Lemon Poppyseed Loaf Cake

Tender and moist cake bursting with bright lemon flavor, loaded with poppyseeds, and topped with a tart lemon glaze.

This is a cake that I make often. It’s just so delicious that sometimes I cannot get it out of my head, and I must whip one up immediately. The crunchy texture of the tiny poppyseeds speckled throughout the soft cake makes each bite so satisfying, and the lemony flavor is just right.

What you’ll need to make Lemon Poppyseed Loaf Cake:

Unsalted butter
Granulated sugar
Eggs
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Kosher salt
Lemons
Buttermilk
Poppyseeds
Powdered sugar
An oversized loaf pan (10×5″) or 2 smaller loaf pans
Non-stick baking spray

How to make this cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the loaf pan with non-stick baking spray. If desired, you may also line it with parchment paper leaving overhang so you can easily lift the cake out of the pan once it has cooled slightly.
Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
Combine the buttermilk and lemon juice and set aside.
Place the sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use your fingers to rub them together, releasing the oils and infusing the sugar.
Add the butter to the bowl and fit it with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium high speed until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated. Continue mixing until light and homogenous.
Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, mixing on low until just combined.
Add the poppyseeds and fold gently with a silicone spatula until dispersed.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and place it on a large baking sheet.
Bake for about an hour or until the top is a rich golden brown.
Allow the cake to cool slightly in the pan for about 20 minutes before removing it and cooling it completely on a wire rack.
Once the cake is completely cool, combine the icing ingredients and whisk until completely smooth. Pour the icing over the top of the cake, and use an offset spatula to spread the icing evenly. The icin
g will drip down the sides.
Allow the icing to set before slicing and serving.

This truly is such a scrumptious cake. A slice of this cake along with a cup of coffee always puts a smile on my face.

June 13, 2023

Servings: 8-10

Prep: 30 min

Cook: 60 min

Total: 2 hr

Difficulty: Intermediate

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Tender lemon poppyseed cake topped with a bright lemon glaze

By: theuntidykitchen

Ingredients

For the cake:
1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
Zest of 2 lemons
5 large eggs
2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup (60 g) buttermilk
1/3 cup (80 g) lemon juice
3 T poppyseeds
For the glaze:
1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar
1-2 T lemon juice

Directions

Step 1 For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10×5″ loaf pan with non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
Step 2 Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
Step 3 Combine the buttermilk and lemon juice and set aside.
Step 4 Place the sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer and rub them together with your fingers for a couple minutes to release the lemon oils.
Step 5 Add the butter and fit the mixer with the paddle attachment.
Step 6 Mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Step 7 Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, until completely emulsified.
Step 8 Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, mixing on low speed after each addition until just combined.
Step 9 Add the poppyseeds and fold gently using a silicone spatula.
Step 10 Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Place the pan on a large baking sheet, and place in the oven.
Step 11 Bake for about an hour or until the cake is a rich golden brown and springs back when gently pressed.
Step 12 Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling completely on a wire rack.
Step 13 For the glaze: Combine the glaze ingredients and whisk until completely smooth.
Step 14 Add more powdered sugar or lemon juice until a pourable consistency is reached.
Step 15 Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and spread to the edges with an offset spatula.
Step 16 Allow the glaze to set before slicing and serving.