This easy Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf cake is super moist and perfectly lemony! Studded with poppy seeds in every bite, soaked in a lemon simple syrup and topped with a tangy lemon glaze! It’s the perfect breakfast, snack or dessert!
I’ve been working on a recipe for the perfect lemon poppy seed loaf cake for a while now, and I’m so happy to be sharing it with you. It’s SO delicious! The crumb is light, soft and moist. And there is a perfect balance between sweet and tart and the lemon flavor is so refreshing. Once you see how easy it is to make this wonderful loaf, it will surely be a favorite in your kitchen!
INGREDIENTS
- Unsalted Butter – We are using a combinations of fats in this loaf and butter is one of them. Not only will the softened butter create a light and tender loaf, it will also add flavor!
- Sugar – We are just using granulated white sugar for this recipe and we are using the perfect amount. I love this loaf so much because it’s not too sweet.
- Eggs – Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. To quickly bring eggs to room temp, submerge completely in hot tap water for 10 minutes.
- Buttermilk – Make sure your buttermilk is at room temperature as well. Buttermilk gives a subtle tang to the loaf and also makes a tender crumb.
- Oil – Oil will guarantee a moist loaf. You can use any neutral oil such as canola, avocado, vegetable or grapeseed.
- Lemon Juice – Lemon juice will impart flavor and will make the loaf tender.
- Lemon Zest – Lemon zest is essential as it will add wonderful lemon flavor. Using lemon juice alone will not add much lemon flavor. We are using the zest of 3 lemons! I know it sounds like a lot, but trust me, it will be perfect.
- Vanilla – The essence of vanilla and lemon go perfect together.
- All-Purpose Flour – King Arthur is my favorite.
- Poppy Seeds – You can’t have a lemon poppy loaf cake without poppy seeds.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda – We are using to leaven the loaf.
- Salt – Just a little to balance the flavors and sweetness.
HOW DO YOU MAKE THIS LEMON POPPY LOAF?
1. In a large clean bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy on medium. About 3 minutes. You can use a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or a hand held mixer.
2. Add eggs one at a time, beating on medium for 30 to 45 seconds after each egg. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
3. Add oil, buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla and continue mixing until combined. The batter should be creamy. About 2 minutes.
4. If you are using a hand held mixer, switch over to a rubber spatula and gently fold in half of your dry ingredients (flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt). When most of the dry ingredients are incorporated, add the rest of the dry ingredients and combine until you do not see any streaks of flour left. Do not overmix!
5. Transfer your batter to a 6-cup Bundt pan, 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch (21.5 x 11.4 cm) loaf pan or 9×5 inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan. Make sure to leave a clearance of about ¾ inch (1.9 cm) from the top of the pan. Do not overfill or your batter may spill out during baking. You may have a little bit of batter left over if you are using a smaller pan.
**Bake at 325ºF (162ºC) for 45 to 55 minutes (depending on the size of your pan). Check on your loaf after 35 minutes. If it’s getting a little too brown, loosely tent with foil. The loaf is done when the internal temperature is around 205ºF (96ºC) or when an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean.
6. Allow to cool for 20 minutes in the pan and then carefully remove the loaf and place on a wire rack with a baking tray underneath. As it continues to cool, we will quickly make an easy lemon simple syrup by combining sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan and allow to boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Brush all of the simply syrup onto the loaf completely.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners sugar and lemon juice.
8. Once the cake is nearly cooled, drizzle the lemon glaze onto your loaf and enjoy!
TIPS FOR MAKING LEMON POPPY SEED LOAF
- Measure your flour correctly. I always recommend using a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients because it’s more accurate. However, if you do not own a scale, aerate and fluff up your flour, then spoon into a measuring cup and then level off with the back of a butter knife. Do not pack the flour.
- Do not be tempted to add too many poppy seeds because it can dry out the loaf. My recipe calls for 1 ½ Tbsp, but I would not add more than 2 Tbsp.
- Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. It will create a smooth and silky batter. For instance, if you pour cold buttermilk into your batter, it will curdle and create an unappetizing texture and can affect the final outcome.
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. The stuff in the bottle contains unwanted preservatives. The real stuff just tastes better.
- Do not skimp on the lemon zest. The zest gives the loaf it’s lemony flavor. Lemon juice alone does not add much flavor.
- Bake at the temperature specified (325ºF or 162ºC). We are cooking at a lower temperature to prevent the cake from sinking in the middle.
- If you do not have a 6-cup loaf pan as pictured, I recommend using an 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch (21.5 x 11.4 cm) loaf pan because they are of similar size. You can use a 9×5 inch loaf pan, but it will yield a flatter loaf.
- Do not precut your finished loaf into slices, as it will dry out your loaf. Cut off a slice each time you are ready to serve or consume.
This Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf is even more delicious the next day. It’s so soft and moist and the lemon flavor is wonderful. Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram if you make this recipe. I would love to see your photos and hear what you think! Happy baking and until next time!
