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 can I use in replacement of eggs? Can I also use GF flour ?
My husband is allergic to egg whites and wheat so I try to adjust all recipes and use ground flax for egg replacement but sometimes it doesn’t come out.
R.
I know that Bob’s Red Mill now sells an egg replacement that might help you Rosie. And I think you could use a good gf baking mix for this cake.
Do the poppy seeds need to be soaked before being mixed in the frosting?
No, they can go right in.
What bake time would you suggest for cupcakes? I love to take this to work.
Cupcakes generally take between 15 and 20 minutes, and I’d check them on the early side.
I want to make this cake for Easter on Sunday, but I don’t have cake flour. Can I use all-purpose flour instead? Do I have to make any adjustments?
You can easily make our own cake flour ~ for every 1 cup of flour, remove 2 Tbsp of flour.
Now add 2 Tbsp of Cornstarch and whisk together really well. If you don’t have cornstarch, use regular flour.
My cake turned out pretty dense. Any idea what I did wrong?
me too but I dont know why. Id like to try it again but don’t want to make the same mistake twice.
Make sure you’re creaming your butter and sugar for the full amount of time. Also when incorporating the eggs, they should be added one by one, with time for each to get fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl, etc. This process aerates the batter and helps the cake rise. But otherwise note that this cake does have a slightly denser texture than, say, a cake mix cake.
I one tablespoon baking powder correct?
Yes.
Where I live they only sell cultured buttermilk (been to many stores). What should I do?
Yes, cultured buttermilk is the thing to use, I love it.
Sue, would this recipe also work out as a bundt cake or cupcakes?
Cupcakes would be fine, not sure about the bundt cake. If you try I would make sure to use a good nonstick pan with a simple design, nothing with intricate patterning because the cake is moist and fluffy and can stick.
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.
Thanks for the feedback Norma, I do love this cake too!!
This was, with no exaggeration, the best tasting cake batter I’ve ever had in my life. I literally said, “oh my GOD” out loud to myself in my kitchen.
I’m going to feature your comment on the homepage Haley, thanks 🙂 I love this cake too.
I only have two pans. What is the baking time if split in two?
I haven’t baked this cake in two pans Brandy, so I can’t say for sure. Give them an extra 5 minutes and check from there.
I recently baked this in two pans and it took me 35 minutes.