1/3 cup poppy seeds
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup butter
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
Lemon Icing:
1/3 cup butter
3 cups icing sugar
4 tsp. milk or cream
Grated rind of one lemon
1 tbsp poppy seeds
Soak poppy seeds in milk at least 2 hours or overnight.
In large bowl, cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a a time. Beat in vanilla, lemon rind and juice.
Combine flour, salt and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with with poppy seed mixture. Turn into greased 9 by 5-inch (2 L) loaf pan.
Bake in 300°F oven for about 1-1/2 hours or until tester inserted in centre comes out clean. (The top of the pound cake often cracks when almost done.) Let cool in pan for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and col completely. Serve plain or frosted with Lemon Icing.
Lemon Icing: Using electric mixer, cream butter until soft. Gradually beat in 1 cup of icing sugar. Stir in milk and lemon juice. Gradually beat in remaining icing sugar until frosting is light and fluffy. Spread over cooled pound cake. Sprinkle lemon rind down centre of cake; top lemon stripe with poppy seeds.