Lemon poppy seed cake (Printable Version)
A moist cake with lemon zest, crunchy poppy seeds, and tangy sweet icing, perfect for teatime or dessert.
# What You Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
03 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
08 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
09 - Zest of 2 lemons
10 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
11 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Lemon Icing
13 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch bundt or loaf pan.
02 - Whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Incorporate eggs one at a time into the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Mix in lemon zest and lemon juice.
05 - Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in vanilla extract.
06 - Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the cooled cake and let set before slicing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The poppy seeds give you tiny pockets of crunch that surprise you in every bite.
- It's tender without being heavy, and the lemon keeps things from tasting one-note or cloying.
- The whole thing comes together in under two hours, icing included.
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are not a suggestion—cold eggs and butter won't incorporate smoothly, and you'll notice the difference in the crumb.
- Overmixing after you add the flour develops gluten and makes the cake tough, so fold gently and stop as soon as everything is combined.
03 -
- If you want even more lemon intensity, add 1 teaspoon of lemon extract to the batter—but start with just a half teaspoon and taste the batter before adding more, because it can quickly become perfume-like.
- You can swap sour cream for buttermilk if that's what you have; the result will be slightly richer and a touch less tangy, but still excellent.