Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A fork with poppy seed cake with cream cheese frosting on a plate.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A soft, buttery and moist lemon poppy seed cake topped with smooth and decadent cream cheese frosting! This delicious cake is ready to serve in less than an hour.

5 from 11 votes

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Course: Cakes

Cuisine: western

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 40

Servings: serves

Calories: 420kcal

Author: Lucy - Bake Play Smile

Equipment

Beaters, stand-mixer or Thermomix
Oven

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 tsp baking powder
2 tbs poppy seeds
1 tbs lemon zest (from approx 2 lemons)
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp 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 tsp 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).

Video

Notes

RECIPE NOTES & TIPS

Room temperature ingredients - 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.

Lemon flavour - If you would like your cake to taste extra lemony, add an extra tablespoon of lemon zest.

How to make your own buttermilk - buttermilk can be bought from the chilled dairy section of the supermarket. However, you can very easily make your own buttermilk 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.

Storing - 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.

Freezing - 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.

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