Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
This Lemon Poppy Seed Cake is light, moist, and bursting with fresh citrus flavor. Made with real lemon juice, zest, and crunchy poppy seeds, this easy lemon poppy seed cake recipe, with a cream cheese icing, delivers the perfect balance of sweet and tangy in every bite.
If you love a great dessert, then you must try our Raspberry Chocolate Swiss Roll Recipe; it is amazing!
This is such a delicious lemon poppy seed cake, and one that you don’t normally see at a bakery. Making it homemade is actually quite easy if you follow our step-by-step instructions.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Love lemon in the Spring
- It has a great cream cheese frosting, my fave
- Perfect for Easter
- Moist, tender crumb
- Not too sweet, perfectly balanced
Helpful Items for This Recipe
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9 Inch Cake Pan Set of 2 – Nonstick Carbon Steel Round Cake Baking Pans with 80 PCS Parchment Paper
KitchenAid Classic Series 4.5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer K45SS, Onyx Black
What Ingredients are in Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Ingredients
Butter – Unsalted butter was used in both the cake batter and frosting; however, salted butter could be used instead. If using salted butter, consider reducing or omitting the added salt in the ingredients list.
Granulated sugar – While brown sugar could be used in place of the granulated sugar, it may overpower; granulated sugar will give this cake the best flavor.
Eggs – 2 large sized eggs were used in this recipe.
Oil – Use a mild-flavored oil, such as canola oil, vegetable oil, or extra-mild olive oil. While the oil could be omitted and the butter increased to 3/4 cup, the oil will help create a moist cake.
Lemons – You will need fresh lemons for this recipe, using both the juice and the zest.
Vanilla extract – The vanilla extract can be substituted with 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence.
All-purpose flour – While standard all-purpose flour was used in this recipe, cake flour could be used instead, which will give a more tender crumb.
Baking powder – Not to be confused with baking soda.
Baking soda – Not to be confused with baking powder.
Salt – The amount of salt added to both the cake batter and frosting could be altered to suit personal tastes.
Buttermilk – For best results, use a whole-fat buttermilk. The buttermilk could be substituted with ordinary whole milk.
Poppy Seeds – The amount of poppy seeds added can be increased or decreased depending on personal preference.
Cream cheese – It’s essential to use a whole-fat, brick-style cream cheese in the frosting. Spreadable-style cream cheese will not work in this recipe.
Powdered sugar – The powdered sugar, or confectioners’ sugar, also called icing sugar, is used for making the buttercream frosting.
How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
*See the tips section for helpful tips.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°c. Grease and line with parchment paper 2 x 9-inch round cake tins. Set aside.
Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on a medium-high speed with a flat paddle beater for 3 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract, and beat on a medium speed for 1 minute or until well combined, scraping the sides as necessary.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk and poppy seeds and beat on a low speed until combined.
Divide the batter between the 2 cake tins and smooth the surface. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning onto cooling racks to cool completely.
To make the cream cheese frosting, add the softened butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with a flat paddle attachment on a medium-high speed for 3 minutes or until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating on a low speed until combined after each addition. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes or until fluffy.
Add the salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest and beat on a low speed, increasing to a medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.
Sandwich the 2 cakes together with a portion of the frosting before covering the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. You can sprinkle more poppy seeds on the cake after it is iced.
This icing covers the cake very well, no need for a crumb coat.
Storage
Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before enjoying.
This cake is suitable for freezing. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Little Chef’s Secrets
Tips for the best results
- A few drops of lemon extract could be used to boost the lemon flavor of the cake and frosting.
- Extra poppy seeds were used to garnish the frosted cake.
- The cakes were flipped upside down before frosting to give a flat surface.
- Add a small amount of extra lemon juice if the frosting is too thick.
- The cakes are cooked through if they spring back when lightly touched in the center. Alternatively, use a skewer or toothpick. If the skewer or toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, the cakes are cooked through.
- The cake batter can be cooked in a single 9-inch tin instead of 2 tins. Increase the baking time to approximately 40 minutes, covering the cake loosely with foil if the top is browning too quickly before the cake has cooked through.
- I greased the base and sides of the cake tins with butter, and lined the base with a round piece of parchment paper cut to the size of the cake tin base.
Pin it HERE!!
Pin it HERE!!
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°c. Grease and line with parchment paper 2 x 9-inch round cake tins. Set aside.
- Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on a medium-high speed with a flat paddle beater for 3 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract, and beat on a medium speed for 1 minute or until well combined, scraping the sides as necessary.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk and poppy seeds and beat on a low speed until combined.
- Divide the batter between the 2 cake tins and smooth the surface. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning onto cooling racks to cool completely.
- To make the cream cheese frosting, add the softened butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with a flat paddle attachment on a medium-high speed for 3 minutes or until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating on a low speed until combined after each addition. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes or until fluffy.
- Add the salt, lemon juice and lemon zest and beat on a low speed, increasing to a medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.
- Sandwich the 2 cakes together with a portion of the frosting, before covering the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. *See the tips section for helpful tips.
Such an awesome cake!
love, love, love!
So glad you enjoyed it!!