Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake (Printable Version)

A moist lemon bundt bursting with poppy seed crunch and finished with a sweet, zesty glaze.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (315 g)
02 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
03 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ½ teaspoon salt
06 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (230 g)
07 - 2 cups granulated sugar (400 g)
08 - 4 large eggs, at room temperature
09 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
10 - ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (80 ml)
11 - 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature (240 ml)
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Lemon Glaze

13 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (120 g)
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Thoroughly grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla extract.
05 - Mix in fresh lemon juice and sour cream until combined; the mixture may appear slightly curdled.
06 - Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overmixing.
07 - Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan and smooth the surface. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow cake to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth and pourable.
10 - Drizzle glaze over cooled cake and let set for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The lemon flavor is bright and real, not artificial or shy.
  • Poppy seeds add a gentle crunch that keeps every bite interesting.
  • The glaze soaks into the edges and makes the cake taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients blend faster and create a smoother batter.
  • If you skip greasing the pan well, the cake will stick and break when you try to remove it.
  • Let the cake cool completely before glazing or the icing will just melt and slide off.
03 -
  • Zest the lemons before juicing them, it's much easier that way.
  • If the glaze is too thick, add lemon juice one teaspoon at a time until it drizzles smoothly.
  • Let the cake sit in the pan those full 15 minutes, pulling it out early almost always leads to cracks.

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