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This Lemon Poppyseed Cake is a tender, moist cake that’s full of lemon flavor and poppy seeds! It’s covered in a light lemon cream cheese frosting for a cake that’s perfect for lemon lovers!
It’s no secret around here that I love a tasty lemon dessert. I have quite a variety of lemon flavored cakes and this is my latest. Believe it or not – it might just be my favorite!
LEMON POPPYSEED CAKE RECIPE
What I love so much about this cake is the lemon flavor. It’s perfection. There’s a large variety when it comes to lemon cake flavor, but I really love a strong flavor in pretty much anything I eat. That can be tough with lemon, but this cake is just right.
To make this amazing cake, start with both butter and oil. The butter lends that wonderful flavor, while the oil helps with keeping the cake moist. Beat them with some sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until the mixture lightens in color and gets a fluffier texture, about two minutes.
Next, you’ll add the eggs, then alternate adding the dry ingredients with the milk and fresh lemon juice. For our leavener, we’ve got both baking powder and baking soda in order to properly balance the acid in the lemon juice.
Finally, you’ll add some lemon zest and poppy seeds.
WHY ADD POPPY SEEDS?
Poppy seeds add both flavor and a little crunch. They also contain a good bit of fiber, calcium, copper, phosphorus and magnesium. All are good and healthy things. Clearly that means this cake is healthy too! 😉
That said, this cake could also be made without them.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
This Lemon Poppyseed Cake is finished off with my favorite Cream Cheese Frosting, with a little bit of lemon juice and lemon zest added. It adds a subtle lemon flavor, which goes great with the cake.
The final cake is nothing short of delicious! The combination of the full flavored, moist lemon cake with the light flavor of the poppy seeds and cream cheese frosting is heavenly. It’s a wonderful combination of sweet and tangy and such a wonderful citrusy cake for spring and summer. I seriously wanted to sit down with a fork and just eat it one sitting. I hope you love it too!
MORE LEMON DESSERTS TO TRY
Lemon Cake with Lemon Bavarian Cream
Lemon Mascarpone Layer Cake
No Bake Lemon Cheesecake
Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
Triple Lemon Cake
Lemon Poppyseed Cake
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Lemon Poppyseed Cake is a tender, moist cake that’s full of lemon flavor and poppy seeds! It’s covered in a light lemon cream cheese frosting for a cake that’s perfect for lemon lovers!
Ingredients
Lemon Poppyseed Cake
- 2 1/2 cups (325g) all purpose flour
- 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups (310g) sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (180ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (120ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon zest
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz (452g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (172g) butter, room temperature
- 10 cups (1150g) powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest
Instructions
1. Prepare three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
3. Add the butter, oil, sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until mostly combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
6. Combine the milk and lemon juice, then slowly add the mixture to the batter and mix until well combined.
7. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
8. Add the lemon zest and poppy seeds and gently stir to combine.
9. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pans and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
10. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
11. To make the frosting, add the cream cheese and butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until well combined and smooth.
12. Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
13. Add the lemon juice and zest and mix until well combined.
14. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth. Add more or less powdered sugar, as desired for consistency purposes.
15. To put the cake together, use a large serrated knife to remove the domes from the top of the cakes so that they’re flat, if needed.
16. Place the first cake on a serving plate or a cardboard cake round.
17. Spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly on top of the cake.
18. Add the second layer of cake and another cup of frosting.
19. Top the cake with the remaining layer and frost the outside of the cake. Refer to my tutorial for frosting a smooth cake, if needed. To make the line pattern in the side of the cake, I used one of the decorative sides on this icing smoother.
20. Finish off the cake as you like. I added rosettes around the top outer edge and sprinkled on some poppy seeds. I also added some lemon slices.
21. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. Cake is best served cool, but not necessarily cold.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 715
- Sugar: 94.3 g
- Sodium: 263.6 mg
- Fat: 26.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 115 g
- Protein: 7.5 g
- Cholesterol: 89.4 mg
Categories
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Hello! Can this cake be stacked with dowels for wedding? Thank you!
