Poppy Seed Citrus Cake (Printer-Friendly)

Aromatic cake featuring nutty poppy seeds and fresh citrus, perfect for tea or dessert moments.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup poppy seeds
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - Zest of 1 lemon
10 - 1/2 cup milk
11 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or line it with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract and lemon zest.
05 - Mix in half of the dry ingredients, then add milk and lemon juice. Fold in remaining dry ingredients gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface evenly.
07 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's moist and tender without being heavy, which means you can actually eat two slices without feeling guilty.
  • The poppy seeds give it an elegant, almost mysterious flavor that makes people think you spent hours on it.
  • It comes together in under two hours from start to finish, including cooling time.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the cake completely before slicing; if you cut into it warm, it will crumble and look messy, even though it tastes just as good.
  • If your poppy seeds sink to the bottom, it usually means the batter was too thin or wet; next time, fold in the dry ingredients more confidently so the batter has more body.
  • Room temperature ingredients truly do make a difference here—cold eggs and butter won't blend smoothly, and you'll end up with a slightly grainier crumb.
03 -
  • If you don't have fresh lemons, you can substitute the zest with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon extract and still get a lovely result.
  • Toast your poppy seeds gently in a dry pan for 2 to 3 minutes before adding them if you want to intensify their nutty flavor.

Go Back