Lemon poppy seeds are one of those combinations that we bakers never tire of. Muffins or bread; glazed or not, it's a classic flavor profile that doesn't need to be improved. But can anyone challenge the classic just a notch and make the sourdough starter to ditch the lemon seed bread? (Whew, a mouthful of a recipe name!) As is the case with most bakes involving flour and liquids, the answer is a resounding yes.
With a caveat: Sweets like lemon poppy seeds should have a moist, soft crumb (not at all chewy like bread); and their flavor should be sour, but not too sour (like a sourdough bread). To avoid a dense and chewy bread, you MUST use the starter throw as little as you can can. When you consider this, a wonderful tea cake is in your future.
Use uncooked Pour straight from the fridge
This cake rises thanks to baking powder and whole eggs, so they don't need active ingredients the beginning of sourdough for the elevator. Feel free to use unfed sourdough starter, throw it away refrigerator memoryor the mature version you just discarded.
To remove excess water, use less milk
If you've made other poppy seed bread or muffin recipes, you know that there's often milk involved, usually something fun to play with the lemon, like buttermilk, sour cream, or yogurt. I went with buttermilk for my first recipe test, that is mostly water, and substituted half of what I would use in a regular oil-based buttermilk bread cake. Because the buttermilk has almost no fat, much of which was then replaced with pure water, the cake lacked richness and sensitivity from the start was more apparent. While I didn't want the bread to be overly rich (think: tea cake, not birthday cake!) I settled on plain yogurt with whole milk (85% water).
In early tests of this recipe, I tried to omit 1 egg white as well and replaced it with the original bitter water. While egg whites are mostly water, when replaced with plain water in such a cake, the crumb lacked structure, making the cake denser. It actually reminded me of sweets made with sweet rice flour, or mochiko; like a cross between butter mochi and a traditional oil-based cake. If the extra initial toss just created this texture, I might have left the recipe alone. But the overtly sour flavor from the extra tossing of the starters took away from the subtle lemon flavor I always look for in lemon poppy seed cakes.
I also tried substituting 25 grams (2 tablespoons) of lemon juice for the initial toss; again, I was met with a strong sour flavor, not the subtle floral flavor that the citrus juice offers. Not worth it!
In the end, I found the right balance of flavor when I used only 110 grams (½ cup) as a sourdough starter, taking the liquid from part of the yogurt.
Description
A classic tart lemon tart with a moist, tender interior and a tangy twist thanks to the added sourdough starter.
- Cooking spray or neutral oil, for coating the pan
- 162 grams (1 ¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon) all purpose flour
- 12 grams (1 tablespoon) poppy seeds
- 8 grams (2 teaspoons) baking powder
- 2 grams (½ teaspoon Crystal Diamond or ¼ teaspoon Morton) kosher salt
- 200 grams (1 cup) powdered sugar
- 12 grams (2 tablespoons) lemon peel
- 100 grams (2 large) eggs
- 57 grams (¼ cup) plain yogurt with whole milk
- 25 grams (2 tablespoons) lemon juice
- 110 grams (½ cup) Pour sourdough starter (100% hydration, unfed)
- 66 grams (⅓ cup) neutral oil, such as canola
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC with a rack in the center. Paint one 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan with cooking spray or oil, then line with a piece of parchment paper, leaving at least a 1-inch overhang on the long sides.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl, add the sugar and zest. Use your fingers to rub the bark into the sugar until moist and fragrant. Beat the eggs, yogurt and oil until smooth. Mix the starter and lemon juice until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until combined.
- Grind the dough into the prepared pan. Bake until puffed and deep golden, and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let the patty cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out from the parchment paper onto a cooling rack. Let cool for another 30 minutes, or completely, before slicing.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 week; or wrap tightly and freeze for 3 months.
Sourdough Starter Skip the Lemon Poppy Seed Bread FAQ
Can I use another citrus instead of lemon?
Yes! Grapefruit, orange or lemon juice and juice would be nicely substituted for lemon.
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of plain whole milk yogurt?
Yes, 57 grams (¼ cup) of plain Greek yogurt (preferably full-fat) or sour cream can be substituted for whole-milk yogurt, if that's what you have on hand. They will make a slightly richer cake. Buttermilk can also be substituted, but it will be less rich, and the cake will be a little more cheesy.
Can I bake this in a 9×5 inch pan?
Yes, you can use a 9×5 inch pan for this cake if that is what you have. The cake will be shorter and wider and will bake at the lower end of the time range, so start checking for doneness at 40 minutes.
Can I use more sourdough starter mix in this recipe?
I do not recommend adding more than the initial sourdough batter to this recipe. When I tried versions with a higher initial content, the cake was so sharp that the taste bordered on distracting. Further, to add more starter, you'll need to remove more water via yogurt, eggs, or lemon juice, which doesn't turn out to my preference texturally (see section above on what happens when you skip them these ingredients).
Can I add cream?
Of course! Many lemon poppy seed cake recipes are glazed with a lemon frosting. If you want to make one, mix together 57 grams (½ cup) powdered sugar with 13 grams (1 tablespoon) lemon juice (or whatever citrus you used in the cake) and a pinch of kosher salt until smooth. , adding more liquid. with drops as needed to thin the glaze. When the cake is completely cooled, pour the frosting on top.
What is expected next?
After you've had your fill of this delicious Lemon Poppy Bread, check out our list of sourdough starter recipes for more delicious desserts!
