::Lime Poppy Seed Cake::

This was one of the first cakes I learned how to make. It is a tea-sipping kind of cake, I think.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) poppy seeds (optional)
• 2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
• 2 limes
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp (5 mL) almond or vanilla extract
• 1 cup (250 mL) Balkan-style plain yogurt (not low-fat)
• Fresh berries

Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Lightly butter or spray a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan. In a small bowl, using a fork, stir flour with poppy seeds, if using, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Finely grate peels from limes. Squeeze out juice. You should have about 2 tsp (10 mL) peel and 1/4 cup (50 mL) juice (do not use more than this).

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl with a spatula. Beat in eggs and almond extract until well blended. Beat in yogurt, lime peel and juice. Using a large wooden spoon or spatula, gently stir in flour mixture until blended. Batter will be quite thick. Scrape into pan, then smooth top.

Bake in centre of 350F (180C) oven until a cake tester inserted into centre comes out clean and centre of cake springs back when pressed, from 45 to 50 minutes. If top becomes golden before cake is baked, loosely cover with foil for remaining baking time. Let cake cool on a rack 5 minutees before removing springform sides. Slice into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature with berries. Cake is best eaten the day it's made.

Source:

::Chatelaine Magazine::