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    Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes

    Lemon Poppyseed Cake

    Published: Jan 14, 2025 · Modified: Jul 7, 2025 by Karin and Ken · This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

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    This Lemon Poppy Seed Cake is the perfect way to indulge yourself in lemon freshness that brings you back to summer. Imagine the warm breeze on your face as you bite into the sweet and tangy moist cake. Be prepared to be blown away! It’s also much cheaper to make than it would be to buy that plane ticket to the tropics!

    Lemon poppyseed cake on a white platter with some slices cut.
    Jump to:
    • Why You’ll Love This Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Variations
    • How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
    • Recipe Tips
    • Storage Directions 
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Delicious Lemon Desserts
    • Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake

    Delicious and easy, this poppy seed lemon cake will have you going back for seconds! The citrus of the lemon works with the nutty texture of the poppy seed and undertones of vanilla to create a flavor that keeps you coming back for more. Top it off with the lemon glaze for more sweetness.

    If you like lemon desserts, you will love my mini lemon bundt cakes, lemon cool whip cookies, lemon sheet cake and this blueberry lemon ice cream too!

    Why You’ll Love This Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe

    • Quick and easy: With only 15 minutes of prep time, you’ll have this poppy seed loaf baking in no time! 
    • A masterful balance of flavors: The lemon offers a citrusy zest that is tamed down by the vanilla and poppy seed to give it a tangy, sweet, and slightly nutty flavor.
    • Versatile: You can have it as a dessert or for breakfast!

    Ingredients

    Ingredients to make lemon poppyseed cake on the table before preparing.
    • Flour: Provides the foundation for this lemon poppy cake. We use standard all-purpose flour for this recipe.
    • Sugar: Sugar adds the sweetness to the recipe. It counters the tartness of the lemon and provides balance. You can swap it out with brown sugar or use both though the brown sugar may change the color slightly.
    • Poppy seeds: Normal black poppy seeds give this lemon poppy seed loaf its crunchy texture. They add a nutty flavor that complements the lemon. 
    • Baking powder: Baking powder is an important ingredient that helps the poppy seed lemon cake rise.
    • Lemon flavor: Lemon zest and lemon juice play an important role in this recipe. They give the cake a citrusy and tangy flavor that keeps it light. The juice helps the cake retain its moisture. Be sure the zest is finely grated. Fresh lemon juice is best, especially since you need zest too!
    • Milk: Milk provides moisture and aids in giving the lemon and poppy seed cake its tender texture. Use whole-fat milk to get the best results. Lower fat or even buttermilk can be used as substitutes.  
    • Oil: Oil helps the cake stay moist longer. It also aids in mixing. Stick with mild flavored oils like canola, vegetable, or sunflower, so you don’t overpower the other ingredients or clash with the lemon. You can use a ½ cup of melted butter instead of oil.
    • Eggs: Works as a binding agent and provides important depth and complexity that blends the other flavors together. 
    • Vanilla: This adds a warm rich undertone to the lemon poppy seed loaf cake.
    • Lemon glaze: The lemon glaze is made up of powdered sugar and lemon juice. It adds additional sweetness and helps keep the cake moist. Its consistency can be adjusted to your liking.

    See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

    Variations

    • Change the topping: You can use a cream cheese frosting instead of the glaze. Simply add some vanilla extract, a dash of lemon juice, 8 ounces of cream cheese, and mix with the powdered sugar. You can also make it crunchy by topping it with nuts like silvered almonds or crushed pistachios. 
    • Gluten-free: Swap out your flour with an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum to get closest to the original recipe.
    • Add fruit or nuts: Add some blueberries for a pop of color and flavor. Or try nuts, like almonds, pecans, or walnuts. Make sure the nuts are chopped!

    How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

    Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line your baking tin with parchment paper.

    Flour, sugar, poppyseeds, and lemon zest in a bowl.

    Step 1: Dry ingredients. Place the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until ingredients are well combined.

    Milk, oil, eggs, and lemon juiced in another mixing bowl.

    Step 2: Wet ingredients. In a separate bowl combine milk, oil, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Whisk together.

    Icing mixed together in a bowl.

    Step 3: Mix together. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a silicone spatula to mix until everything is moist.

    Lemon poppyseed cake batter poured into a baking pan.

    Step 4: Bake it. Pour the batter into the baking tin. Bake for 45 minutes. Once cooked through, let it cool down in the tin for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. 

    Step 5: Make the glaze. Mix the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to create the glaze for the lemon cake. You can adjust these two ingredients as needed for desired consistency.

    A whisk drizzling glaze over the top of a lemon and poppyseed cake.

    Step 6: Drizzle the glaze. Once the lemon poppy seed bread is cooled completely, drizzle with the glaze. Enjoy!