Measuring By Weight
Measuring ingredients by weight, rather than by volume, is the most accurate way to bake. Unfortunately, not all measuring cups are created the same, so your one cup will be different from my one cup. Additionally, there are measuring cups that are specifically designed for liquid and for dry ingredients. I highly recommend purchasing an inexpensive kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients to prevent any inaccuracies. For your convenience, my recipes are written in grams, with the exception of teaspoons/tablespoons, to ensure your bakes come out perfect every time!
If you would like to learn more about measuring by weight, you can refer to King Arthur’s ingredient weight chart.
CRAVING MORE?
Recipe
LEMON POPPY SEED LOAF CAKE
- Total Time: 20 minutes prep, 50 to 55 minutes to bake
- Yield: 1 Loaf 1x
Description
This moist Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf cake is studded with poppy seeds, soaked in a lemon simple syrup and topped with a lemon glaze!
Ingredients
Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
- 1 ¾ Cup (215 grams) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tsp (4 grams) Baking Powder
- ¼ Tsp Baking Soda
- 1 ½ Tbsp (12 grams) Poppy Seeds
- ¼ Tsp (2 grams) Salt
- 8 Tbsp (1 stick or 113 grams) Unsalted Butter, soften
- 1 Cup + 1 tablespoon (212 grams) Granulated White Sugar
- 3 Large Eggs, room temp
- ½ Cup (112 grams) Buttermilk, room temp
- ¼ Cup (54 grams) Neutral Oil
- ¼ Cup (60 grams) Lemon Juice
- 2 Tbsp (6 grams) Lemon Zest (3 Large Lemons)
- 2 Tsp (12 grams) Vanilla Extract
Lemon Simple Syrup
- 3 Tbsp (36 grams) Granulated White Sugar
- 2 Tbsp (29 grams) Water
- 1 Tbsp (14 grams) Lemon Juice
Lemon Glaze
- 1 Cup (130 grams) Confectioners Sugar (aka Icing sugar or Powdered Sugar)
- 2 to 3 tablespoon (28 grams to 48 grams) Lemon Juice
Instructions
Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
- Prepare your 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch (21.5 x 11.4 cm) loaf pan or 9×5 inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan by lining with parchment paper and set aside. If you are using a 6-cup loaf pan like mine, spray liberally with baking spray such as Baker’s Joy and set aside. See notes below regarding loaf pan sizes.
- Position your oven rack in the center and preheat to 325ºF (162ºC).
- Juice and zest your lemons and set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine your flour, poppy seeds, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.
- In a large clean bowl, beat/whisk your sugar and softened butter until pale and fluffy on medium speed (you can use a stand mixer or hand held mixer). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go. About 3 minutes.
- Add your eggs one at a time, beating for 30 to 45 seconds after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl after each egg.
- Add buttermilk, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla. Mix for another 2 minutes. Batter should be well combined and creamy.
- With a rubber spatula, gently fold in half of your dry ingredients and combine. When most of the dry ingredients are incorporated, add the rest and combine until there are no more flour streaks left. Do not overmix your batter. Your batter should be somewhat thick.
- Transfer your batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. Check on your loaf after 35 minutes and if it’s getting too browned, loosely tent with foil. You’ll know when the loaf is ready when an inserted toothpick comes out with very few crumbs or when the internal temp is 205ºF (96ºC).
- Let the loaf cool in the pan and on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then carefully remove the loaf from the pan by lifting from the parchment sling or invert if using a Bundt loaf pan like mine. Place onto a wire rack to continue cooling.
Lemon Simple Syrup
- As the loaf continues to cool, add sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. It will be slightly thick.
- Brush all of the warm syrup on the entire loaf and allow to completely cool. Try to get it in all the nooks and crannies.
Lemon Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice until combined. You can adjust the amount of powdered sugar to lemon juice according to how thick you would like the glaze to be. The more powdered sugar there is, the thicker it will be and the more lemon juice, the thinner it will be.
- Pour the glaze on top of your loaf. Make sure to have a baking tray or parchment paper underneath the cooling rack with your loaf, to catch any glaze that may drip or fall.
Notes
- If you are using the 6-cup Bundt pan as pictured or an 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch (21.5 x 11.4 cm), you may have a little bit of batter left over. Do not overfill your pan or the batter may spill out during baking. Leave a clearance of about ¾ inch (1.9 cm) from the top of the pan.
- You’ll know when your loaf is done when you insert a toothpick in the center and it has very few crumbs OR if the internal temperature is about 205ºF (96ºC). Try not to overbake it.
- Store in an airtight container and enjoy for up to 3 days at room temperature or 7 days in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 to 55 minutes
- Method: Bake
If you have made this recipe, I would love to know how it turned out for you! Please consider leaving a star rating and review below and tag me on Instagram @shortstackkitchen. Thank you so much!
Leave a Rating and Comment