This Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf is packed with fresh lemon and the lovely crunch of poppy seeds. Combining softened butter, a little oil, and plain yogurt ensure that it is super moist and tender.
The drizzle is made from fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar. I both moistens the cake and leaves a crackly finish on top.
Steps for Making a Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
This cake is super easy to make. The batter for the cake comes together in one bowl. Use a hand or stand mixer to make sure the butter and sugar get nice and fluffy.
- Massage the lemon zest into the sugar. The sugar granules mix with the lemon zest to release the citrus oils. This is what gives this cake its burst of flavor.
- Cream together the sugar and butter. Again, when the sugar granules are mixed with softened butter, they cut into the butter and create little air pockets. This aerates the batter and turns it into a light and tender cake.
- Blend in the eggs. Add the eggs, one at a time, allowing each to be absorbed into the batter before adding the next. This will help make a smoother batter without over-mixing.
- Alternate the dry ingredients with the yogurt and lemon juice. Instead of adding all of the flour at once, alternating it with the wet ingredients helps the batter come together more easily. Plain Greek yogurt makes the cake extra moist and tender.
- Bake! Make sure to bake the lemon poppy seed loaf in a preheated oven.
- Drizzle. The topping is thicker than simple syrup but much thinner than frosting. It both soaks into the cake and leave a crackly sugar finish on top.
Bake Like a Pro
Thoroughly blend the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Softened butter should be able to easily hold a fingerprint when lightly pressed. It should not feel greasy or be melted or it won't be able to hold in as much air.
Massage the lemon zest into the sugar by rubbing the ingredients together between your finger tips. This helps release the oils in the lemon zest to make it extra flavorful!
For the best cakes, measure the flour accurately (preferably with a scale). Do not pack it in.
Use room temperature eggs, milk, and butter - unless otherwise noted. This will make the batter more homogenous and keep from over-mixing (which causes dry, dense cakes).
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Plain Yogurt - you may substitute equal parts buttermilk or sour cream
- Lemon - you may use other citrus like orange, lime, or grapefruit.
Instead of a lemon loaf, try this Orange Pound Cake or add blueberries in this Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake.
STORAGE
Store the lemon poppy seed cake at room temperature for up to 2 days. Loosely cover with plastic wrap or tent with foil.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator. The cake is best served within 3 days.
Freeze the unglazed loaf by wrapping in plastic and piping in a zip-top bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator.
Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf FAQS
Yes! Fill muffin liners ⅔ of the way up and bake for 17 to 20 minutes. Add the glaze after cooling slightly.
Yes. Be sure not to fill the pan too high (about ¾ of the way full). Use leftover batter to make muffins (see above).
Yes! Try a different citrus for the lemon like orange, lime, or grapefruit.
Sure can! A classic lemon loaf is always lovely.
Instead of poppy seeds, try adding raspberries like in this Raspberry Lemon Loaf.
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Recipe
Drizzled Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
Ingredients
For the Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
- 1 ½ cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened
- 3 tablespoon avocado or neutral oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120ml) plain yogurt
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Drizzle
- 1 cup (130g) powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Make the Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 X 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bow, add the sugar and lemon zest. Rub the ingredients together between your fingertips until fragrant. Add the softened butter and mix with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the oil, vanilla, and eggs - one at time. Mix until blended.
- Add in half of the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Add the yogurt and lemon just then mix until smooth. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to fold the batter together until smooth.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it out with the rubber spatula. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack.
Make the Drizzle
- Stir together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. It should thicker than simple syrup but much thinner than frosting.
- Poke holes into the top of the cake and pour the drizzle all over the top. The drizzle with dry and leave a crackly finish.
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