A light and luscious lemon poppy seed cake with cream cheese frosting is every lemon lovers dream... a soft, buttery and moist lemon citrus cake topped with smooth and decadent cream cheese frosting! This delicious cake is ready to serve in less than an hour!
There are a few very special cake recipes that I keep on high rotation for birthdays, celebrations or get-togethers and this Lemon Poppy Seed Cake certainly makes the shortlist!
Along with my favourite chocolate mud cake, condensed milk cake, Persian love cake, white chocolate mud cake and classic butter cake (which is the BEST for kids birthday cakes), this sweet and citrusy lemon poppy seed cake is always popular with friends and family.
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Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
Apart from the obvious fact that this lemon poppyseed cake is absolutely delicious... there's a whole lot of reasons why it's going to become popular in your house too:
- quick and easy - while this cake may look impressive, it's actually incredibly easy to make and takes just 20 minutes to bake.
- light and citrusy - the lemon zest and juice gives this sweet cake a lovely light flavour, while the smooth creamy frosting is the perfect contrast.
- feeds a crowd - whether you're baking for a birthday party, a BBQ with friends or a dinner party, this cake serves at least 14 people!
- freezer-friendly - got leftovers? No worries! Simply freeze them for up to 3 months and allow to thaw before consuming.
What You Need
Just a few budget-friendly ingredients are needed to make this delicious lemon poppyseed cake with delicious cream cheese frosting.
Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
For The Cake
- Dry Ingredients - caster sugar (also known as granulated sugar), plain (all-purpose) flour, baking powder and poppy seeds.
- Wet Ingredients - butter, eggs, lemon zest and lemon juice, vanilla extract and buttermilk*.
If you don't have buttermilk, you can very easily make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to every 1 cup of regular milk, allowing to sit for a few minutes, stirring and then using as buttermilk.
For The Frosting
- full fat cream cheese (cream cheese in a block - not 'light' or 'spreadable')
- butter - either salted or unsalted butter is fine to use
- icing sugar - choose pure icing sugar (not icing sugar mixture) for a firmer frosting
- vanilla extract
Step By Step Instructions
This entire lemon poppy seed cake with cream cheese frosting takes just 20 minutes to prepare in 4 simple steps. How easy is that!
Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
Step 1 - Cream The Butter & Sugar
Using hand-held beaters, a stand-mixer or a Thermomix, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy.
It will take approximately 2-3 minutes on a high speed.
Step 2 - Alternate Adding Dry & Wet Ingredients
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition.
Add half of the dry mixture (sifted plain flour, baking powder and poppy seeds) and gently beat through.
Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract and gently beat through.
Add half of the buttermilk and mix to combine.
Repeat with the remaining dry mixture and buttermilk.
Step 3 - Bake
Divide the mixture equally between the two prepared tins (20cm round cake tins).
Bake for 20-25 or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Step 4 - Prepare The Frosting
Make the cream cheese frosting by mixing the butter and cream cheese on high. Add the icing sugar and vanilla and mix on low.
Step 5 - Assemble
Place one of the cakes (completely cooled) on a serving platter.
Spread just under half of the frosting on top of the cake.
Place the second cake on top and cover with the remaining frosting.
Decorate with poppy seeds (optional).
Expert Tips & FAQ
Follow my simple tips for the perfect lemon poppy seed cake!
For the best results, ensure your chilled ingredients (butter, eggs, buttermilk and cream cheese) are brought to room temperature before using. This will ensure the ingredients mix together beautifully resulting in a light and luscious cake.
You might be surprised to know that lemon zest is actually responsible for giving the cake a much more lemony flavour that the lemon juice is. This is why it's so important to use lemon zest! If you would like your cake to taste extra lemony, add an extra tablespoon of lemon zest.
The buttermilk is responsible for the light, fluffy, soft and moist texture of the cake, so it's very important to use it rather than regular milk! But if you don't have buttermilk at home, you can very easily make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to every 1 cup of regular milk, allowing to sit for a few minutes, stirring and then using as buttermilk. For this recipe, you can halve the amount of lemon juice or vinegar as you only need ½ cup of buttermilk.
Absolutely! You can bake this cake in a large bundt tin (make sure you grease it very well before using) or in two small rectangular loaf tins. The cooking time will vary based on the size of the tins you use, but you can test if the cakes are cooked by inserting a skewer into the middle - they are ready when the skewer comes out clean.
