Not Everything Can Be Above Average: Zingerman's Lemon Poppy Seed Cake and Big O Cookies

This is going to be a quick post on a couple of recipes I made from Zingerman's Bakehouse for a going away party at work. It's going to be quick because I thought both recipes were just okay and not really worth a long discussion.

The first was a Lemon Poppy Seed cake, which is a variation of the Sour Cream Coffee Cake that I previously made and loved. The only differences between the two versions are that the lemon poppy seed cake: 1) doesn't have a nut filling; and 2) has lemon oil and poppy seeds added. I expected to enjoy the lemon poppy seed version as much as the original, but I didn't. It was fine, but nothing particularly memorable. I think the sour cream version was far superior.

The second recipe was the "Big O Cookies," which are oatmeal raisin cookies. This is a pretty straightforward oatmeal cookie recipe, although it also includes a healthy does of maple syrup, which the headnote says "adds an interesting and unexpected complexity of flavor." I used a mix of regular and golden jumbo flame raisins because that's what I had on hand. Like the cake, these cookies were perfectly fine -- but they didn't stand out from other oatmeal raisin cookies I've made.

In short, I don't think I'll be making either of these recipes again. But that's okay. Many of the other recipes I've tried from Zingerman's Bakehouse so far have been exceptional and I'm certain I'll find many other standouts as I continue to bake my way through it.

Recipes: "Sour Cream Coffee Cake (or Lemon Poppy Seed)" and "Big O Cookies" from Zingerman's Bakehouse by Amy Emberling and Frank Carollo.

Previous Posts:

• "The Bakehouse Is Batting a Thousand So Far: Zingerman's Sour Cream Coffee Cake," January 4, 2018.
• "Baked Sunday Mornings: Oatmeal Cherry (or Cranberry) Nut Cookies," November 5, 2017.
• "Scratch the 'Scotch: Oatmeal Scotchies," June 4, 2015.
• "The Fruit Blends In but the Cookie Stands Out: Cranberry Apricot Oatmeal Cookies," August 31, 2013.
• "Fall Sneak Preview: Maple Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies," August 12, 2010. 
• "Crispy, Chewy, Cinnamon-y and Sweet: Corner Bakery's Oatmeal Raisin Cookie," April 25, 2010.
• "Giving the Corporate Machine Credit Where Credit Is Due: the Outrageous Oatmeal Cookie," August 26, 2009.
• "Mmmmm, Wheat Germ... Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from Auntie Em's Kitchen," May 20, 2009.