Simple Lemon Almond Poppyseed Cake

I found a recipe for a Lemon Almond Poppyseed Cake on A Bountiful Kitchen blog yesterday and I made the cake.  It was delicious!!!!  A very springy, refreshing cake!  The recipe was super easy.  I tried the homemade icing recipe that was included, and it was a bit too lemony for me.  Next time I will not use as much lemon juice.  BUT, I am very happy with the cake.  It uses a box recipe, but with all the other ingredients that she uses, it didn't seem like a box cake at all.  I also served it with strawberries and blackberries in sugar/water.  Everyone seemed to enjoy it.  I would very much recommend the recipe!

Lemon Almond Poppy seed Cake with Fresh lemon Icing

Cake ingredients:

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons almond extract

1 cup water

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 package lemon cake mix (I like Duncan Hines)

1 small (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding

Icing ingredients:

2 cups powdered sugar

Juice from 1-2 lemons (about 1/4 cup juice)

zest from lemons

dash salt

2 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan.

Cake:

Mix all wet cake ingredients together with mixer until blended . Add dry ingredients, including poppy seeds, mix until all ingredients are blended well, about 3 minutes.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 40-50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes, before inverting onto serving platter.

Prepare icing, and frost cake when completely cooled. Serve with fresh strawberries.

Icing:

Melt butter, add to powdered sugar, lemon juice and zest, and salt in bowl. Whisk or beat until smooth. Thin with a little milk, water or lemon juice if too thick.

Tips:

-I used half of a lemon depending on the amount of juice extracted and the size of the lemon. . If you want to thin the icing a bit, you may use a little milk.