Lemon poppy seed cake can be made ahead of time as it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. As the fridge can dry out cakes, it's important to allow it to remove from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature before serving. This will ensure a beautifully soft and moist cake.
One of the many great things about lemon poppy seed cake is that it can be frozen either frosted or unfrosted. Simply store in an airtight container or wrap in two layers of plastic wrap of foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw to room temperature before consuming.
Related Recipes
If you love the sweet, summery and citrus flavours of lemons, then you're going to fall head over heels for these delicious lemon recipes.
- Lemon Coconut Slice - this no-bake simple slice is one of the most popular recipes on Bake Play Smile! With it's sweetened condensed milk biscuit base and creamy lemon frosting, it's absolutely delicious.
- Lemon & Ricotta Cake - the perfect gluten-free dessert! This simple dessert cake is so incredibly moist and tastes amazing served either warm with ice-cream and fresh berries, or at room temperature with a dollop of cream.
- Creamy Lemon Crumble Bars - one of my all-time favourite recipes! This triple layer slice has the creamiest lemon filling. AMAZING!
- No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake - for a sweet and simple summer dessert, this no-bake cheesecake is divine. Light, creamy and full of luscious citrus flavours.
- Lemon Tart - everyone's favourite old fashioned dessert couldn't be easier to make! Prepare the entire dessert from scratch using your own homemade shortcrust pastry or use store-bought pastry and save on time.
Browse more of my lemon recipes here.
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Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the cake
- 180 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter room temperature
- 220 g (1 cup) caster sugar granulated sugar
- 3 eggs large (approx 60g each)
- 300 g (2 cups) plain flour all-purpose
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tbs poppy seeds
- 1 tbs lemon zest (from approx 2 lemons)
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 125 ml (½ cup) buttermilk
For the cream cheese frosting
- 250 g cream cheese full fat
- 115 g (½ cup) butter
- 360 g (3 cups) icing sugar powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius fan-forced (350 degrees fahrenheit).
- Grease and line the base and sides of 2 x 20cm round cake tins with baking paper and set aside.
- Using hand-held beaters or a stand-mixer, beat the butter and caster sugar together for 2-3 minutes on high speed. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, continuing to mix after each addition.
- Sift the the plain flour, baking powder and add the poppy seeds into a bowl.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture and beat through on low speed until combined.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla and mix until just combined.
- With the mixer still on low speed, slowly add half the buttermilk and mix through.
- Repeat by mixing through the remaining flour mixture and the remaining buttermilk.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared cake tins.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the cream cheese frosting, beat the (room temperature) cream cheese and butter on high speed until smooth, pale and creamy (approximately 3 minutes). Add the sifted icing sugar and vanilla and mix on low speed, slowing increasing to high speed for 3 minutes.
- Spread just under half of the frosting on top of one of the cakes. Gently place the second cake on top. Spread over the remaining frosting.
- Sprinkle with additional poppy seeds (optional).
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius fan-forced (350 degrees fahrenheit).
- Grease and line the base and sides of 2 x 20cm round cake tins with baking paper and set aside.
- Place the plain flour and baking powder into the Thermomix bowl. Sift by mixing for 5 seconds on Turbo. Set aside in a separate bowl and add the poppy seeds.
- Insert the butterfly. Add the (room temperature) butter and mix for 1 minute, Speed 3. Add the caster sugar and mix for 2 minutes, Speed 3.
- Add the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix for 30 seconds, Speed 2. Remove the butterfly.
- With the blades turning on Speed 2, alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk and continue mixing until only just combined (it's fine for the mixture to be a little lumpy).
- Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared cake tins.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the cream cheese frosting, add all of the frosting ingredients to a clean Thermomix bowl and mix for 30 seconds, Speed 5 or until smooth.
- Spread just under half of the frosting on top of one of the cakes. Gently place the second cake on top. Spread over the remaining frosting.
- Sprinkle with additional poppy seeds (optional).
Claudia says
Can I make it with chia seeds instead of poppy seeds? Thanks
Lucy says
Hi Claudia, I prefer the texture of poppyseeds in this recipe (but of course, you can try chia seeds if you like).
Nicole says
Easy to make and tastes delicious. The cream cheese frosting is amazing with it.
Lucy says
It's hard to beat cream cheese frosting isn't it!!