Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake
This Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake is a moist and dense pound cake full of lemon flavor and topped with a tangy lemon glaze. This cake recipe bursts with light and airy lemon goodness perfect for any time of the year!
Anyone who knows me or reads my blog knows that I love light and fun springtime dishes. Anything that reminds me of the warm weather and sunlight is welcome in my house! I made this Lemon Bundt Cake recipe to bring lemon desserts back into my life, and maybe manifest some more springtime weather! I even made a lemon glaze to top off all the citrusy sweetness.
If you’re a lemon lover, try my Lemon Spaghetti or my Lemon Cream Pie Ice Cream!
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- Zest of 3 lemons
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 2 ¾ cup cake flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
Glaze Ingredients:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
How to make Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake?
Start by preparing the oven and pan. Take a bundt cake pan and spray it with non-stick spray, and preheat the oven to 350.
In a small bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients – that is flour, salt, baking soda, and poppy seeds.
Using a stand mixer or an electric mixer and a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar. Do this until the butter is much lighter in color, and the mixture is light and fluffy. This will take about 3-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, to make sure everything is getting combined.
To the butter mixture, add the eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix until just combined, then add in the sour cream. Mix for another 1-2 minutes, or until the batter is nice and smooth.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and slowly fold it all together. Be very careful not to overmix. The batter will be thick.
Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan and level out the top.
Bake the cake at 350 for at least 45 minutes. Once you hit the 45-minute mark, check the cake with a toothpick inserted every 5 minutes. The toothpick will come out clean when the cake is ready. Cool the cake on a wire rack.
While the cake is cooling, get started on the lemon glaze. Take the powdered sugar and lemon juice and whisk together until smooth and thickened, but still runny.
Drizzle half the glaze over a slightly cooled cake, then drizzle the rest after the cake has cooled completely.
Tips and Tricks
- Pouring half the glaze on while the cake is still hot will form a coating around the cake, so the remaining glaze doesn’t soak into the cake and disappear.
- Once the flour is added to the batter, it becomes very easy to overmix. An overmixed batter will lead to a dry and tough cake. Mix until just combined – the batter might even still be a little lumpy. That is okay.
- If you find the glaze is too runny, add more powdered sugar. If you need it a bit looser, add a bit of milk or heavy cream.
- Take all refrigerated ingredients out of the fridge at least a few hours before starting. Room temperature eggs, butter, and sour cream will make the batter much easier to incorporate together.
Glaze
This Lemon Poppy Seed Cake pairs wonderfully with the lemon glaze, but it would be great with any other kind of glaze! Try it with:
- Vanilla glaze.
- Any other citrus, such as lime or orange glaze.
- Cream cheese glaze.
- Any berry, such as blueberry glaze (this is achieved by adding the berries and powdered sugar to a food processor and blitzing until a glaze forms).
- No glaze at all – this cake is so moist that it truly can be eaten and enjoyed all on its own.
Storage and Freezing
Store this cake at room temperature for 1 day, and in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to two months. Place on the counter and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
More Recipes:
Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake
This Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake is a moist and dense pound cake full of lemon flavor and topped with a tangy lemon glaze. This cake recipe bursts with light and airy lemon goodness perfect for any time of the year!
Ingredients
- Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- Zest of 3 lemons
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 2 ¾ cup cake flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp poppyseeds
- Glaze Ingredients:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a 9-inch bundt pan with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, and poppyseeds. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Mix until smooth and fluffy and the butter is lighter in color. This should take about 3-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Mix until combined, then add in the sour cream. Mix for another 1-2 minutes, until everything is smooth.
- Add in the dry ingredients and slowly mix just until everything comes together. Be careful not to over mix. The batter will be very thick.
- Transfer the cake batter to the prepared bundt cake pan and level out the top.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes. Check every 5 minutes at 45 minutes and remove the cake once a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If you notice the cake is browning too much before it is done cooking, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
- While the cake is cooling, get started on the glaze. Whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice until it forms a slightly thick but still runny glaze. Drizzle half over a slightly cooled cake. After the cake is completely cooled, drizzle the rest.
Notes
- In place of cake flour, use ¼ cup cornstarch and 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour.
- Sour cream can be replaced with plain yogurt.
- Cake can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months, or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- All ingredients should be at room temperature for best results.
- Be careful not to overmix the cake after the flour is added - this can result in a tough and dry crumb.
Nutrition Information
Yield
10Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 543Total Fat 24gSaturated Fat 14gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 133mgSodium 335mgCarbohydrates 77gFiber 1gSugar 45gProtein 7g