Lemons and poppy seeds go really well together in this Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake. With the help of the buttermilk that makes it delicately moist, the zest and juice from the lemons add the perfect citrus flavor while the poppy seeds add a fun crunch to each and every bite.
Its level of sweetness is very conservative, so depending on how sweet you like it you can add more or less of the lemon glaze at the end. You can also just give it a light dust of confectioners’ sugar if you prefer a lighter topping. Either way the cake itself is also delicious all on its own, so you can never go wrong if you decide to serve it ‘as is’.
This recipe requires a Bundt pan, and if you’ve ever baked with a Bundt pan before you certainly know it can either go really well or terribly wrong. It all depends on how well you grease your pan. So grease your pan well, not forgetting any hidden creases, and let your Bundt pan (a.k.a. self-decorating cake pan) do all the work for you.
Recipe adapted from Once Upon A Chef (with slight changes).
Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake
A moist and fluffy cake that has just the right amount of sweetness and a poppy seed crunch to each and every bite.
Ingredients
- FOR THE CAKE:
- Unsalted butter (1-2 tablespoons) to grease pan
- 3 cups (360g) flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup poppy seeds
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature (see Step 10 for alternative)
- Zest of 3 lemons
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup (250g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- FOR THE GLAZE:
- 1 cup (130g) confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30-45ml) fresh lemon juice
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
- Step 2 Heavily grease pan with butter, making sure the entire pan (including the creases) is coated. This is essential in successfully releasing the cake from the pan.
- Step 3 In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and poppy seeds. Set aside.
- Step 4 In a small bowl combine the buttermilk, lemon zest and lemon juice. Set aside.
- Step 5 In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides. Then beat in eggs one at a time. Scrape down the sides.
- Step 6 With the mixer on low speed beat in one-third of the flour mixture. Then beat in one-third of the buttermilk mixture. Scrape down the sides. Repeat this two more times until all the flour and buttermilk mixture is mixed in. The batter should be thick.
- Step 7 Add the thick batter to the prepared Bundt pan and smooth out the top. Bake for about 55-60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden and toothpick tester comes out clean. Set aside to cool. (Do not take cake out of the Bundt pan until the pan is completely cooled, about 1 hour.)
- Step 8 Once cake is completely cooled invert the cake onto a wire rack and set aside while you make the glaze. In a medium bowl add the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice. Mix well until completely smooth. The consistency should be thick and opaque white in color. Pour/drizzle the lemon glaze over the cake and allow to harden for about 10-15 minutes. The cake will keep nicely for about 3 days covered on the countertop.
- Step 9 Garnish Tips: You can garnish with fresh lemon zest for extra citrus taste and color. If you want to skip the lemon glaze altogether then you can lightly dust confectioners’ sugar over the cake or just serve the cake as is.
- Step 10 Buttermilk Alternative: You can make your own buttermilk by adding 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for 15 minutes or until the surface begins to curdle. Give it a gentle stir and it is ready to use.