Lemon Poppy-Seed Tea Bread

Ingredients

• Tea Bread:
• 1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• Syrup:
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Preparation

1. Make tea bread: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan.
2. Stir together 1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour, 1 tsp. baking powder and 1/4 tsp. salt. Mix 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract with 1/2 cup milk.
3. Using electric mixer, cream 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp. lemon zest on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add 2 large eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in 1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice and 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds.
4. Pour batter into pan and bake in center of oven until a tester inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 50 minutes.
5. Make syrup: Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup lemon juice in a saucepan over low heat; stir until sugar dissolves.
6. Let loaf cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning loaf out onto rack. Poke holes in loaf and gradually spoon warm syrup over, adding more as syrup is absorbed. Cool completely.