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    Home / Desserts / Cakes

    Lemon poppy seed pound cake with lemon glaze

    Jan 31, 2023 by Fadela This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe

    Delicious lemon poppy seed pound cake with lemon glaze. If you like tangy lemon desserts then follow my recipe to make this cake as moist as a pound cake with a tender texture, rich in butter and the good lemon flavor.

    Slice of lemon loaf with poppy seed this recipe

    Best lemon poppy seed cake

    For all the lemon lovers out there, here is my best lemon poppy seed pound cake recipe. This lemon cake has nothing to envy to the classic lemon pound cake.

    This lemon and poppy seed pound cake also has a wonderful soft, moist texture like a pound cake, thanks to the sour cream and that delicious lemon flavor.

    My lemon poppy seed pound cake comes with a lemon juice flavored glaze that is very easy to make and that adds a nice topping on this cake in addition to the little seeds poppy seeds that add style to this lemon cake and give it a light crunchy texture in the mouth.

    This lemon poppy seed pound cake is quick and easy to make and is sure to please anyone who loves tangy desserts.

    Add some red fruits, raspberries or blueberries with whipped cream and you have a fabulous dessert for your summer lunches.

    Lemon poppy seed cake cut

    Composition

    The recipe for lemon and poppy seed cake is very easy to make and with simple ingredients that we all have in our cupboards. It has a texture very similar to pound cake recipes, very rich in butter and melting in the mouth.

    Follow the recipe and all my instructions to make a success of your lemon poppy cake and keep all its softness.

    Slice of lemon loaf cake with a spoon

    Ingredients you need for this recipe

    • Butter: Unsalted butter or use melted and cooled butter.
    • Sugar: White granulated sugar should not be used in place of flavored sugar, as it may alter the flavor of the lemon.
    • Fresh Lemon juice and lemon zest: Use untreated and preferably organic fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.
    • Eggs: medium size and at room temperature
    • Vanilla: Pure, liquid vanilla extract that can be replaced with a packet of vanilla sugar.
    • Sour cream : The acidity of the sour cream plays an important role in the softness of this cake. You can replace it with fermented milk or plain yogurt.
    • Flour: white wheat all purpose flour.
    • Baking powder : For the softness or replace with baking soda.
    • Salt: essential to bring out the flavors.
    • Poppy seeds: Poppy seeds are added mainly for the decorative side of the cake, but they also add an extra texture in the mouth.
    • Powdered sugar : To make the sugar glaze use powdered sugar or confectioners' sugar instead of granulated sugar.

    Optional

    • Streusel or crumble: Add a crunchy topping to your cake. It is made with a mixture of sugar, flour, butter and almond meal. You can find the recipe on my pumpkin bread recipe.
    • Fruit: red fruits, raspberries or blueberries. Add them at the end of the preparation of the batter for a fruity touch.

    You will find the quantities and instructions in the recipe card further down on this page.

    Wood board with a plate and a slice of lemon loaf cake

    How to make lemon poppy seed cake

    1. In a large bowl, place softened butter, granulated sugar and lemon zest.
    2. With an electric mixer, mix at medium speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
    3. Add vanilla and eggs in 2-3 additions, mixing well between each addition, still using a mixer at medium speed, until well incorporated with the other ingredients.

    Tip: Use an electric mixer to make the mixture or your stand mixer.

    Large bowl with sugar and diced butter
    Large bowl with creamy butter and egg mixture
    • Add the sour cream and fresh lemon juice and mix again to incorporate them.
    • Finish by adding the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, pinch of salt and poppy seeds.
    • Mix with a flexible spatula until the mixture is homogeneous.

    Tip: To incorporate the dry ingredients, do not use a mixer or you will over mix the batter and lose the softness of the cake.

    Large bowl with lemon batter
    Large bowl with ingredient flour and poppy seeds

    At this stage the mixture may seem lumpy but that's normal, it's just the excess liquid that gives this texture.

