Bursting with fresh lemon flavor, this Lemon Poppyseed Cake is the perfect light dessert. It’s made with lemon zest, fresh-squeezed lemon juice and has a hint of poppyseed flavor. It’s topped with a cream cheese frosting and it’s not a complicated cake to make. The single layer keeps it simple, but the flavor is anything but simple. You’ll love this springtime cake!

If you love poppyseed muffins, this is the next level version. It’s what takes the flavors from breakfast muffin to delicious dessert. The cake is moist, light and a true lemon flavor. Using the freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest makes a big difference. It’s not lemon essence, so it tastes like a true lemon flavor.

The cake is easy to make because of the single layer. Of course, you could always make it a triple layer cake, but I like to keep it easy. It’s the perfect baked cake for a casual spring or summer gathering.

Do you love lemon poppyseed desserts? Try my Glazed Lemon Poppyseed Cookies too!

What You’ll Need To Make Lemon Poppyseed Cake

There are a few kitchen tools you’ll need to make the Lemon Poppyseed Cake. A Hand Lemon Juicer allows you to extract the juice from fresh lemons and separate the seeds easily. 9″ round baking pans are a must for the cake. I use a non-stick cake pan and nonstick cooking spray (such as Baker’s Joy). If you don’t have baking spray, use 9″ round parchment paper sheets. You can mix everything by hand or use a stand mixer. Either will work.

When To Bake This Cake

I like to make this cake for springtime events. Think of baby showers, bridal showers, graduations and those special first-of-the-year outdoor dinners. It’s such an easy cake and everyone compliments the flavor. The moist crumbs of the cake sort of melt in your mouth. It’s not an easy cake to transport, so I don’t make it for potlucks.

How To Store Leftovers

Once the cake is cooled and frosted, slice individual servings. Cover leftovers with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight food storage container. Due to the cream cheese frosting, I like to keep the leftovers refrigerated. For best freshness, enjoy the cake within 3-4 days of baking. Let the cake thaw again to room temperature before serving.

How To Make It A Triple Layer Cake

If you want to make it a triple layer cake, you’ll need to triple the ingredients to make 3x the cake batter amount. This recipe is for a single layer. Triple the recipe and divide the cake batter between three 9″ round baking pans. Everything else stays the same, including the bake time. You’ll use two tubs of cream cheese frosting instead of one. Stack the first layer, add frosting, stack the second layer, add more frosting on top and finally the third top layer. Frost the entire cake with the remaining cream cheese frosting.

Lemon Poppyseed Cake Ingredients:

• All-Purpose Flour
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Granulated Sugar
• Fresh Lemons
• Eggs
• Vanilla
• Buttermilk
• Poppyseeds
• Butter
• 16 oz tub of cream cheese frosting

How To Make Lemon Poppyseed Cake

Preheat oven to 350ºF and spray a 9″ round baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.  In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix well. Set aside. 

Add sugar to a bowl and zest both lemons. Mix lemon zest into sugar. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Add buttermilk and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice (squeezed from the lemons you zested). Mix well. 

Add flour mixture to batter and mix until combined. Stir in poppy seeds and butter. 

Spread batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 40-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let stand for about 10 minutes before inverting the cake pan to a wire rack, removing the cake and cooling completely. 

Once the cake is cooled, place onto a serving platter and spread frosting on top. Cover loosely until ready to serve or slice and serve.