I would assume that if you’re using dowels to support the cake above it that it should be fine.
Hi, can I add more lemon juice in batter? Do I need to decrease the amount of milk if I do that?
Lemon juice is an acid and milk is not. If you add too much lemon juice, the cake will likely fall. You could try adding a little bit more, but I wouldn’t overdo it.
Can the sponge be frozen in advance?
That should be fine. Just wrap it well before freezing and thaw it in the fridge.
Can I make this in a 9×13??
Yes, that should be fine. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
Hello! plan on making this soon, would cake flour be a mistake?
I didn’t test it with cake flour so I can’t say, but I would stick with all purpose if you don’t have time to make it again if you don’t like the result.
I am excited to try this recipe! Lately I have been separating my eggs and whipping the whites and folding them in at the end. Would that work with this cake?
I don’t think it would hurt the cake, but it isn’t necessary and could make it too delicate. This cake is already very light and tender in my opinion.
Oh great! Thank you so much!!
Fantastic recipe, cake was gorgeous. Raving reviews from family.
So glad to hear that!
I had sooo much frosting left over! I did this as a trial for my daughters wedding cake, can you freeze left over frosting?
Yes, you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
I want to make a taster cake. How do I reduce the ingredients down for this.
What size would a taster cake be? 6 inches? I’d probably cut the recipe in half for a 6 inch cake.
Hi Lindsay,
I just found this gorgeous recipe on your blog. I will try this for my sister’s birthday. Can I colour the cream cheese frosting with some oil based food colour in pink?
I typically use gel icing color, which would probably be best. But the oil-based ones might work too.
I would love to make this as a wedding cake my question is how would you alter the recipe for 10 inch and 6 inch pans
For a 6 inch pan you can cut the recipe. For a 10 inch, you may need to double it.
Hi! This cake works for wedding cake? Not a big one, but two tier cake?
It depends on what you need for a wedding cake I guess. I don’t make wedding cakes really. But I’d think it’d be fine. It’s very moist and tender.
Hi! I was wondering what is the best substitute would be for the eggs, butter, and milk would be?
I might try another recipe. Substituting all of those things is basically not the same recipe and I can’t guarantee good results.
Hi! Can this be put in a Bundt tin? Many thanks 🙂
I haven’t ever tried it to be able to say.
I’m planning to make the sponge ahead of time, letting cool then wrapping in plastic wrap at room temperature for 48 hours before assembly. Do you think that would work?
That should be fine.
10 cup sugar?
Yep, feel free to read more about my buttercream and the consistency I like to use it at in this post about frosting consistency. You’re welcome to reduce it, but particularly with cream cheese frosting, you need the powdered sugar to thicken it, in my opinion. You can reduce the overall amount of frosting though.
I’m making this very soon for a ladies luncheon. My question is I only have 2 cake pans.
Will the recipe work if I just use the 2? They are deep cake pans. Thank you. Can’t wait to make this cake.
Two 9 inch pans should be fine. You just might need to bake them a few minutes longer.
Love! Love! Love this recipe! Every time I’ve made it, I get amazing reviews. I was also asked if I can make this without the lemon flavoring substituting almond extract? Thank you for sharing your love and joy to the kitchen!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Unfortunately removing the lemon juice will have a big impact on how the cake bakes. I would recommend making my vanilla cake and using almond extract in it. https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/moist-vanilla-layer-cake/
Love butter and oil cakes. I’m interested in swapping clementines for the lemons. Would you suggest decreasing the sugar or keeping the proportions the same?
I would probably keep it the same.
Thanks for your recipe wisdom. I’ll give it a go!
Hi!!! I love this recipe so so much! It’s my favorite lemon cake recipe.
I have to ask; have you made this as cupcakes at any point? and if so did you find yourself adjusting the recipe?
So glad you enjoyed it! These cupcakes are basically the same. You could add the poppyseeds to them. https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/lemon-cupcakes/
Hi, I was wondering if I could make this gluten free? What would recommend using?