Name: Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 3 large eggs, room temperature; 1/3 cup lemon juice; 3/4 cup sour cream; 4 cups flour; 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda; 1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder; 2 tablespoons poppy seeds; 1 tablespoon lemon zest, preferably organic; Non-stick cooking spray; 1 cup powdered sugar; 1/8 cup whole milk* (*Add additional milk a little at a time, if necessary, to reach desired consistency); 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

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This easy Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake from scratch is beautiful, flavorful, and moist. It’s topped with a sweet lemon glaze that’s the perfect final touch. Excellent coffee cake for breakfast or dessert.

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Welcome to My Kitchen Serenity! I’m so glad to share this lemon poppy seed cake recipe with you! First, I love all things lemon. There’s my Lemon Chess Pie recipe and my Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings recipe. So why not have another lemon recipe? This cake is also one of my favorite summer cakes although it’s a great year-round cake; elegant enough for Christmas and Thanksgiving, too.

This cake is made from scratch so it contains all the basic cake ingredients such as flour, sugar, butter, eggs, etc. We add sour cream to ensure the cake is moist. The addition of lemon juice and lemon zest gives the cake an amazing, delicate lemon flair.

The poppy seeds are more for show because they don’t really add a ton of flavor. They do, however, compliment this cake with a slight nutty flavor that’s very pleasing to your palette! You could leave them out if you wish, but I highly recommend using them.

After the cake cools, we’ll top it with a sweet lemon glaze that’s made from powdered sugar, milk, and lemon juice. MMM! I wish you could smell how amazing my house smells while this cake is baking!

While I do enjoy making layered cakes, I also love the simplicity of a bundt cake. This cake recipe seems to be perfect for a bundt pan. Other bundt cake recipes on my website are my Apricot Nectar Pound Cake (another great summer cake) and Pumpkin Pecan Spice Cake (great for fall and winter).

You may wonder, is this a coffee cake? A coffee cake is a cake that is served either as breakfast or as a treat with coffee. The fact of the matter is, there really aren’t any hard fast rules here. Eat what you want – when you want! Now, let’s take a glance at the ingredients needed for this luscious cake!

Ingredients

please scroll down to the printable recipe card for detailed ingredients and step by step instructions

DAIRY:

unsalted butter

eggs

sour cream

milk

BAKING:

granulated sugar

all-purpose flour

baking soda

baking powder

powdered sugar

vanilla extract

OTHER:

lemon zest

lemon juice

poppy seeds

non-stick cooking spray

Step by Step Directions

STEP 1: Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Prepare a standard-sized Bundt pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray. This is my favorite bundt pan from Nordic Ware. The handles come in handy when you’re flipping the cake out of the pan to cool. Set aside.

STEP 2: Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the vanilla, eggs, lemon juice, and sour cream and mix until smooth.

Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the vanilla, eggs, lemon juice, and sour cream and mix until smooth.

STEP 3: Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, poppy seeds, and lemon zest in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients slowly to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

STEP 4: Transfer the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Place in the pre-heated oven for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

STEP 5: While the cake is baking, prepare the lemon glaze by blending the ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth. Set aside.

STEP 6: Remove from oven and place hot pan on a wire rack to cool for 30-40 minutes. To serve, remove cake from pan and slice. Drizzle with some lemon glaze right before serving.

Storing Cake

This cake will stay fresh for up to 3 days if left covered on your counter top. Keeping the cake in a plastic cake holder such as the Nordic Ware Bundt Cake Keeper will help keep the cake nice and fresh. The lid locks onto the base and is somewhat translucent.

However, if you have a cake that is frosted or has a fruit or cream filling, it’s best to store it covered in the refrigerator.

Make-ahead Cake

In my opinion, cakes are always better eaten the next day. Cakes like this, especially pound cakes, seem to be moister the next day. However, I would wait to glaze this cake until the day you plan to serve it.

Freezing a Cake

Cakes freeze well and often makes them even moister than before you froze them! Be sure the cake is completely cooled. Skip the glaze for now. Then wrap the cake in several layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of tin foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat the cake, remove the plastic wrap and foil, then let the cake thaw on the counter top for 2-3 hours. Top with glaze. Enjoy!