Bright, zesty, and irresistibly moist, this lemon poppy seed cake gets a flavor boost from roasted lemons to make it one of a kind!
If you love the bright, zesty flavor of lemon treats, this cake will feel like the ultimate upgrade!
It has the same citrusy charm as my lemon poppy seed cupcakes and the irresistible crunch of my lemon poppy cookies but with roasted lemon instead of fresh lemon juice for a bakery-worthy flavor.
The homemade lemon curd and cream cheese frosting are truly the cherry on top to one of my favorite flavor pairings as a pastry chef!
Table of Contents
How to Make It
1
Roast the lemons. Cut the lemons into 1/8″ rounds and roast them on a lined baking sheet until the edges are caramelized.
2
Blend the roasted lemons. Once blended, strain the mixture through a mesh strainer to remove the bitter white parts!
3
Cream the butter and sugar. This can be done with a stand mixing bowl or hand mixer.
4
Mix in the wet ingredients. Make sure to scrape down the bowl between additions!
5
Alternate wet and dry ingredients. Don’t overmix the batter! Otherwise, the cake will be more dense and tough.
6
Spread the batter into the cake pan. Then, bake the cake until the top is golden brown.
7
Let the cake cool. The cake must be completely cooled before frosting. Otherwise, the frosting will melt off the top!
8
Cover with swirls of frosting and lemon curd. Use the back of a spoon to create swoops and swirls in the frosting. You can sprinkle extra poppy seeds on top as well!
Measure for Success
Using a kitchen scale ensures your ingredients are perfectly measured every time, giving you consistent, bakery-quality results. It’s the easiest way to avoid guesswork and guarantees your cake turns out flawless!
If you don’t have a scale, use the spoon-measure method: sprinkle spoonfuls of flour into your measuring cup and swipe the excess flour off with the back of a knife.
Ingredient Substitutions
Fresh lemons: For a sweeter version, use Meyer lemons when they’re in season!
More Lemon Desserts
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Equipment
- 1 8 inch cake pan or spring form cake pan
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 3-4 large lemons
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sour cream, room temperature
- 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons hot water
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 ounces cold cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream or whole milk
- lemon curd, for the top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F/220 C. Zest the lemons, set the zest aside. Cut the rind off the lemons, then slice them into 1/8” thick slices. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 10-15 minutes until the edges of the lemon slices are caramelized.3-4 large lemons
- Transfer the lemon slices to a blender or small food processor and blend until smooth. Push the puree through a fine mesh strainer to remove the bitter white parts. You should have 1/4 cup (roughly 57 grams) of puree! Set aside until ready to use.
- Reduce the oven heat to 350 F/180 C. Grease the sides of an 8-inch cake pan or 8" spring form pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds. Set aside.1 1/2 cups (193 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 1/4 teaspoon poppy seeds
- Cream the butter, sugar, lemon zest, and oil until light and fluffy, 5 minutes.1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, 3 tablespoons (33 g) vegetable oil
- Mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed until completely incorporated before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Then mix in the sour cream, vanilla, and roasted lemon puree.2 (100 g) eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (37 g) sour cream
- Mix in 1/2 of the dry ingredients, then the milk, ending with the remaining dry ingredients. Stream in the hot water, mixing until just combined.1/4 cup (57 g) whole milk, 3 tablespoons (42 g) hot water
- Spread the cake batter evenly into the baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out covered in a few moist crumbs. Let the pan cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before carefully removing it from the pan. Let the cake finish cooling on the wire rack before frosting.
- Cream the butter until smooth, 1 minute. Then, mix in the cold cream cheese and mix on low speed until combined. Mix in the powdered sugar, then increase the speed to medium-low and gently beat the frosting until light, white, and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla and heavy cream.4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, 4 ounces cold cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, 1 tablespoon heavy cream or whole milk
- Spread the cream cheese frosting on top of the cooled cake. Dollop the top with lemon curd and use the back of a spoon to swirl them together. Sprinkle extra poppy seeds and lemon zest if desired, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!
