Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake

This lemon poppy seed loaf cake is full of fresh lemons and poppy seeds and it’s topped with a thick lemon icing. This is a perfect spring cake with a fresh lemon flavor that will keep you coming back for another slice!

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Sometimes we just want a simple and fresh cake, right? So, today I have a simple Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake for you! This lemon cake is insanely good! It’s moist, tender with the perfect crumb, and bursting with the flavors of fresh lemon both in the cake and the lemon icing. It’s super simple to make and I love the bright lemon taste in this recipe along with the hint of vanilla. It’s also a crowd-pleasing cake for sure!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe >

Ingredients Needed & Notes >

Equipment You’ll Need >

Step By Step Instructions >

Baking Tips >

Serving & Storage >

Recipe Card >

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS LEMON POPPY SEED LOAF CAKE

• This lemon cake is bursting with the flavors of fresh lemon both in the cake and the lemon icing.
• It has the perfect amount of poppy seeds. So good!
• So simple and easy to make. Only takes a little effort!
• The texture is moist and fluffy but it still holds together when you cut into it.
• It’s not overly sweet, trust me!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED & NOTES

Lemon – How you make lemon flavor cake! You’ll want to use fresh lemons! They have a much stronger flavor than bottled lemon juice. Also, you’ll need both the zest and juice!

Poppy seed – Most grocery stores will sell poppy seeds. You can find this in the spice aisle.

Sugar – This recipe uses two types of sugar. Granulated sugar for the cake and powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar) for the icing.

Sour cream – Use full fat sour cream or plain greek yogurt. This adds moisture without thinning the batter, resulting in a more tender crumb. If you run out of sour cream, greek yogurt works well too. They have the high fat content and acidity that we need.

Egg – You’ll need large eggs. Egg size matters, so make sure you’re using the right eggs. Also, eggs are best at room temperature. If you forget to take them out of the fridge ahead of time, then pop the eggs in warm water for ten minutes.

Oil – This recipe uses canola oil, but you can use any neutral oil. It contributes moistness far longer than cakes made with butter.

Vanilla – A little bit of vanilla extract to enhance the flavor.

Salt – This will do the job of balancing out the flavor.

Cream – You’ll need heavy cream to make a thick lemon icing. Use full-fat cream with 35% – 40% milk fat.

Flour – No need for fancy flour, you’ll just need all-purpose flour!

Leavening agent – You’ll need baking powder and baking soda to make this cake. They help the cake batter rise, which gives volume, texture, and crumb to your finished cake.

BAKING TOOLS & EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED

(Check my favorite baking tools and equipment here!)

• 9×5 inch loaf pan
• Parchment paper
• Mixing bowls
• Rubber spatula
• Zester
• Electric mixer or a whisk

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

(Be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions)

STEP 1 – Prepare the Loaf Pan and The Oven

Grease 9×5 inch loaf pan with soft butter, then line with parchment paper. Let the excess hang over the sides to form a sling so you can easily lift the cake from the loaf pan.

Adjust the oven rack, and set it in the bottom third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350F.

STEP 2 – Make the Cake Batter and Bake the Cake

In a medium bowl, combine and whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

In a different bowl, combine granulated sugar and fresh lemon zest. Rub the zest into the sugar using your fingertips until well incorporated and fragrant. Set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer with a whisk attachment or in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until pale for about 2 minutes on medium speed. Then, add the fresh lemon juice, canola oil, sour cream, and vanilla. Continue to whisk for another 2 minutes until everything is well combined.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Whisk everything until just combined, do not overwork the cake batter. Then, switch to a silicone spatula and fold in the poppy seed.

Transfer the cake batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a skewer or tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. A couple of moist crumbs on a toothpick is ok

Let the cake stand in the pan for about 10 minutes and then remove the cake and let it cool completely on a cooling rack.

STEP 3 – Make the Lemon Icing and Serve

Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and cream in a mixing bowl until smooth. It should be the consistency of glue. If it’s too thin, gradually mix in a couple of spoonfuls of powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, mix in some splashes of cream until it reaches the right consistency.

Spread it on top of the cake and allow it to drip over the sides. Now slice and enjoy!

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST LEMON POPPY SEED LOAF CAKE

• Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. Room-temperature ingredients blend easily and incorporate together to create a smooth batter without flecks of eggs.
• Measure flour correctly. When measuring the flour with cups, make sure to spoon and level the flour into your measuring cup. Do not scoop and pack the flour. By doing this, you will yield too much flour and make the dough dry. A kitchen scale is the best option, it’s so much more accurate than cup measurements, that’s why I always write the recipe with grams. 1 cup flour = 125 grams.
• Keep your eyes on the cake while baking. Think of baking times just as suggestions, because every oven is different! The temperature can vary greatly, even when you set it to the same temperature as in the recipe.
• A couple of moist crumbs on a toothpick is ok. If you left the cake in the oven too long, it may have been a bit dry.
• When you zest the lemons, only grate the outer, colorful part of the rind. Don’t zest into the white pith because the pith is bitter and will spoil the flavor of your cake.

HERE’S HOW TO STORE THIS LEMON POPPY SEED LOAF CAKE

You’ll need to store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. If you want to freeze this cake for later, I recommend cutting it into individual slices. Wrap each slice with layers of plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out, and place it in a freezer-safe container. It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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Happy Baking!