Saturday morning Lemon Poppy seed loaf

Our week looked a little like this :

That would be more than one week's worth of ironing not done! No time. Too many other things to do.

So Saturday morning merited a little 'bonheur'.  We had our lovely friends over for dinner on Friday night and while the oven was on, cooking the most delicious leg of lamb greek style, I whipped up this little treat for breakfast on Saturday morning. 

Much appreciated by my handsome husband who is used to seeing baking come out of the oven and walk straight out the door to someone else's grateful stomach. He was very pleased that this cake was all for him (to share with me of course!).




Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
125 g butter
3/4 cup sugar
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 eggs
2 cups self-raising flour (la farine levante)
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons poppy seeds (les graines de pavot bleu)
1 tsp vanilla


Glaze
juice of one lemon (at least 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup sugar


Line a 22cm loaf tin with baking paper. Preheat oven to 180°C.
Begin by making the glaze. Instructions below.
Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon rind in a bowl until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and beat well.
Stir in half of the flour, followed by half of the milk. Mix together. Add the poppy seeds. Repeat with remaining half of flour, followed by the last of the milk.
Turn mixture into the loaf tin and cook for 40 - 50 mins or until loaf springs back when touched or a knife inserted comes out clean.
Pour cold glaze over hot loaf.


Glaze
Stir lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan over a low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and leave to cool.


PS  to avoid a soggy cake pour cold syrup over hot cake or hot syrup over cold cake.