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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Cakes » Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake

    Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake

    Published: April 10, 2018 · Modified: Aug 1, 2020 by John Kanell

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

    A sprinkle of lavender adds a wonderful botanical nuance to this delicious lemon poppyseed pound cake. This recipe makes enough batter for a nine by four inch loaf pan or three six inch cake pans. So if you wanted to get fancy you could make this as a layer cake paired with a lemon buttercream. I had to cut this loaf up right after photographing it and give most of it away because I had ZERO portion control around it! If you don't have any culinary lavender hanging around then make this recipe without it and I guarantee you'll still love it!

    Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake
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    A cut lemon pound cake with white icing and lemons in the background

    This lemon poppy seed pound cake is beyond addictive, which is really dangerous when a recipe is this easy to make! I think poppy seeds get a bad wrap because of sad, stale, and often oily store-bought muffins. In this cake they add a wonderful pop of texture and I love the way they look suspended in each slice, like nature’s sprinkles! I maxed out the lemon juice in this recipe, filling each bite with a wonderful zing. This recipe takes my homemade pound cake recipe up a notch!

    The glaze is so simple but amazing, confectioners’ sugar whisked with fresh lemon juice. It hardens for a wonderful crunch and tastes like lemonade! I garnished my cake with some extra lemon zest but this is totally optional. Did I mention these would make amazing cupcakes? Just adjust the baking time to closer to 25 minutes.

    How to make lemon poppy seed pound cake

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add parchment paper to a loaf pan. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. 

    2. Add poppy seeds. 

    3. Whisk together. 

    4. Zest and juice lemons. Microwave the milk so that it is warm to the touch. Sprinkle in lavender and lemon zest to infuse.

    5. In another bowl, combine sour cream and butter. 

    6. Add lemon juice.

    7. Pour in the infused milk mixture and eggs.

    8. Whisk everything together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix until combined.

    9. Pour the batter into the prepared baking loaf pan. Bake for about 60- 90 minutes or until the center is set and the edges are slightly pulling away.

    10. In a bowl, add confectioners sugar.

    11. Add the juice from 1½ lemons. Mix until you reach a desired consistency. Make sure not to add too much liquid at the beginning.

    12. Drizzle the glaze over the loaf.

    If you’ve tried this recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

    Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake
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    4.99 from 66 votes

    Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake:

    Zingy lemon with a touch of delicate lavender! 
    Course cake, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 18 minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 28 minutes
    Servings 10
    Calories 230kcal
    Author John Kanell

    Ingredients

    INGREDIENTS

      For the Loaf:

      • 4-5 lemons medium
      • 1 tbsp lemon zest
      • ½ tsp culinary lavender 1g
      • ½ cup whole milk 120ml, warmed
      • 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour 250g
      • ¼ tsp salt
      • 1 ½ tsp baking powder 6g
      • 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar 379g
      • 1 tbsp poppy seeds 12g
      • ⅓ cup lemon juice 80ml
      • ½ cup sour cream 120ml, room temp
      • ¾ cup unsalted butter 190g, almost melted
      • 3 large eggs

      For the Glaze:

      • 1 cup confectioners sugar about 120g
      • Juice from 1½ lemons

      Instructions

      INSTRUCTIONS

        For the Loaf:

        • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add parchment paper to a loaf pan.
        • Zest a lemon. Microwave the milk so that it is warm to the touch. Sprinkle in lavender and lemon zest to infuse. 
        • In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and poppy seeds.
        • Juice lemons until you get about ⅓ cup lemon.
        • In another bowl, combine sour cream, butter, lemon juice, infused milk mixture and eggs. Whisk everything together.
        • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix until combined.
        • Pour the batter into the prepared baking loaf pan.
        • Bake for about 60- 90 minutes or until the center is set and the edges are slightly pulling away.

        For the Glaze:

        • In a bowl, add confectioners sugar and the juice from 1½ lemons. Mix until you reach a desired consistency. Make sure not to add too much liquid at the beginning.
        • Drizzle the glaze over the loaf.

        Video

        Notes

        If you don't have sour cream handy use plain yogurt instead.
        The glaze is so simple but amazing, confectioners' sugar whisked with fresh lemon juice. It hardens for a wonderful crunch and tastes like lemonade!
        I garnished my cake with some extra lemon zest but this is totally optional.
        Did I mention these would make amazing cupcakes? Just adjust the baking time to closer to 25 minutes.

        Nutrition

        Serving: 1piece | Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 170mg | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin C: 10.7mg | Calcium: 10mg
        *Nutrition Disclaimer
        Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @preppykitchen and tag #preppykitchen!

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        Welcome to Preppy Kitchen!

        Thanks for stopping by! I’m John Kanell, a husband, dad to twins Lachlan and George, Los Angeles native, and an avid baker and cooker of all things delicious thanks to a life long education from my mother. This blog is where I share all of my kitchen creations!

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