Lemon and poppy seed cake, perfect for some me time
In recent months my life has changed quite a bit. My son, now almost 5, has just started school. We were lucky enough to get him into the school of our choice and when asked how his day in school was his inevitable response is "best day ever!!!".
Now, as a father I could not ask for anything more from my child and his school but this has brought about a change in my routine. As a chef I must work on a Saturday and therefore my regular days off have always been a Sunday and a Monday. This means that Sunday is always a family day and that Mondays have traditionally been a Daddy day, where my son and I get up to all sorts of adventures and leading to the most hectic of days off.
Now as my son grows up Daddy days have become a thing of the past. As much as this saddens me (and it does I promise) it now gives me a few hours during the day to have some "me" time.
So today, after I had finished a second coat of paint on the hallway, I sat down for an hour with a Jack Reacher book, a latte and a slice of my homemade lemon and poppy seed cake. This gives me a little time to reflect and think about all the wonderful times my son and I have had on our daddy days. Whilst I do miss them with all my heart I know that it is time to let him grow up and discover life for himself and there is always our Sundays together as a family, and I might even save them a slice of cake as well.
For the cake
200g soft unsalted butter
250g caster sugar
250g self raising flour
3 eggs
The zest of 2 lemons
3 tsp of poppy seeds
100ml milk
For the glaze
100g caster sugar
Juice of 3 lemons and the zest of 1
Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth and then add in the eggs one at a time and incorporate.
Sift in the flour and add in the milk,lemon zest and poppy seeds. Mix all of the ingredients together until smooth and place in a line pound loaf tin.
Bake in an oven at 170c for 1 hour.
Whilst the cake is baking make the glaze by simmering the juice, zest and sugar together. Set aside and allow to cool.
Once the cake is baked take a tooth pick or skewer and stab lots of little holes in the cake. Gently drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake and slowly work its way down the hole and spread moistness throughout the cake.
Allow the cake to become completely cold before taking out of the loaf tin and enjoying.
