Three years ago, we planted a Meyer Lemon tree in the front yard. It was loaded with some of most brightly-colored, yellow lemons I had seen in my life when we planted it. The next year, we had to have picked over 80 lemons from that little tree. This year, was a totally different story though. Spring came around, and the tree was covered in itsy, bitsy, tiny white flowers. I swear, there was more flowers than leaves!
The smell was intoxicating. The entire yard was perfumed with this zesty, flowery citrus scent for a good two weeks. I remember being so drawn to the action going on around the tree. Tons of busy bees buzzed around hard at work pollinating each little flower. The sound the bees make is so hypnotizing, I would find myself completely lost in their little world for what felt like hours. All was perfect...tiny white petals dusted the driveway like snow leaving behind tons of microscopic, baby, green lemons. Weeks passed and the babies were growing bigger. I was so excited!! Until...out of nowhere, the mini lemons started disappearing. The tree was dropping it's fruit!!
When the masacre was over, there stood one, lone lemon. We watched it grow through the summer and into the fall. Finally, it was ready to pick this week. In celebration of all the hard work those busy little bees did to pollinate all those lemons that never made it to our table, I used honey paired with the juice from our one special lemon to make the most amazing, healthy poundcake ever.
HONEY SWEETENED LEMON POPPYSEED POUNDCAKE RECIPE
3 c. Fresh Milled White Wheat Flour (organic if you can find it; use store bought white wheat or pastry flour if you aren't milling your own flour)
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 c. Organic Butter (1 stick), room tempature
1/2 c. Sucanat (use raw sugar if you can't find sucanat)
3 Eggs (try to find them at your local farmer's market, or use organic)
3/4 c. Honey (Local, Raw)
1/3 c. Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Lemon Rind
2 Tbsp Poppyseeds
1 tsp Pure Vanilla
1 c. Organic Greek Yogurt, plain
Honey Cream Cheese Glaze
3 oz. Organic Cream Cheese
2 Tbsp Honey
1 Tbsp Milk
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a bundt pan.
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Using a mixer on medium speed, beat butter until fluffy. Add sucanat and beat until well combined. Add one egg at a time, making sure each egg is completely combined before adding the next. Slowly beat in honey and sour cream. Add vanilla, lemon juice, rind and poppyseeds speeding back up to medium as they combine.
Add dry ingredients, mix until just combined and no flour is left unabsorbed in order to not develop the gluten in the flour and toughen your cake.
Pour batter into your greased bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Let cake cool. While cooling, whip cream cheese, honey and milk until smooth and fluffy. Drizzle over cooled cake and serve.
Happy Eating!!
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