Preppy Kitchen Recipes Desserts Cakes Poppy Seed Cake

Poppy Seed Cake

By John Kanell Published Jan 12, 2024
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Poppy Seed Cake with a powdered sugar topping is light and fluffy, packed with poppy seeds, and perfect for an afternoon coffee or after-dinner dessert. A simple everyday cake that’s beautiful enough for special occasions, too!

A slice of poppy seed cake on a green plate with the rest of the cake in the background.

Poppy seed cake is the perfect cake for year-round enjoyment. With the classic flavor of poppy seeds, an indulgent buttery crumb, and warm vanilla notes, this light and airy Bundt cake will be enjoyed by guests of all ages. The light texture comes from fluffy egg whites that are carefully folded into the cake batter just before baking.

This homemade cake with powdered sugar topping is quick and easy to make with pantry staples available at any grocery store. Baking the cake in a Bundt pan gives it an elevated appearance to add a spark of fun to everyday dining while also making it ideal to serve for a holiday, party, or family gathering. Enjoy with fresh fruit and coffee all year round! For more Bundt cake recipes, try my chocolate Bundt cake, apple Bundt cake, or rum cake.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Ingredients needed to make poppy seed cake.

Flour – all-purpose flour works best for this recipe. Always use flour with a good expiration date and weigh your it using a food scale for the most accurate measurement.

Sugar – you’ll need both granulated and powdered sugar for this recipe. If you only have granulated sugar, you can learn how to make powdered sugar with my easy step-by-step recipe.

Poppy Seeds – these tiny seeds give this cake lots of flavor and also a pop of color because of their distinct color. You can find poppy seeds in the spice aisle of your grocery store.

Eggs – carefully separate the egg whites from the egg yolks when the eggs are cold. The egg whites are the key to a fluffy cake and won’t rise correctly when beaten if there is any yolk with them. Allow the egg whites to come to room temperature if possible before whipping, as they’ll beat up better and faster.

Vanilla Extract – this simple ingredient compliments the flavor of the poppy seeds perfectly. You can substitute almond extract if you prefer, but only use half the amount of almond extract because it has a stronger flavor.

How to Make Poppy Seed Cake

Set of two photos showing dry ingredients added in a bowl and eggs added to a mixer.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour a 9-inch tube pan or Bundt pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt) until combined.

2. In a medium mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each, and beat until well combined. Beat in the vanilla.

Set of two photos showing dry and wet ingredients added to the mixer.

3. With the mixer on low speed, add a third of the flour and poppy seed mixture.

4. Add half of the milk. Repeat, alternating between flour and milk until both are fully combined. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed.

Set of two photos showing egg whites whipped and folded into the batter.

5. In a separate large bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites at medium-high speed until stiff, about 3 minutes.

6. Using a spatula, gently fold a third of the egg whites into the batter until just combined. Repeat in two more additions until the egg whites are completely incorporated.

Set of two photos showing batter added to a cake pan and powdered sugar dusted on top of the baked cake.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

8. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. Cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar, if preferred, before serving.

Overhead view of a poppy seed cake on a platter dusted with powdered sugar. Coffee and poppy seed in the back with some plates and forks.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

Prepare the Bundt pan with both grease and flour. To most easily remove the baked cake from the pan, grease and flour the Bundt pan. You can grease the pan with non-stick spray or softened butter. Try to grease every portion of the pan, especially if using a more intricately detailed pan. Add in a scoop of flour and rotate and tap the pan to evenly distribute the flour over the whole surface of the pan. Flip and tap to dicard the remaining flour. Alternatively, you can also use a nonstick baker’s spray that contains flour.
Gently fold in the egg whites. Use a delicate hand to fold in the egg whites, one-third of the mixture at a time. The goal is to preserve as much of the air in the egg whites as possible to create a fluffy cake texture.
Use a toothpick or cake tester. A toothpick or cake tester should come out clean when inserted into the center of the cake. Use both the toothpick and monitor the visual appearance of the cake and watch for it to become golden brown.
Cool the cake for 10 minutes before inverting it. After the cake has cooled for 10 minutes, invert the cake on a wire rack and allow it to continue cooling. If you invert the cake immediately after baking, it can stick to the pan or break as you flip it.
Dust with powdered sugar once the cake has reached room temperature. Make sure the cake has cooled completely before dusting it with powdered sugar. Adding the powdered sugar too soon will result in it melting into the hot cake, eliminating the snow-like appearance.
Glazed pound cake adaptation. If you prefer a glazed bundt cake, skip the powdered sugar topping and finish this recipe with the vanilla glaze from my vanilla bundt cake recipe.
Lemon poppy seed cake variation. For lemon poppy seed cake, reduce the milk to ¾ cup, and add ¼ cup of lemon juice and lemon zest from one lemon to the cake batter. Finish the cake with the lemon glaze from my lemon pound cake.

A slice of poppy seed cake on a plate with a fork. Another plated slice in the background along with the rest of the cake.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store leftovers?

Leftovers keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze the entire cake or individual slices of cake for up to 3 months. Before freezing, wrap the cake in plastic wrap and seal it in a freezer-safe container. Defrost at room temperature before serving.

What do I serve with this?

This cake is full of poppy seed flavor but is also mild enough to pair with many different drinks or desserts and compliments any main course. Serve poppy seed Bundt cake on a cake plate with a garnish of sugared cranberries, an additional sprinkle of powdered sugar, or a dollop of freshly whipped cream. Lemon and poppy seeds are a classic combination, so serve this cake with my lemon curd or a lemon drop martini. Poppyseed cake is also delicious paired with ambrosia salad.

Should poppy seeds be toasted before using?

Toasting is an optional step that will enhance the flavor of the poppy seeds. You can toast poppy seeds similarly to how you would toast sesame seeds or nuts before using them in a cake. Toast the poppy seeds for 3-5 minutes in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent the small seeds from burning. Remove the seeds from the heat as soon as they begin to smell nutty.

If you’ve tried this poppy seed cake 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!