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Moist Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe

Moist Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe
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★★★★★

5.3 from 30 reviews

This Moist Lemon Poppy Seed Cake is a tender, flavorful cake bursting with fresh lemon zest and juice balanced by the subtle crunch of poppy seeds. Layered with a luscious cream cheese frosting, it’s a perfect treat for any occasion, combining bright citrus notes with soft, moist crumb in every bite.

Ingredients

Scale

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

  • 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
  • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (60 g) unflavoured vegetable oil (canola oil recommended)
  • 1½ cups (300 g) white granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup (90 g) milk, room temperature
  • ½ cup (115 g) yogurt, unflavored and unsweetened (regular preferred, low-fat Greek acceptable)
  • ¼ cup (58 g) fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar (icing/confectioners’ sugar)
  • 1½ cups (335 g) cream cheese, cold and firm
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla essence/extract
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prep. Preheat your oven to 180 °C (350°F) conventional. Grease two 8-inch cake tins and line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal.
  2. Sift Dry Ingredients. Sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
  3. Cream Butter, Oil, Sugar and Zest. In a large bowl, beat the unsalted butter, vegetable oil, sugar, and lemon zest with a mixer on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
  4. Add Eggs. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated.
  5. Mix Wet Ingredients. Add milk, yogurt, and fresh lemon juice to the mixture. Mix until combined; the batter may look curdled, which is normal at this stage.
  6. Combine Wet and Dry. Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the wet batter using a spatula, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the batter.
  7. Add Poppy Seeds. Fold in the poppy seeds gently until evenly distributed.
  8. Bake the Cake. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake tins. Bake for 33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  9. Cool the Layers. Let the cakes cool in their tins for 15-20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Prepare Frosting. Beat unsalted butter in a large bowl on medium-high speed until fluffy, then gradually add powdered sugar in three batches, mixing well after each addition on low speed.
  11. Add Cream Cheese and Flavorings. Beat in cold cream cheese, vanilla extract, and fresh lemon juice on medium speed just until smooth. Avoid overmixing to keep frosting creamy.
  12. Assemble Cake. Once cakes have fully cooled, spread cream cheese frosting evenly between layers and over the top and sides as desired for a beautiful finish.

Notes

  • Use fresh lemon zest and juice for the best citrus flavor.
  • If using a convection oven, reduce the temperature by 20 °C to 160 °C (320 °F).
  • The batter may look curdled after adding lemon juice and yogurt; this is normal and will result in a moist texture.
  • Do not overmix the frosting to prevent it from becoming too soft or runny.
  • If frosting is lumpy, mix on high speed for a short time to achieve smoothness.
  • Add more powdered sugar if you prefer a thicker frosting.

Nutrition

Keywords: Lemon cake, poppy seed cake, moist cake, cream cheese frosting, lemon dessert, homemade cake

Find it online: https://tastemadebyclara.com/moist-lemon-poppy-seed-cake-recipe/