Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
This lemon poppy seed cake recipe features a buttery, moist cake, bursting with lemon flavor! It's speckled with poppy seeds for a nice crunch and topped with a lemon cream cheese frosting for the perfect dessert!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (313 g) All Purpose Flour , (sifted)
- 3 1/2 tbsp Poppy Seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 2/3 cups (333 g) Sugar
- 4 tbsp Lemon Zest
- 1/3 cup (73 g) Brown Sugar
- 3/4 cup (168 g) Salted Butter, (room temperature)
- 1/4 cup (56 ml) Olive Oil, (or vegetable oil)
- 4 large (200 g) Eggs, (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp Lemon Emulsion
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Almond Extract
- 3/4 cup (180 g) Sour Cream, (room temperature)
- 1/4 cup (60 g) Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup (69 g) Whole Milk
Lemon Simple Syrup (cake soak)
- 1/4 cup (60 g) Water
- 1/4 cup (50 g) Sugar
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 oz (113 g) Cream Cheese, (room temperature)
- 2 tbsp Salted Butter, (melted)
- 2 cups (240 g) Powdered Sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 g) Lemon Juice
- 2-3 tbsp Whole Milk, (room temperature)
- 1 tsp Poppy Seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 10 or 12 bundt pan with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine all purpose flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and kosher salt. Whisk together and set aside. 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour 3 1/2 tbsp Poppy Seeds 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add sugar and lemon zest. Rub the zest and the sugar together (this helps release the oils from the zest, intensifying the lemon flavor) for about 3-4 minutes, until the sugar takes on a pale yellow color and becomes fragrant. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment, add room temperature butter, brown sugar, and oil. Mix together on medium speed for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. 1 2/3 cups Sugar 4 tbsp Lemon Zest 3/4 cup Salted Butter 1/3 cup Brown Sugar 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- Reduce mixer to low speed, Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and begin adding eggs, one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated prior to adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and add the lemon emulsion, vanilla extract, and almond extract. 4 large Eggs 1 tbsp Lemon Emulsion 2 tsp Vanilla Extract 1/4 tsp Almond Extract
- Add half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, about 10 seconds. Then add the sour cream, lemon juice, and whole milk, and mix until just combined, about 10 seconds. Finally, add the remainder of the flour mixture and mix until combined and smooth, about 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and continue to mix for an additional 5-10 seconds, ensuring that the batter is smooth. 3/4 cup Sour Cream 1/4 cup Lemon Juice 1/4 cup Whole Milk
- Bake for 1 hour and 10-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the lemon simple syrup. combine water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the sugar is just dissolved, about 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and add in lemon juice. Set aside to cool. 1/4 cup Water 1/4 cup Sugar 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- Allow the cake to cool in the bundt pan for 10 minutes, then turn over onto a wire rack. Use a pastry brush to brush the cake with the lemon simple syrup, then allow the cake to cool completely.
- Now make the lemon cream cheese glaze. Add cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 20-30 seconds, until smooth, then add the powdered sugar, melted butter, lemon juice, poppy seeds, and milk. Mix until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds. 4 oz Cream Cheese 2 cups Powdered Sugar 2 tbsp Salted Butter 2 tbsp Lemon Juice 2-3 tbsp Whole Milk 1 tsp Poppy Seeds
- Pour the glaze on top of the cooled cake just before serving.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients! This allows for the batter to comes together smoothly, leading to a more even tender crumb.
- Don’t overmix the cake batter. Once you add the flour, mix just until combined to keep the cake tender.
- Let the cake cool before glazing. This prevents the glaze from melting off of the cake.
- Don't skip the lemon syrup! While the cake’s still warm, brush on with lemon simple syrup for extra flavor and moisture. This takes the cake to the next level!
- Be careful not to overbake the cake. This will lead to a dry cake. Use a wooden skewer to check for doneness - if it comes out with just a few moist crumbs, it's done!
Nutrition
Calories: 469kcal, Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 93mg, Sodium: 257mg, Potassium: 110mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 47g, Vitamin A: 587IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 101mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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