My lemon poppy seed cake is a celebratory dessert for lemon lovers. It’s a fluffy three layer lemon cake topped off with the perfect lemon poppy seed frosting.
Heads up lemon lovers! This lemon poppy seed cake is going to be a new favorite.
My dessert style here at tvfgi is casual and laid back, and even when I do a layer cake like this one it never gets uptight or fussy. It’s inspired by my wildly popular Raspberry Lemon Cake with Lemon Buttercream. (A mouthwatering lemon frosting is the connection between the two.) Both are definitely spring/summertime cakes, perfect for tea parties, showers, birthdays, etc.
lemon poppy seed cake grocery list:
- cake flour ~ makes this cake extra tender, but you can also use all purpose flour.
- granulated sugar
- confectioner’s sugar for the frosting
- unsalted butter
- large eggs
- fresh lemon for the juice and zest
- lemon paste ~ optional
- buttermilk
- poppy seeds
- baking powder
- salt
I also used a new product for the first time: Lemon Paste, from Nielsen and Massey. I’ve seen it around and have been dying to try it, I’m all for trying anything that will amp up the lemony flavor in my dessert recipes. I thought it added a nice, natural extra layer of flavor, it’s a keeper!
my lemon sugar technique maximizes lemon flavor in lemon desserts.
I simple process the sugar together with the zest of a lemon…the result is a heavily flavored lemon sugar that permeates the cake. It’s such an easy process that makes a big difference.
You can see my lemon sugar technique in action in other recipes on the blog. I first used it in my Scottish Lemon Sugar Shortbread. I was so smitten I went on to make my Lemon Sugar Crumb Cake. After that it was a no-brainer for my Buttermilk Lemon Bread. I don’t think I’ll be stopping any time soon.
Make your lemon poppy seed cake ahead
To get a head start on this cake for a special occasion, you can bake the cake layers the day before. Let them cool completely and then wrap in plastic and leave on the counter, or refrigerate.
The buttercream should be made just before frosting, but you can do this in the morning. Keep the cake at room temperature or refrigerate, depending on how you like it. If the weather is hot you can chill the cake and the frosting takes on a fudge-like mouthfeel, it’s decadent and delish.
Make this lemon layer cake your own
- Yes, you can make this as a sheet cake, but the cooking time may be different. Cooking time is dependent on the depth of the batter, for one thing, so keep an eye on it , and check it early. If the cake is pulling away from the sides, and a toothpick comes out dry, its done!
- For a 2 layer cake, the cooking time will definitely be a little longer so check it every 5 minutes after the original baking time.
- Use 8-inch cake pans for a taller cake. They’ll also take a little longer to bake.
- Use regular milk instead of buttermilk, or make your own by adding a teaspoon of lemon juice to whole milk. Stir it up and then let it sit for 15 minutes.
- You can leave out the poppy seeds in the frosting, no problem. You can add poppy seeds to the cake, no problem.
- If you don’t want to make the lemon zest infused sugar, just add a tablespoon or 2 of finely grated zest to the batter.
- If you don’t have the lemon paste, just leave it out.
I’m crazy for lemon desserts
- Lemon Butter Pie
- Raspberry Lemon Cake
- Meyer Lemon Pudding (super easy recipe!)
- Strawberry Lemon Blondies
- Warm Lemon Pudding Cake
- Blueberry Zucchini Snack Cake with Lemon Buttercream
Featured comment:
“This was the best cake I’ve ever made. Moist, with the lemon flavour accented by your lemon sugar method. Thanks for sharing this recipe.” ~ Norma
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Video
Equipment
- 3 9 inch cake pans
Ingredients
- 3 cups cake flour (you can also use all purpose flour)
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- zest of 1 lemon, peeled with a vegetable peeler (no white pith)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp lemon paste, optional, You can buy lemon paste here
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 6 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
- 6-8 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed.
