Carrot-Poppyseed Cake with Lemon Glaze

carrot poppy seed cake with lemon glaze
Photo: Lennart Weibull
Prep Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Yield:
1 8-by-4-inch loaf

Classic carrot cake takes cues from lemon-poppy seed loaf in this elegant hybrid. It has all the warming spices of a traditional recipe, but the tiny, satisfyingly crunchy seeds replace nuts and raisins in the batter. And instead of a thick cream-cheese frosting, it's topped with delicate Meyer-lemon glaze.

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan

  • 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

  • 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal)

  • ½ cup packed light-brown sugar

  • ½ cup granulated sugar

  • 2 large eggs, room temperature

  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • cup carrot juice (store-bought or fresh) or water

  • 2 cups shredded peeled carrots (from 1 pound)

  • 3 tablespoons poppy seeds, plus more for sprinkling

Meyer-Lemon Glaze:

  • 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh Meyer-lemon juice

Directions

  1. For the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a standard loaf pan (8 by 4 inches) and line with parchment, leaving an overhang on both long sides; butter parchment. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and salt until combined. Beat butter and both sugars with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat 3 minutes more. Add vanilla, carrot juice, and carrots; beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, then beat in poppy seeds just until combined.

  2. Transfer batter to prepared pan, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Bake until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool 20 minutes in pan on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet. Remove cake using parchment, transfer directly to rack, and let cool completely.

  3. For the Glaze: In a large bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar and 3 tablespoons lemon juice until smooth, adding more lemon juice, teaspoon at a time, until icing is thick and pourable. Pour glaze over top.

  4. Sprinkle cake generously with poppy seeds and let glaze set completely, about 30 minutes; transfer to a serving platter. Cake can be stored, covered, at room temperature up to 3 days.

Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, April 2022

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