    Recipe Tips

    • Baked through: The cake is done when you can pull a toothpick or skewer into the middle and pull it out. If it does not come out clean, you need to keep cooking.
    • Adjust the glaze: You can make the glaze a thicker or thinner consistency depending on your preference. For a thinner consistency, add more lemon juice and if you want it thicker, add a bit more sugar.
    • Room temperature: Bring the ingredients to room temperature before you start baking. Not only does this help them with mixing them together, it helps ensure the cake rises correctly.
    • Browning quickly: If the bread is browning too quickly, cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil halfway through baking.

    If you love sweet lemon recipes like this, you may also enjoy thees chewy Lemon Brownies. 

    A lemon poppyseed loaf cake on a wire rack drizzled with glaze and lemons scattered around.

    Storage Directions 

    • Storing: Keep your lemon poppy seed loaf in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. 
    • Refrigeration: If you want to extend the shelf life of your cake, you can put it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Let it come back to room temperature before eating to ensure the texture is right.
    • Freezing: You can freeze your lemon poppy bread for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying. 

    Serving Suggestions

    • Serve your lemon poppy seed cake as dessert alongside plain vanilla ice cream or our strawberry crunch ice cream, blueberry sheet cake, or chocolate covered blueberries.
    • You can also have this poppy seed loaf for breakfast! Enjoy it with coffee like our Dalgona coffee recipe or make your own creamer with our Coffee-Mate copycat pumpkin spice creamer.  
    • It pairs well with fresh fruit and yogurt no matter what time of day you are having it. 
    Glaze drizzling down the side of a lemon loaf cake on a piece of parchment.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I skip the poppy seeds?

    Yes. If you’d prefer to just make lemon cake, opt out of adding the poppy seeds.

    Do I have to use fresh lemons?

    No, you don't. Fresh lemons create a more intense and richer flavor than store-bought juice and you will need the zest anyway. If you decide to skip the fresh lemon, you can add a few drops of lemon flavoring to boost the lemon flavor.

    Why is my cake crumbly?

    This can happen because of a few factors. You either didn’t have enough liquid and too much flour, or you overmixed the batter. 

    More Delicious Lemon Desserts

    • Lemon blueberry scones on a plate with icing on top.
      Best Lemon Blueberry Scones
    • loaf on cutting board with two slices cut. The loaf is topped with white glaze and fresh raspberries.
      Best Ever Lemon Raspberry Loaf Cake
    • A stack of tangy lemon cheesecake bars with homemade crust on a cake stand.
      Lemon Cheesecake Bars
    • A slice of lemon cream cheese pie topped with whipped cream and blueberries.
      Lemon Cream Cheese Pie

    If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section, I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!

    A loaf of lemon poppy seed cake on a wire rack with lemon glaze drizzling down the sides and over the. top.

    Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake

    Karin and Ken
    Dreaming of those long summer days? This moist lemon poppy seed cake will have you thinking of warmer temperatures as you bite into the sweet and tangy cake. It’s so delicious that we recommend making two so you can save one for later!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Cooling Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10 slices
    Calories 349 kcal

    Equipment

    • 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch baking tin
    • Parchment paper
    • Large mixing bowl
    • medium mixing bowl
    • Cooling Rack

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups all purpose flour
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
    • 3 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup milk
    • ½ cup oil
    • 2 eggs
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Lemon Glaze

    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    Get Recipe Ingredients

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°c.  Line an 8 ½ inch x 4 ½ inch baking tin with parchment paper.  Set aside.
    • Add the all purpose flour, granulated sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, lemon zest and salt to a large mixing bowl.  Whisk until well combined and set aside.
    • Add the milk, oil, eggs, lemon juice and vanilla extract to a medium sized mixing bowl.  Whisk until well combined.
    • Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients.  Mix with a silicone spatula until just combined.
    • Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin.  Bake for 45 minutes, or until cooked through.  Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

    Video

    Notes

    • Don't Overmix: The batter is just combined when there are no more streaks of flour visible.
    • Browning Too Quickly? Cover the lemon bread loosely with aluminium foil halfway through the cooking time if the top starts to get to dark.
    • Glaze Consistency: You may need to use more or less lemon juice for the lemon glaze to reach a drizzling consistency.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 349kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.05gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 267mgPotassium: 92mgFiber: 1gSugar: 33gVitamin A: 88IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 124mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword lemon and poppy seed cake, lemon poppy seed cake, lemon poppy seed loaf cake
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    This post was originally published January 2017 and it's been updated with a revised recipe, new images, and content.

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    Welcome!

    We are the kitchen divas: Karin and my partner in life, Ken.

    We have been attached at the heart and hip since the first day we met, and we love to create new dishes to keep things interesting. Variety is definitely the spice of life!

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