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ModernTable_LemonPoppyseedSwirlCake_1871

Lemon–Poppy Seed Swirl Cake

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
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Servings

1 Servings

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup light olive oil plus extra for greasing
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup orange juice or 1/2 cup orange juice + 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1  teaspoon baking soda divided
  • 1/2  teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup poppy seeds
  • Grated zest of 2 lemons
  • 1 cup chocolate syrup such as Hershey’s or U-bet

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9-inch Bundt pan with oil and dust lightly with flour. Shake out the excess flour.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand-held mixer), beat oil and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. With the mixer running on medium-high speed, add eggs, one at a time, and mix for 5 minutes. Add the orange juice (or orange-lemon juice) and mix for another minute.
  • In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the batter and mix for 1–2 minutes, until combined. Using a spatula, fold in poppy seeds and lemon zest.
  • Reserve 1 cup of batter in a medium bowl and set aside. Pour the remaining batter evenly into the prepared pan.
  • To the reserved 1 cup of batter, stir in chocolate syrup and the remaining 1/2 tsp baking soda. Spoon the reserved chocolate batter into the pan. Using a knife, swirl the chocolate batter into the mixture.
  • Bake for 50–60 minutes, until the cake springs back when tapped or a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely before removing from the pan.
  • Run a knife along the sides and center of the Bundt pan to loosen the cake from the pan. Invert the cake onto a cake plate or platter and set aside to cool.
  • Drizzle chocolate syrup on top and serve.
  • Tips
  • Good to Know: Use room-temperature eggs when baking for the best results. Room-temperature eggs mix into the batter more evenly, and they also create more voluminous baked goods, which is especially important in a sponge-cake like this one.
  • Get Organized: Instead of greasing your Bundt pan with oil, you can spray it with cooking spray. Just don’t overdo it. After spraying, I like to gently pat the inside of the pan with a paper towel to wipe away any excess oil. I like to use a fine-mesh strainer to dust the inside of the pan with 1/2 teaspoon of flour. Flip the pan over and shake out any excess flour.
  • Storage: Lemon–Poppy Seed Swirl Cake can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.