Matty’s lemon & poppy seed loaf with lemon mascarpone cream  

Recipe by Matty Edgell

A huge thank you to Matty, winner of 2023’s Great British Bake Off, for sharing this exclusive recipe with us! Matty says:

“I’m delighted to be supporting The Big Lunch this year with my recipe for lemon and poppy seed loaf cake. With zingy lemon and a deliciously creamy icing, it’s easy to make but sure to impress the neighbours. It’s always easier to make new friends over a bite to eat so why not rustle this up, share it around and enjoy a natter at your own Big Lunch?”.

Method

Step 1

Pre-heat oven to 165 degrees and grease and line your 2lb loaf tin. 

Step 2

Cream together the butter and sugar until pale.  

Add the eggs individually, combining well before each addition – scrape down the side of the bowl. 

Step 3

 Add the flour and mix until half combined. Next, add in the poppy seeds plus the zest and juice of two lemons.  

Step 4

Mix well to fully combine the ingredients and place into your prepared loaf tin.  

Step 5

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Once baked, allow to sit in the tin for 5 minutes before removing, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  

Step 6

To make the lemon mascarpone cream, start by slackening the mascarpone cheese by mixing it slightly. Then, in a bowl, whisk the cream and mascarpone into soft peaks.

Step 7

Add in your icing sugar, the zest of two lemons and the juice of one. Whisk until you get medium peaks. I prefer to use a hand whisk for this, so I don’t over whisk the mix.

Step 8

Once fully cooled, place onto a serving board. Pipe on the mascarpone cream or simply spread on top. Finish with some candied peel and poppy seeds.