Lemon Poppy Seed Yogurt Loaf Cake

This ultra moist and tender Lemon Poppy Seed Yogurt Loaf Cake will surely satisfy all your lemon cravings! It's naturally flavored with loads of lemon zest, speckled with crunchy poppy seeds and finished with a tart lemony glaze!

After hours and hours of recipe testing, I've developed the perfect lemon loaf. It's full of bright lemon flavor, moist, yet light and SO easy to make!

If you're looking for more citrus recipes, get your fix with my Blood Orange Cinnamon Rolls, Lemon Tart, Lemon Blondies and Lemon Pistachio Cake.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Perfect for breakfast or dessert. This cake pairs so well with coffee or tea, just like my Banana Chocolate Chip Crumb Cake and Blueberry Buckle cake!
• Natural lemon flavor. My recipe uses plenty of freshly grated lemon zest and lemon juice for bright lemon flavor.
• So moist and tender. A combination of Greek yogurt, oil and fresh lemon juice is guaranteed to keep your cake soft and tender.
• Not too sweet. It's the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
• Freezes incredibly well, even with the glaze on! It's a great way to keep some on hand for when you're craving it. You can read notes on how to freeze this cake below in the "storage" section!

Ingredient Notes

Lemon Poppy Seed Yogurt Cake

• All-Purpose Flour - We're keeping this recipe simple by just using all-purpose flour.
• Baking Powder - Gives the loaf a bit of lift and creates a light texture.
• Salt - Just a bit to round out the flavors.
• White Granulated Sugar
• Unsalted Butter - Using room temperature butter will create a light texture.
• Neutral Oil - Keeps the cake moist.
• Lemon Zest + Juice - We're using a combination of fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. The lemon juice will help tenderize the cake, while the zest adds all the lemon flavor.
• Eggs - Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. You can quickly bring them to temp by submerging in hot tap water for 15 minutes.
• Greek Yogurt - Adds structure and moisture to the loaf. Make sure to use full-fat Greek yogurt.
• Vanilla extract - For flavor.
• Poppy Seeds - Adds texture.

Lemon Glaze

• Powdered Sugar - Also known as icing sugar or confectioners' sugar.
• Lemon Juice - The tartness from the lemon juice balances out the sweetness of the glaze.
• Vanilla Extract- Just a splash for flavor.

*See recipe card for exact quantities.

Step By Step Instructions

Here are step-by-step photos and instructions on how to make this Lemon Poppy Seed Yogurt Loaf Cake! Please find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Step 1. In a large bowl, rub white sugar and lemon zest together.

Step 2. Add softened butter and oil to the lemon sugar and beat together until smooth.

Step 3. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl in between each addition.

Step 4. Whisk in Greek yogurt, lemon juice and vanilla extract until smooth.

Step 5. Sift in dry ingredients (flour, baking powder & salt) and gently mix into the wet ingredients until combined.

Step 6. Gently fold in poppy seeds until evenly distributed. Do not over mix!

Step 7. Transfer batter to an 8.5 x 4.5 inch (21.5 x 11.5 cm) loaf pan and smooth out the top. Pipe softened butter down the middle of the loaf (optional).

Step 8. Bake at 350ºF (176ºC) for about 50 minutes. Allow to cool completely before glazing and enjoy!

Substitutions

• Greek Yogurt - You can easily substitute for full-fat sour cream.
• Neutral Oil -  Any neutral oil will do such as, avocado, canola, grapeseed, vegetable or even light olive oil.
• Poppy Seeds - If you don't have poppy seeds or simply don't like them, you can simply omit them completely.
• Vanilla Extract - If you'd like more lemon flavor, add 1 teaspoon of lemon extract instead of vanilla.
• Lemons - I used regular lemons, but you can use Meyer lemons. If you don't have lemons on hand, you can easily substitute for oranges or grapefruit (you'll need 1 tablespoon of zest for the batter)!

