Cheerful dessert brings smiles to Easter celebrations

The fresh, bright flavor of lemon can bring a cheery ambiance to any occasion when it makes an appearance in delicious recipes. Lemon essence seems ripe for spring and summer entertaining, and can feature prominently in Easter desserts. Such is the case with this recipe for “Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake” from “The Pampered Chef¨ Stoneware Inspirations” by The Pampered Chef¨ Test Kitchens.

Lemon poppy seed pound cake

Yield: 16 servings

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons lemon zest

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened (do not substitute margarine)

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 eggs

2 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Powdered sugar (optional)

1. Preheat oven to

325 F. Spray Stoneware Fluted Pan (or any bundt cake pan) with nonstick cooking spray. Combine flour, granulated sugar, lemon zest, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt in a 2-quart mixing bowl; mix well. In a 4-quart mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese on high speed of hand-held electric mixer 1 minute. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed 1 minute or until blended (mixture will form a stiff paste).

2. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, milk and vanilla just until blended. Add egg mixture to cream cheese mixture in four additions, beating 2 minutes after each addition. (Do not undermix.)

3. Pour batter into pan. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan; carefully invert onto a cooling rack, keeping pan over cake. Cool completely.

4. Place cake on serving platter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or prepare a glaze, if desired.