Meyer Lemon + Almond Poppy Seed Pound Cake

I know it's officially Spring now but I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to all the lovely winter citrus.  I found the most beautiful meyer lemons so I decided a pound cake would be the perfect use for them.  This pound cake is quite rich so I served mine with a dollop of plain, unsweetened yogurt.   

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Meyer Lemon + Almond Poppy Seed Pound Cake

makes one 9x13 in loaf 

1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 c almond flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t kosher salt
2 T poppy seeds
6 oz (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 c organic cane sugar
4 organic eggs, room temperature
2 t almond extract
1/4 c meyer lemon juice, freshly squeezed
zest of 2 meyer lemons (2 t reserved for topping)

For the glaze
1 c powdered sugar
3 T meyer lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Bake the cake

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a 9 x 13 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.  In a bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda and powder, salt and poppy seeds and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.   Add the eggs in one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.  Add the almond extract and the zest, reserving 2 teaspoons or so for the topping later.  At this point, the batter may look curdled.  Don't panic.  It'll come together once you add the dry ingredients.  Withe the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet until fully incorporated.  Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for about 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Set aside on a wire rack to cool slightly while you make the glaze.

Make the glaze
Whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice then drizzle over the cake, concentrating mostly on the top and allowing the glaze to spill over the sides, to get those beautiful drips.  Sprinkle the remaining zest on top of the loaf.