Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake is a light, fluffy, and moist cake flavored with lemon juice, lemon zest, and poppy seeds and topped with a whipped cream cheese frosting. It is a perfect spring or summer cake recipe!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Servings slices

Calories 236kcal

Author Ellie Haley

Ingredients

For Cake:

1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar
zest of 2 lemons
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup (113 grams) buttermilk
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter melted and cooled
1 ¾ cup (210 grams) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

For Icing:

½ block (113 grams) cream cheese
½ cup (99 grams) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
¾ cup (170 grams) heavy cream

Instructions

For Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray a 9-inch square cake pan with non-stick spray and lay 2 strips of parchment paper in a cross shape across the bottom. Set aside.
In a large bowl combine the granulated sugar and the lemon zest. Whisk well to help release the oils in the zest.
Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, lemon juice, and melted butter until combined.
In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, poppy seeds, and salt.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.

For Icing:

In a medium bowl combine the room temperature cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix until fully combined.
In a separate medium bowl whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Be sure not to over whip.
Add about ¼ of the whipped cream into the cream cheese and mix until completely combined. Add the rest of the whipped cream and gently fold into the cream cheese mixture.

Notes

Don’t use cold ingredients. Ensure that all of your cold ingredients are at room temperature before making your cake batter. The ingredients will combine much easier and you won’t have chunks of cold butter in your batter.

Don't over mix. You need to mix your batter until all of the ingredients are JUST combined, otherwise, you will make too much gluten and your cake will be tough instead of fluffy.
The provided nutrition information is an estimate for the entire cake, the calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.

Nutrition