Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake

A seriously amazing lemon poppy seed cake recipe! Much like lemon poppy seed muffins and quick bread, this super moist Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake is loaded with delicious lemon flavor. Topped with a wonderfully creamy lemon icing, this lemon poppy seed cake is a keeper!

If you love any type of lemon cake, this lemon poppy seed cake is a must make. Much like Starbucks Lemon Loaf, this frosted lemon poppy seed pound cake recipe is the perfect treat with a cup of coffee.

Made much like a traditional pound cake, this lemon loaf also includes poppy seeds and a delicious lemon frosting.

What do I need to make a lemon poppy seed cake?

Here’s a quick reference grocery list of the ingredients you’ll need to make this cake recipe:

Dry ingredients:

• flour
• lemon pudding mix
• salt
• baking powder
• baking soda

Wet Ingredients:

• butter
• granulated sugar
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• lemon extract
• lemon juice
• vegetable oil
• plain Greek yogurt

Frosting Ingredients:

• Butter, room temperature
• Powdered sugar
• Lemon juice

What pan do I need for a loaf cake?

A 9 x 5″ loaf pan is ideal for making a loaf cake, pound cake and most quick bread recipes, like banana bread.

It is very helpful to line the pan with a sheet of parchment paper. Secure the paper to the pan with binder clips to prevent the paper from sliding when the batter is added.

Be sure to remove the binder clips before placing the cake in the oven.

How do I make a lemon poppy seed cake recipe?

Begin by whisking together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. These ingredients are the flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Including the lemon pudding mix will add another dimension of lemon flavor, without having the batter become bitter or overly acidic.

In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the wet ingredients; butter, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon juice, oil and yogurt?

Why add yogurt to a cake recipe?

Adding Greek yogurt to a cake recipe will help create an extra moist cake. If you don’t have yogurt, you can substitute sour cream.

Then, using my stand mixer, I gradually added the dry to the wet, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. This can also be done manually with a large whisk.

How do I bake a moist cake?

To achieve an ultra moist cake, you can do a few things. First, use vegetable oil in the batter. Also adding ingredients like Greek yogurt or sour cream will increase the moisture in a cake. Second, DONT overbake the cake. If the cake bakes for too long, the cake will be overly dry and crumbly.

How do I know when my cake is done baking?

To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean and crumb-free, the cake is done baking. Remove from the oven right away. If the toothpick has batter or crumbs attached, the cake needs to bake longer as the center is still not done baking.

Add the Poppy Seeds

Once the batter has come together (it should be slightly thicker than a regular cake batter), fold in the poppy seeds. The seeds look especially beautiful with their black contrast against the bright yellow batter.

Where do I find poppy seeds for a lemon poppy seed cake?

You can find poppy seeds in most grocery stores where the spices and seasonings are located.

Wondering what other recipes use poppy seeds? Check out my Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing and my Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins.

Add the cake batter to a prepared loaf pan

Once you’ve folded in the poppy seeds, add the batter to the prepared loaf pan. The batter consistency will be very thick – thicker than the average cake batter.

Use a rubber scraper to scrape out all the batter from the mixing bowl. Spread evenly into the loaf pan.

How long do I bake a lemon poppy seed cake recipe?

A pound cake recipe will typically need 55-58 minutes to bake in a 9 x 5″ pan.

What temperature to bake a pound cake?

A pound cake recipe needs to bake a 350 degrees.

Once the cake has finished baking, it will turn a beautiful dark golden brown on the outside, but will remain bright yellow on the inside. Let the cake cool completely before icing.

What frosting is best for a lemon poppy seed cake?

A complimentary lemon frosting is ideal for a lemon poppy seed pound cake. You could also top a pound cake with cream cheese frosting that is flavored with lemon extract. Check out my recipe for How to Make Amazing Cream Cheese Frosting.

Feel free to omit the icing, should you want to serve this as a breakfast bread or coffee cake.

What do I need to make lemon frosting?

