Cheesy Lemonpop Coffee Cake

There are so many recipes I wanted to try, just didn't get around to it and this is one of them. I baked this right after we finished the Peachy Cream Cake since there was still some cream cheese left. I added 2 tbsp of lemon drink mix this time to boost up the lemony flavor and it works!! Oh, you can also use lemon essence instead. The taste is so so good. Hope you like it too.

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cups sugar
2 tbsp lemon zest 
2 tbsp lemon drink mix (I used Country Time Mix), optional

4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 

1/4 cup (2oz) cream cheese

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tbsp lemon juice 

1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 400°F, line the bottom of a 9" cake pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl mix together all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and set aside.

In another mixing bowl, rub together sugar, lemon zest and lemon drink mix. Add butter, cream cheese and beat with a hand mixer until light and creamy, followed by the egg, vanilla, sour cream, lemon juice and poppy seeds. Mix until well combined. 

For the next part of the mixing I use a spatula. Gently add flour mixture into the batter in three batches, until just combined. Do not over mix or your cake will become tough. Spread batter evenly in the cake pan.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or cool.