my favorite sport

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #JustAdd7UP

For about one quarter of my life, basketball was everything to me.

Starting semi-seriously in the 5th grade, I quickly took to the game and played AAU for many years. In high school, I played during the regular season as well as throughout the summer, and in college I was a member of an amazing intramural team, the majority of whose members could've easily been playing for the school's team. (I also had a stint as a rec league referee, but that's something I think I've actively blocked out--parents can be mean!) I always loved watching the sport too, whether it was at the high school level, college, or NBA (admittedly less enjoyable)...

All that said, I love March and the basketball excitement it brings with it. To enhance the game-watching experience, I think it's important to have many snacks available, and 7UP® is there to help! Believe it or not, 7UP from Walmart is a fantastic ingredient to incorporate into many baked goods, as its sweet, lemon-lime tang complements many other flavors quite well and its carbonation has an exciting effect on fluffy treats like cakes.

Since lemon seems to be the go-to citrus fruit for pairing with poppy seeds, I decided to make a 7UP lemon poppy seed bundt cake for some of our basketball-related festivities. Though it doesn't really need it, the glaze is a great touch, adding one more little boost of sweetness. You may, of course, garnish as you like, but I thought some orange glaze would be appropriate and fun.

This is a really moist cake with a subtle lemon flavor. The poppy seeds add just the tiniest bit of crunch and texture and I love what they contribute. Your guests will shove the chips and pretzels aside when you bring this out during halftime!

Walmart is the place to go to find 7UP in a 12-ounce 12-pack or 8-pack. I also picked up the orange food gel there--one-stop shop! For more ideas about using 7UP as an ingredient in everything from cocktails to marinades, search Twitter and Facebook for #JustAdd7UP!

7UP Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake 

Serves 12-16 
Ingredients: 
Cake:

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 (3.4 ounce) box instant lemon pudding
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 cup 7UP
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1-2 tablespoons milk
• Orange food gel, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease 10-inch bundt pan with butter and coat with flour, knocking out the excess.
In a medium bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding, poppy seeds, 7UP, eggs, and oil and mix until thoroughly combined, about 2 minutes.
Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for about 45-55 minutes (until toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean).
Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan to a cooling rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, in a small bowl, combine sifted powdered sugar and lemon juice.
Add milk in slowly until the desired consistency is reached.
Add a tiny bit of food gel and stir until uniform, if you desire to change the hue.
Pour or spoon the icing over the cooled cake, allow to set slightly, garnish as desired, and serve.