Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Almond Buttercream Frosting
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Almond Buttercream Frosting
Lemon poppy seed cake is simply one of the brightest and most delicious desserts there is. Both sweet and little sour, my lemon poppyseed cake with almond buttercream frosting is filled with lemon flavor from fresh lemon juice and the zest. It took me a long time to develop a lemon dessert that I liked this much.
Being a chocolate lover, I never focused on lemon poppy seed cake recipes much. After making this dessert cake, I am so sad I did not try it out sooner! Every time I make this cake, it brings up memories of sunny and warm afternoons, where a large slice of cake goes perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee. The poppy seeds lend a slight texture to the sponge and are one of my favorite additions. The almond buttercream frosting on top is truly indulgent. I like to add almond extract to my buttercream, the flavor pairs so well with the lemon and poppy seed and completes the entire cake so well. A trick of the trade is that this cake also tastes incredible all on its own! For those days you want dessert without the frills of making butter cream, I make a single layer of this cake and enjoy it just as much.
Notes and Tips for the Lemon Poppy Seed Cake:
Fresh lemons are crucial. The zest is one of the most important ingredients as it brings in the bright and fresh lemon flavor.
Lemon juicers are very convenient as they catch the seeds. If you do not have one, use a fork to work the juice out and strain through a strainer. My usual method is to squeeze the lemon over my hand to catch the seeds, as this means one less item to clean up.
I recommend weighing your ingredients with a kitchen scale. This ensures your cake will turn out every time. If you do not have a kitchen scale, give your flour a little fluff before scooping it out. This will get the measurement more precise.
Room temperature ingredients are important for this cake. Your butter, eggs, and milk should be room-temperature to warm. If your milk or eggs are too cold, you may notice that this hardens your butter into little cold bits. This will create pocks in your cake when you bake it. If you forget to get your ingredients out, it will not affect the flavor greatly but you may find you have a denser cake!
How To Bake Your Lemon Poppy Seed Cake:
This cake bakes well in a 9” cake pan or spring form pan. It is a very wet cake, so using a 9” pan helps spread the batter enough to cook eventually.
If you are baking at elevation, I suggest turning your oven up to 375 F instead of 350 F. If you are at higher elevation and bake your cake at 350, it can take much longer. Be sure to keep an eye out for browning edges and a slightly cracked top. I like to insert a toothpick when I think my cake is almost done to check for uncooked batter.
I use parchment paper on the bottom of my cake pans. For easy cutting, flip your cake pan upside down and trace using a pencil. Cut out with scissors and it should fit nicely.
This cake recipe can be split in half for a single layer. The portions called out are for a double layer cake but if you are cooking for a small crowd or just want the cake faster, one layer is still delicious!
What do Poppy Seeds Add To Lemon Poppy Seed Cake?
Poppy seeds are wonderful for adding texture to your cake. I like to think of them as one of nature’s sprinkles since they have that same shape and texture.
They also add a very light flavor that is a little nutty with hints of vanilla. This is why poppy seeds go so well with lemon and almond. The flavors go really well together.
It is not necessary to soak your poppy seeds before baking. They are very small and will absorb some liquid from the cake batter as they are mixed and baked.
Recipe:
Dry Ingredients:
- 3 1/3 cup flour= 420 grams
- 1 1/3 cup sugar- 300 grams
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1-2 Tbs poppy seeds
Wet:
- 2 sticks butter, room temperature
- 150-200 ml lemon juice (4 fresh lemons)
- zest of 4 lemons
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
Buttercream frosting
- 160g powdered sugar, roughly 3 cups
- 5 Tbs whole milk
- 1 stick of butter, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Almond Buttercream Frosting:
Make the Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Preheat your oven to 350F. See note above if baking at elevation.
Zest and juice your lemons. You should have 175-200 ml of Juice (around 1 cup)
In a bowl, pour 1 1/3 cup (300g) white sugar and the lemon zest. Pinch with your fingers until fragrant and mixed well.
In a separate bowl, sift 3 1/4 cups flour, (420g), 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt. Mix well with a fork, set aside
In a stand mixer add the sugar mixture, and butter. Cream together, about 1 min
Add in 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 eggs. Beat on medium until smooth, about 1 minute.
Add in the lemon juice and beat an additional minute. The mixture may look a little separated but that should be ok at this step.
Slowly add in the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined
Slowly pour in the milk, beating as you pour. As soon as the batter is smooth and consistent, stop beating it.
Add in poppy seeds and mix by hand so as not to over develop your batter.
Prepare the Cake Pans and Bake
Line two 9” cake pans with parchment paper. First grease the pan, place the parchment paper, then grease and flour the paper. This may seem overkill, but it ensures your cake will come out easily.
Bake at 350 for 28-30 minutes or until the edges begin to pull away from your pan.
Let cool 5 minutes in the pan then remove to a cooling rack.
Directions For the Buttercream Frosting:
In a stand mixer, place the room temperature butter and almond extract.
Beat until combined
Add in the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time. Do not add it all at once or you will have a huge mess!
After adding about 1 1/2 cups to 2 cups of sugar, add in 2 Tbs of milk and continue to beat.
Add in another cup of powdered sugar and continue to beat.
Add the final 2 Tbs-3 Tbs of milk until your frosting is beginning to thicken and is creamy.
Add in any final sugar and a pinch of salt. Beat one final time. Your icing should be thick and spreadable.
The BEST Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Ingredients
- 3 1/3 cup flour, 420 grams
- 1 1/3 cup sugar, 300 grams
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1-2 Tb poppy seeds
- 2 sticks butter, room temperature
- 150-200 ml lemon juice (4 fresh lemons)
- zest of 4 lemons
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 160g powdered sugar, roughly 3 cups
- 5 Tbs whole milk
- 1 stick of butter, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp almond extract