Description
This lemon poppy seed cake is made with SO much fresh lemon flavor and is all topped with a swirled lemon curd cream cheese frosting. It’s bright, zesty, moist, soft, and so delicious.
Ingredients
Homemade Lemon Curd (can sub store bought)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp organic* lemon zest (2 large lemons)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh organic* lemon juice (2–3 large lemons)
- 1/4 cup (55g) unsalted butter, sliced into tablespoons
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
- 2 cups (264g) all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (98g) cake flour*
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon zest (2–3 lemons)
- 1/2 cup (108g) vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter, melted
- 4 large eggs, room temp
- 1/3 cup (80g) freshly squeezed lemon juice (2–3 lemons)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (118g) milk, room temp
- 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream, room temp
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz full fat cream cheese, room temp
- 1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter, room temp
- 4 cups (440g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Homemade Lemon Curd
- Whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan.
- Once smooth and well combined, whisk in the lemon zest and juice.
- Cook over medium heat until thickened, occasionally stirring (using a rubber spatula) at the beginning but constantly mixing near the end. It should take about 8-10 minutes on a gas stove top or 20 minutes on an electric stove top.
- Remove from heat and toss in the butter. Stir until melted and combined.
- Pour the curd into a wide and shallow heat proof container. Cover the container and let it chill while we bake the cake.
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease and line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds.
- In a measuring glass, mix together the milk and sour cream.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Rub the zest into the sugar using your fingers. This will help release even more lemon flavor.
- Now whisk in the oil and melted butter, followed by the eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- Pour in half of the dry ingredients and whisk.
- Right before it’s combined, pour in the milk and sour cream and whisk.
- Add in the rest of the dry ingredients and whisk until everything is smooth and combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a mixing bowl using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Then mix in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, followed by the vanilla.
- Once the cake has cooled, lift it out of the pan and top with a layer of the cream cheese frosting.
- Scoop little spoonfuls of curd all throughout the surface (you only need about 3/4 of the curd) and swirl into the frosting.
- Top with a sprinkle of poppy seeds and enjoy!
Notes
CAKE FLOUR SUB – If you don’t have cake flour, you can use a combination of regular flour and cornstarch. Measure out 3/4 cup of flour and remove 2 tablespoons. Then whisk in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Use this mixture in place of the cake flour in this recipe.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cooling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
