Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake (Printable View)
Moist, zesty cake bursting with fresh lemon flavor and crunchy poppy seeds under a tangy glaze.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
03 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 2 cups granulated sugar
08 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
10 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
→ Lemon Glaze
13 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan thoroughly, ensuring all crevices are coated to prevent sticking.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until pale and fluffy, approximately 3–4 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
05 - Alternate adding the flour mixture and sour cream to the wet ingredients, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined to avoid overmixing.
06 - Pour the batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, adding more juice as needed to reach a pourable consistency.
09 - Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. Allow the glaze to set for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It's foolproof enough for a weeknight but impressive enough to bring to a dinner party without second thoughts.
- The poppy seeds add this subtle texture that keeps surprising you with every bite, in the best possible way.
- One cake feeds a crowd, and somehow it tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle.
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are not optional—cold eggs and cold sour cream will create a lumpy, curdled batter that no amount of mixing will fix.
- Overmixing is the enemy; once you start adding the flour mixture, treat your mixer like it's on low speed and you're in no hurry whatsoever.
- Your bundt pan needs serious greasing—bundt cakes will stick in the tiniest forgotten spots and ruin your beautiful shape.
03 -
- If you want to push the lemon flavor further, add lemon extract instead of vanilla or use extra zest, but taste the batter first because lemon can overwhelm if you're not careful.
- Invest in a quality cooling rack—the cake needs air circulation underneath to cool evenly without sweating or drying out.