Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake Recipe

Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake Recipe

This classic lemon poppy seed pound cake is soft, moist, and packed with bright citrus flavor. Made with real lemon zest, poppy seeds, and buttermilk, then topped with a simple lemon glaze or icing. Perfect for spring brunches, afternoon tea, or an easy make-ahead dessert.

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 50

Total Time: 1 10

Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
2 Tbsp lemon zest
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter - softened
3 large eggs - (let sit at room temperature)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice - from about 2 lemons
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup buttermilk - or whole milk (let sit at room temperature)

Glaze (Optional):

2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp milk

Icing (Also Optional):

1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 tsp milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy using a hand mixer.
Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Mix until fully combined.
Add half of the dry ingredients and mix. Then add half of the buttermilk and mix again.
Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and the rest of the buttermilk. Stir just until the batter is smooth—don’t overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
For the Glaze: While the loaf is still warm, mix the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over the loaf and gently spread with a brush or spatula. Let the loaf cool completely.
For the Icing: Once fully cooled, whisk together the icing ingredients in a bowl. Pour over the loaf and spread evenly. Let the icing set before slicing and serving.

Recipe Notes:

If the top of the loaf begins to brown too much but isn’t fully cooked, you can loosely cover the top with aluminum foil.
If you want the loaf to cool faster, place it in the fridge which will help speed up the process!
Both the glaze and icing are optional steps. This loaf can also be enjoyed without them depending on what you prefer!
The glaze is runny and quite sticky, so having some parchment paper underneath or placing the loaf over a baking sheet is helpful for clean up.

Nutrition Info

The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.

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