Step 1

Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 24cm cake pan and line base with baking paper.

Step 2

Place milk in a bowl and stir in poppyseeds. Stand for 20 minutes.

Step 3

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and pale. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Gently fold in zest, juice and poppyseed mixture. Sift fl our and baking powder over top and fold in. Spoon mixture into pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a plate.

Step 4

Meanwhile, place syrup ingredients in a pan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Turn heat to high and simmer for 2 minutes. While cake is still warm, pierce holes in top with a skewer and pour over the hot syrup and zest. Serve warm or cold.