Semi-Homemade Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

The glaze runneth over

Am I sending out too much "Sandra Lee vibe" with all the semi-homade dishes I make? I promise, I am not doing it intentionally. I am just trying to save money and time by using available resources. That being said, I used a boxed yellow cake for this recipe, and the Meyer lemons from my neighbor's yard (tee-hee!). Hey, I asked permission. ;-)


What you need: 

1 Meyer lemon
1 box (15.25 oz) Super Moist Cake (Butter Recipe Yellow)
1 cup +2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/3 cup Canola oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 cups sifted powdered sugar


What to do: 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray your Bundt pan with nonstick spray.

Zest your lemon and squeeze them, reserving the juice for later use.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, 1 cup buttermilk, oil, eggs, lemon zest, and about 4 tablespoons of the reserved lemon juice. Beat with an electric mixer on low for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat again on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in the poppy seeds and mix until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan.

Bake in preheated  oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of the cake comes clean. Cool the cake in the pan or on wire rack. Turn cooled cake over on a serving plate; gently lift pan to remove cake.

Make the glaze. Stir together powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons lemon juice until a smooth, glaze consistency. Drizzle over top and sides of the cake. Enjoy!


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. No buttermilk? Make some! Put a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a (1 cup) measuring cup, then top with regular milk. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Voila! Buttermilk!
2. If you don't like your glaze too tart, reduce the amount of lemon juice.
3. Don't make the same mistake I did - wait for the cake to cool first before putting the glaze!