract
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt (I like Redmond!)
Instructions
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Dry ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
To measure the flour—Lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and pile until the flour sits above the rim. Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level.
3. Wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg, then add the vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
4. Combine. Add the dry mixture plus the milk to the wet mixture and whisk gently to combine. Avoid overmixing and stir only until the last bit of flour is incorporated.
4. Combine. Add the dry mixture and the milk to the wet mixture and stir until uniform throughout.
5. Poppy seeds. Gently stir in the poppy seeds. All you need is a few gentle folds with a spatula or wooden spoon.
6. Prepare the pans. Coat the inside of 4-inch cake pans with butter and line the bottom of each with parchment paper.
7. Pour the batter. Pour the batter evenly across the pans—about 1/2 full for two pans, or 1/3 full for three pans.
8. Bake. Bake at 350° for 25-27 minutes. When fully baked, a toothpick will come out clean and the cakes will release themselves from the edges of the pan.
9. Set. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn each pan upside down onto a clean kitchen towel.
10. Remove. Tap the bottom gently, and shake if needed, to remove the cake from the pan. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting. If you’re short on time, you can place the cakes in the refrigerator.
Hands of Belle 
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