    Large bowl with lemon poppy seed pound cake batter

    Baking

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and line with parchment paper a 10 inch loaf pan to make it easier to unmold.
    2. Then pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the back of a tablespoon to distribute the batter evenly in the corners of the tin.
    3. Bake the lemon cake in the oven for about 50 to 55 minutes until it is golden brown on top.
    4. When removed from the oven, let the lemon poppy seed pound cake cool completely in the pan before unmolding.

    Tip: The cake is ready when the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs.

    Lemon cake batter on a prepared pan before baking
    Lemon loaf cake after baking on  a table

    Store and freeze your cake

    Room temperature: You can store your lemon poppy seed cake at room temperature for up to 5 days. Place it in a storage box with an airtight lid to keep it soft and prevent it from drying out. Or you can place it directly in the refrigerator and keep it for a week.

    In the freezer: Keep your lemon poppy seed pound cake in the freezer for even longer. Once baked and completely cooled, cut into slices and place in a box or freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    Table with a lemon loaf cake with lemon slice

    More lemon recipes

    • Lemon Blueberry and Streusel Muffins
    • Lemon Bundt Cake
    • Lemon muffins with lemon glaze
    • Lemon meringue tarts
    • Lemon poppy seed muffins
    • Lemon meringue cake
    • Lemon curd
    • Lemon curd tart
    Table with a slice of lemon poppy seed cake and spoons

    More loaf cake recipe

    • Moist banana bread recipe
    • Chocolate chip banana bread
    • Double chocolate banana bread
    • Chocolate banana muffins
    • Banana walnut bread
    • Pumpkin bread with streusel topping
    • Carrot bread with cream cheese icing
    Lemon poppy seed cake slice on a plate

    Did you like this recipe? Don't forget to rate it and leave me a review in comments! And to not miss any recipes follow @sweetlycakes on Instagram and tag me to share it if you make this recipe 😊!

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    Lemon poppy seed pound cake


    • Author: Fadela
    • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    • Yield: 12 slices
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    Description

    Easy recipe for lemon poppy seed pound cake, very soft and moist (for a 10 inch / 25 cm loaf pan 10 - 12 slices) 


    Ingredients

    Lemon poppy cake 

    • 210 g (1 stick + ½ cup) Butter - softened
    • 200 g (1 cup) Sugar - granulated
    • 2 lemon zests
    • 100 ml (½ cup) lemon juice - about 2 large lemon
    • 4 eggs - room temperature
    • 2 tsp liquid vanilla
    • 1 tsp baking powder or baking soda
    • 120 g (½ cup) Sour cream - or yogurt
    • 220 g (1 ¾ cups) flour - all purpose
    • ½ tsp of salt
    • 2 tbsp poppy seeds

     

    Sugar glaze

    • 100 g (¾ cup)Confectioner's sugar
    • 1 - 2 tsp lemon juice or water

    Instructions

    Lemon poppy cake

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a 10 inch/ 25 cm long loaf pan with parchment paper or grease it with butter.
    2. Place the softened butter in a large bowl with the sugar and the lemon zest.
    3. Mix on medium speed with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes until smooth.
    4. Add the vanilla, then the eggs in three additions while running the mixer on medium speed until well incorporated.
    5. Then add the sour cream and lemon juice and mix again to incorporate them.
    6. Finish by adding the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds and mix this time with a flexible spatula until the mixture is homogeneous and a bit grainy.
    7. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
    8. Bake in the oven for about 50 to 55 minutes, check the cake by sticking a knife or a toothpick in the center of the cake, if it comes out clean without liquid batter is that it is cooked otherwise extend the cooking time by a few minutes.
    9. Let the lemon poppy cake cool completely in its mold before unmolding it.

     

    Lemon glaze

    1. Place the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl with the lemon juice or water and mix with a fork until the mixture is smooth. If the mixture seems too liquid, add more confectioners' sugar and if it seems too thick, add water in small drops.
    2. Pour the lemon glaze over your lemon poppy seed cake and decorate with lemon zest.

    Equipment

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    Stand mixer

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    Hand mixer

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    Loaf pan

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    Notes

    Storage: At room temperature or in the refrigerator for 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 55 minutes
    • Category: cake, dessert
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: Lemon poppy seed pound cake, poppy seed cake

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