Absolutely my favorite cake.  My daughter, Jacy, made this for me on my recent birthday.  What a great treat.  This is a “sort of” pound cake.  The flavors are fantastic and it lasts for a long time.  It is wonderful breakfast cake (especially with a good cup of coffee).  I just put a slice in the microwave for 15-20 seconds and it is outstanding.  My mother-in-law, Rose Ann Roberts (Merner to her grandchildren) used to make this cake around the holidays.    I don’t know if she did it just for me, but I always felt that way.  I hope you take the time to make this cake.  You’ll be more than pleased with the results.

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Merner’s Poppy Seed Cake

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp poppy seeds

1/4  cup milk

1 cup Crisco (liquid form)

3 cups sugar

6 egg yolks

3 cups flour

¼ tsp baking soda

Dash of salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp lemon extract

1 tsp butter extract

1 tsp almond extract

6 egg whites, beaten to a stiff peak

Method

For the cake:

1)    Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2)    In a small bowl or measuring cup, soak 2 Tbsp poppy seed in 1/4 cup of milk

3)    In a large bowl, add the Crisco, sugar, egg yolks, flour, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, lemon extract, butter extract, and almond extract and mix to a smooth consistency, with no lumps.

4)    In a separate bowl (preferable stainless steel), beat the egg whites until stiff

5)    Add the beaten egg whites and poppy seeds with milk to batter and gently fold in to the mixture.

6)    Place into a greased and floured bunt pan.

7)    Bake 45 to 55 minutes.

For the glaze:

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup powdered sugar

¼ cup orange juice

1 tsp orange extract

1 tsp butter extract

1 tsp almond extract

Method:

1)    In a medium sauce pan, add the powdered sugar, orange juice, orange extract, butter extract, and almond extract.

2)    Bring to a boil then remove from the heat a cool for 5 minutes.

3)    Pour over hot cake in bunt pan.

4)    Let cake cool before removing from pan.