The combination of lemon and poppy seed is not as common in the Netherlands as it is in the US, but it is becoming more popular here as well. And with good reason as it is one of my favorite flavor combinations! This pound cake also features a delicious lemon glaze to finish it off perfectly.
This lemon poppy seed pound cake is soft and moist thanks to yogurt and oil. It has a bright, lemon flavor and a light crunch from the poppy seeds. The lemon glaze makes it extra special!
Making this lemon cake is simple and you don’t need fancy ingredients for making it. I’ll list a couple below and make sure to double check the recipe card for full details and description.
For making this lemon poppy seed pound cake I wanted something lovely and moist and so I went with yogurt and oil. If you use butter in a cake it will firm up more, like in my basic vanilla cake recipe. The oil and yogurt stay soft, creating a delicious crumb.
First start by taking a large bowl and add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, lemon zest and poppy seeds. Mix it all together with a spatula.
In a separate bowl you add yogurt, eggs, vanilla extract and sunflower oil. Whisk the wet ingredients and add them to the dry ingredients in the first bowl.
You don’t need a food processor or a mixer to mix the two together. Just gently stir with the spatula and once combined stop mixing.
Pour the batter into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper and bake for about 50-55 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
Let the cake cool down completely before making the lemon glaze. Let the glaze set before slicing the cake.
Of course, you’ll need plenty of lemons for a lemon poppy seed cake. I recommend using organic lemons, since the lemon zest is an essential flavor component in this recipe.
The lemon glaze is another important flavor element, and for that you can use the juice from the same lemons you zested.
Any leftover lemon juice is great for mixing into a salad dressing or homemade lemonade.
BAKING TIP: I use a Microplane zester for grating lemon zest. It has a good grip and produces very fine zest.
You can store the pound cake at room temperature for 4-5 days. Wrap it in aluminum foil or place the cake in an airtight container.
You sure can. It’s very simple: wrap the lemon poppy seed cake tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in an additional plastic bag. An airtight container works too!
This prevents air and moisture from getting to the cake. Stored this way, the cake will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Lemons and poppy seeds are simply best friends when it comes to sweet baking. There are so many ways to combine these two delicious ingredients: think cookies, muffins, pancakes, and more. I’ve listed some tasty variations for you:
Let the lemon poppy seed cake cool in the baking pan for about 10-15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack and let it cool completely.
In theory, all oven-safe baking pans can also be used in an air fryer. I’ve even made a layered carrot cake in the air fryer before. As long as the pan fits in your air fryer, you can bake this lemon poppy seed pound cake there. If you’re using a different pan size, you can easily convert it using the conversion tool.
Generally, cakes are baked in the center of the oven unless the recipe states otherwise. Since loaf pans are taller than brownie pans, I like to place a cake slightly below the center of the oven.
Links in this article may be affiliate links. If you purchase something through such a link, I will receive a small commission, without you paying anything extra.
Welcome to Laura’s Bakery! You’ve come to the right place for the most delicious baked goods and appetizers. With my easy recipes for home bakers I will show you that baking is fun and delicious.
Have fun baking!