Variations

• Add Berries - You can add a cup of raspberries, blueberries or blackberries.
• Add Almond Extract - For a flavor twist, add 1 teaspoon of almond extract and top with sliced almonds.
• Gluten-Free - You can easily make this lemon cake gluten-free by subbing for a 1 to 1 gluten-free flour blend.

Equipment

• 8.5x4.5 inch (21.5x11.5  cm)- (not an affiliate link)
• Digital Kitchen Scale - This is the exact scale I use. It's so reliable! (not an affiliate link)

Storage

• Room Temperature - Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Refrigerator - Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days in the fridge.
• Freezer - Cool completely and wrap individual slices (with or without glaze) in plastic wrap. Store in freezer bags for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or bring to room temperature before enjoying!

FAQ

More Lemon Recipes

📖 Recipe

Lemon Poppy Seed Yogurt Loaf Cake

Lisa Flinn

This moist and tender Lemon Poppy Seed Yogurt Loaf Cake will satisfy all your lemon cravings! It's naturally flavored with loads of lemon zest, speckled with crunchy poppy seeds and finished with a lemony glaze!

5 from 7 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Cakes, Dessert

Cuisine American

Yields 8 to 10 slices

INGREDIENTS

Lemon Poppy Seed Yogurt Cake

• ▢ 1 ¾ Cup (210g) All-Purpose Flour
• ▢ 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Salt
• ▢ ¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons (174g) Granulated White Sugar
• ▢ Zest of 3 Large Lemons
• ▢ 5 Tablespoons (70g) Unsalted Butter room temp
• ▢ ¼ Cup (50g) Neutral Oil like avocado, vegetable, canola
• ▢ 2 Large Eggs room temp
• ▢ 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ▢ ¾ Cup (176g) Full-Fat Greek Yogurt (or sour cream) room temp
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds

Lemon Glaze

• ▢ 1 ½ Cups 170g Powdered Sugar
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
• ▢ ¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

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Instructions

 

• Set rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF (176ºC). 
• Butter and line an 8.5x4.5 inch (21.5x11.5  cm) loaf pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave a 1-inch overhang for easy removal.
• In a medium sized bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

  1 ¾ Cup (210g) All-Purpose Flour

  1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

  ¼ teaspoon Salt
• In a large mixing bowl, combine white sugar and finely grated lemon zest. Using your fingers, rub the mixture together until it becomes fragrant.

  ¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons (174g) Granulated White Sugar

  Zest of 3 Large Lemons
• With an electric mixer, whisk the lemon sugar mixture, soften butter and oil together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl half way through.

  5 Tablespoons (70g) Unsalted Butter

  ¼ Cup (50g) Neutral Oil
• Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each egg is added. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

  2 Large Eggs
• Add the Greek yogurt, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. About 1 minute.

  ¾ Cup (176g) Full-Fat Greek Yogurt (or sour cream)

  2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

  1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• In 2 additions, sift in the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder & salt) and mix on low just until combined. 
• Gently fold the poppy seeds into the batter until evenly distributed. Do not overmix!

  1 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds
• Transfer the batter to your prepared loaf pan. To create a crack, place a tablespoon of butter in a piping bag, make a tiny cut, and pipe it onto the center of the cake in a straight line from top to bottom. Or you can cut thin strips of cold butter. See photo for reference.
• Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• Allow to sit in the pan for 20 minutes, then carefully lift the loaf cake out of the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.
• Once cooled, make your lemon glaze by combining powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract. If you'd like a little thinner glaze add a bit more lemon juice. Pour over your cooled cake and enjoy!

Notes

• Butter hack - If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a small ziploc bag and snip the tip. Alternatively, you can also cut thin strips of cold butter and place it down the middle of the loaf cake to get the same result.

Keyword greek yogurt, lemon bread, lemon loaf, lemon poppy seed cake, lemon zest, poppy seed, sour cream, yogurt cake

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