Lemon frosting can easily be made with three ingredients; butter, powdered sugar and lemon juice. To enhance the lemon flavor, feel free to add a small amount (1/2 teaspoon) of lemon extract to the frosting. To make the frosting yellow, add a few drops of yellow food coloring gel.

How do I store a cake?

A frosted lemon poppy seed pound cake can be stored at room temperature. Store in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. Kept at room temperature a cake will keep for 3-4 days.

Want a cake to keep for longer than 3 days? Store a frosted cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container. This will help keep the cake moist and the frosting at a thick consistency. Kept refrigerated, a cake will keep in the refrigerator for at least 7 days.

Inspired to bake more cakes? Check out some of our other delicious cake recipes:

• Coconut Cream Pound Cake
• Red Velvet Sheet Cake
• Carrot Cake Sheet Cake
• Coconut Cream Poke Cake
• Better Than Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf
• Pumpkin Caramel Cream Cheese Poke Cake
• Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Pumpkin Sheet Cake
• Buttermilk Sheet Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting
• Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Strawberry Buttermilk Pound Cake at Call me PMC

Is lemon your thing? Be sure to check out our most popular lemon recipes:

• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
• Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
• Healthy Lemon Blueberry Loaf
• Lemon OREO Icebox Pie
• Cream Cheese Lemon Blueberry Scones
• No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Bars
• Lemon Bundt Cake
• Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake
• Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf

Here’s the simple, delicious recipe for this Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake:

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Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake

Erin Indahl-Fink

Need a super moist and flavorful lemon poppy seed cake recipe? This simple, delicious lemon poppy seed pound cake has amazing lemon flavor and is topped with the perfect lemon frosting.

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Print Recipe Remove Ads Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 58 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 18 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 servings

Calories 352 kcal

Equipment

• Loaf Pan This 9" non-stick loaf pan by Wilton is the perfect size for any quick bread or loaf cake recipe!
• Parchment Paper Sheets These pre-cut parchment paper sheets are super convenient and the perfect size for lining a loaf pan.
• Mixing Bowls These stainless steel mixing bowls are an essential cooking tool for every kitchen.

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons butter softened
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons lemon extract
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 (3.4 oz. pkg.) instant lemon pudding mix dry, unprepared
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

Lemon Frosting:

• 3 Tablespoons butter room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 5 x 9" loaf pan with parchment paper. (It is helpful to secure the parchment paper with binder clips to prevent the paper from sliding when you add the batter.)
  
• With a hand or stand mixer, in a large mixing bowl cream together the granulated sugar and butter. Add in the eggs one at a time with the mixer running on the lowest speed. Add in the vanilla and lemon extracts, lemon juice, oil and yogurt. Mix until ingredients are completely combined.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients; flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• To the wet ingredients, gradually add in the dry ingredients a few spoonfuls at a time. Stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Once all the dry ingredients have been mixed into the wet, batter will be thick. Fold in the poppy seeds to the batter.
• Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 55-58 minutes or until toothpick inserted to the loaf comes out clean and crumb-free. Let the cake cool for at least 10-15 minutes. Use the edges of the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan. Let cool completely on a cooling rack.

Frosting Instructions:

• To a mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter. Gradually add in half of the sugar. Beat together. Add in the lemon juice, and continue to beat together. Add in the remaining sugar, and beat together until thick and creamy. To make the frosting extra thick, add a few more spoonful's of powdered sugar. To make the frosting thinner, like a glaze, add in more lemon juice to achieve your desired consistency.
• Frost the top of the cooled cake with the frosting, using an offset spatula or butter knife. Let the frosting set for 30-60 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Storage: Store any leftover cake in an airtight container. It will keep at room temperature for 3 days. Refrigerated leftover cake will keep for longer, for 5-7 days.

Freezing: Cake can be frozen. Wrap the completely cooled cake with press-and-seal wrap, then store in a freezer bag. The cake will last for up to 3 months frozen.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 352kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 5gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 219mgPotassium: 68mgFiber: 1gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 206IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mg

Keyword lemon poppy seed cake, lemon poppy seed cake recipe, lemon poppy seed pound cake, lemon poppy seed loaf

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