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Dessert Recipes

You’ll Love This Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe: Tender, Moist + Citrusy

We stirred lemon curd into the batter, then finished with a sweet citrus glaze

Brighten your day with this simple-to-make lemon poppy seed cake recipe! We made things a lot easier with golden butter cake mix, which we upgraded with a bright lemon curd. Plus, those fluffy cake are bursting with the zest and juice of freshly squeezed lemons. (Did you know you can add lemon juice to other dishes? Try it with scrambled eggs and smashed potatoes).

And don’t forget the poppy seeds, which add pops of nutty flavor and a satisfying crunch in every bite. Finally, we drizzled a sugary, lemon-infused glaze over the top for the perfect presentation. It makes a great afternoon treat alongside a cup of tea or coffee.

When making this lemon poppy seed cake recipe, first choose lemons with a vibrant yellow rind. These lemons will be juicier and have a more intense lemon taste. Additionally, toss the poppy seeds with a bit of flour before adding them to the batter. This prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the cake. Let us know what you think in the comments!

Yields

16 servings

Total Time

Prep Time

Cook Time

Ingredients

  • 1 (15.25 oz.) pkg. golden butter cake mix
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ cup milk
  • ⅓ cup butter, softened
  • ¼ cup lemon curd
  • 2 Tbs. poppy seeds
  • 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
  • 4 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 Tbs. heavy cream
  • 1 tsp. light corn syrup
  • Raspberries, lemon zest and mint (optional)

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350°F. Coat 12-cup Bundt pan with baking spray with flour. On low speed, beat cake mix, eggs, milk, butter, curd, seeds, zest and 2 tsp. lemon juice 30 sec.; on medium-high, beat 2 min. Pour into pan. 

• Bake until pick inserted near center comes out clean, 50–60 min. Let cool 15 min. Transfer from pan to rack; let cool. 

• In bowl, mix sugar, cream, syrup and remaining lemon juice. Transfer cake to serving plate. Drizzle glaze over cake.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 217
  • Fat: 9 gram
  • Saturated Fat: 4 gram
  • Protein: 3 gram
  • Carbohydrate: 33 gram
  • Fiber: 1 gram
  • Cholesterol: 45 mg
  • Sugar: 22 gram
  • Sodium: 223 mg
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