- 1/4 cup poppy seeds
- optional: one small drop yellow gel food coloring
garnish
- very thin slices of lemon
- mint leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F Grease and flour three 9-inch baking pans, and then line the bottoms with a round of parchment paper. Note: the parchment paper is important because the cakes can stick without it.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
- Put the sugar in a food processor, along with the zest of one lemon. Note: you don’t want the peel of the lemon, just the outer zest. Use a serrated vegetable peeler for best results and just peel off the yellow part, leaving the bitter white behind. Process the sugar and zest together until the zest is completely incorporated, and the sugar is moist and pale yellow.
- Cream the soft butter and the lemon sugar together in a stand mixer for 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl to get everything incorporated. Add the lemon paste.
- Reduce the mixer to low speed and add the flour, mixing just until barely combined, then add the buttermilk and lemon juice. Mix until everything has come together, but don’t over-mix.
- Divide the batter equally between the 3 pans and spread out evenly.
- Bake for about 23-25 minutes, or just until risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it. Don’t over bake these layers ~ they’re thin and will cook quickly.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans on a rack. When they are cool, carefully flip them over and remove the parchment paper.
- To make the frosting cream the butter and sugar, gradually adding enough lemon juice to make a spreadable frosting. You may need a little more or a little less than the amount stated. Add the poppy seeds and beat until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Add more lemon juice to make it thinner, or more sugar to thicken it. If you’d like a pale yellow tint to your frosting, add a drop or two of food coloring and mix in thoroughly.
- Frost the cake and then garnish with the lemon slices and mint leaves.
Nutrition
What a great and beautiful recipe! I have to try the lemon paste – that’s something I’ve never seen before.
I’ve used several of your recipes – but this was the first cake recipe I tried. It was fun to make (I have 3 cake pans too!), it turned out great, and is delicious.
I’m so happy to hear that ~ the 3 layers are fun 🙂
I will definitely bake this yummy looking cake. Thanks for an inspiring recipe.
Love that beautiful poppy buttercream! An excellent cake recipe, Sue.
Oh my goodness! The cake and the frosting sounds super delicious and tempting!
I’m a big fan of lemon and this both looks amazing and sounds delicious! We don’t have cake all that often as we struggle to get through them, but might have to make an exception for this!
This would make a nice snack cake, too, you could halve the recipe and make it in a single layer or square pan.
Cakes and their frosting freeze wonderfully. Slice, freeze , thaw and enjoy
This cake looks just amazing Sue! So fluffy and light. Your photography is outstanding too. Can’t wait to make this!
Thanks Ana ~ I always try to get a good shot of the texture of my cakes, I’m passionate about a moist, loose crumb! (nerdy blogger stuff)
Wow, lemon And poppy seeds are two of my favorite ingredients. My question also goes around the lemon paste. I have never come across such a thing where I live but I have a lemon curd at hand. So my question Is whether you can substitute the paste for the curd.
No, I don’t think that’s necessary Hana. The paste is like a concentrated lemon flavor, and the curd would not be that strong. No worries, the paste is not essential. If you ever come across it, though, I recommend it as a great boost of flavor for lots of lemon dessert recipes.
Lemon is my absolute favourite flavour cake and this looks amazing. Looking the poppy seeds.
I’m obsessed with poppy seed frosting, I love how it looks!
This cake looks delicious but I really wish you’d provided a substitute for the nearly $15.00 lemon paste that you call for.
You can totally leave out the paste, but remember, like vanilla paste, a little goes a long way! But really, it’s just a fun addition for super lemon lovers to play with. The cake has plenty of lemon flavor without it.
Thank you ever so much, Sue. I will look out for that or see if any online shop offers it. I also might have seen a lemon extract, just like a vanilla extract used in baking for example. Could that be used? Thank you for sharing the recipe with us.
I’ve used lemon extract, and it can be tricky. Some brands taste good, some don’t. Lately I’ve been steering clear of extracts and using my lemon sugar technique to amp up the flavor.