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–+ servings
Sliced Lemon Poppy Seed Cake.
Tara Noland

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe

5 from 1 vote
Perfect for holidays, celebrations, or everyday baking, this moist Lemon Poppy Seed Cake is a crowd-pleasing dessert that feels light, flavorful, and irresistible.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 546
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake:
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Cream cheese frosting:
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 4 oz. cream cheese softened
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Equipment

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°c. Grease and line with parchment paper 2 x 9-inch round cake tins. Set aside.
  2. 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.
  3. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk and poppy seeds and beat on a low speed until combined.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 546kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 4gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 512mgPotassium: 84mgFiber: 1gSugar: 60gVitamin A: 657IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 1mg

Notes

See the post for more information, photos and tips. 

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