Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
The Lemon Poppy Seed Cake is infused with fresh lemon juice, giving it a vibrant, tangy kick, while the poppy seeds add a gentle nutty flavor and a pleasant texture throughout each bite.
Bright citrus flavor with a tender, moist crumb. This is a great snack cake. It’s uncomplicated, while not underdelivering on flavor!
And a great cake for serving all day long, bring it to work, share it with friends, have it ready on the counter, and as everyone walks through the kitchen, they’ll be sure to grab a. slice!
Swirls of lemon sour cream frosting top this lemon poppy seed cake for a light, fresh, and fruity sweet treat.
And a great cake for serving all day long. Its bright flavor is great at brunch, perfect citrusy taste makes for a lovely birthday cake as well.
Add your favorite topping to the cake, or just add poppy seeds. I candied a few slices of lemons in lots of granulated sugar and microwaved them until they have absorbed the sugar and look dry, nicely firm. Allow them to cool before putting them on the top of the cake.
I’m so glad lemons are an item available year-round. Bright flavored, tart with a burst of freshness.
This cake is a simple one, it starts with a cake mix, but tastes like homemade.
Why use a cake mix? Honestly, a lot of people prefer to bake with cake mixes as the results are less likely to fail. You’ve all seen where you bake a cake with a can of soda and it comes out. Case in point.
So this cake has a tender crumb. A box mix has finely milled flour, making a really light result in the crumb/texture of the cake.
You’ll be adding a bunch of ingredients to this cake to make it absolutely perfect.
More of my lemon cake recipes:
When I’ve taken surveys, readers mention they want 9×13 easy cakes, with simple decorating. Another item is chicken recipes. You’ll find my chicken recipes here.
Fresh tasting lemon cake with a lemon sour cream frosting is the perfect cake for a mood boost!
Can I make this cake in a different pan?
Yes, this cake can be baked in a bundt pan, 2-8″ round cake pans, 3-6″ round cake pans. If you want a 2-layer cake, simply slice the 13×9 cake in half and stack one layer on the other with frosting in the center and on top.
If you love lemon, don’t miss seeing these lemon recipes, I think I’m going to make this Creamy Lemon Pasta Salad this weekend!
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Ingredients
- 1 15.25oz box White Cake Mix (Duncan Hines) do not follow instruction on package
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 3/4 cup water
- 4 large egg whites be sure to separate eggs
- 4 oz butter, melted which is 1/2 cup
- 1 cup sour cream which is 8 oz.
- 2 tablespoons oil, I use avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tablespooons poppy seeds
Lemon Sour Cream Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 small drop yellow food coloring
Toppings
- 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds for topping
- lemon slices, sugared, heated for garnish
- mint for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 335°. At that temperature, the cake will bake nice and even with a light golden color on top.
- Prepare the 13×9 cake pan with a baking spray or pan release.
- In the large bowl of a mixer, add the cake mix, flour, sugar, salt, lemon juice, water, egg whites, butter, sour cream, oil, lemon, and vanilla extract.
- Mix on low to combine, then increase the speed up to medium for 2 minutes, the batter will become smooth and thick.
- Mix in the poppy seeds.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan.
- Bake the cake for 40-50 minutes or until the cake is firm and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven, allow it to cool completely if you're serving it in the pan, or cool for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Prepare the frosting
- In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter until smooth for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom.
- Add in the sour cream and mix on medium speed.
- Add in the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon extract, and yellow coloring.
- Mix on high until well blended and smooth.
- Spread the frosting on the cake with the back of a spoon, creating swirls.
- Top with poppy seeds, mint, sugared lemon slices, or other toppings.