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Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake:
4.9 from 160 votes

Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake:

This Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake is a moist loaf cake imbued with fresh lemon zest and juice, poppy seeds, and a hint of lavender. A mixture of sour cream, butter, and warm infused milk creates a tender crumb with a slight tang. The cake is finished with a simple lemon glaze that hardens to a bright, crunchy topping. The texture balances soft crumb and slight crust edges, delivering a lemony sweetness that is both fresh and aromatic.

Prep Time
18 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 10 mins
Total Time
1 hr 28 mins
Servings: 10
Calories: 230 kcal
Course: Dessert, Snacks, Cake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS
For the Loaf:
  • 4-5 lemon medium, plural
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • ½ tsp lavender 1g, culinary variety
  • ½ cup milk 120ml, warmed, whole
  • 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 butter 190g, almost melted, unsalted
  • 3 egg large
For the Glaze:
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar about 120g
  • lemon juice from 1½ lemons

Instructions

INSTRUCTIONS
For the Loaf:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add parchment paper to a loaf pan.
  2. Zest a lemon. Microwave the milk so that it is warm to the touch. Sprinkle in lavender and lemon zest to infuse. 
  3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and poppy seeds.
  4. Juice lemons until you get about ⅓ cup lemon.
  5. In another bowl, combine sour cream, butter, lemon juice, infused milk mixture and eggs. Whisk everything together.
  6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix until combined.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking loaf pan.
  8. Bake for about 60- 90 minutes or until the center is set and the edges are slightly pulling away.
For the Glaze:
  1. 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.
  2. Drizzle the glaze over the loaf.

Notes

  • If sour cream is unavailable, plain yogurt can be used as a substitute without affecting the texture significantly.
  • The lemon glaze hardens to a crisp topping that adds texture and a fresh, tart flavor similar to lemonade.
  • Extra lemon zest garnish is optional but enhances the citrus aroma and presentation.
  • The batter can be adapted to cupcakes requiring about 25 minutes baking time instead of the full loaf duration.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1piece Calories 230kcal (12%) Carbohydrates 28g (9%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 35mg (12%) Sodium 170mg (7%) Sugar 16g (32%) Vitamin C 10.7mg (12%) Calcium 10mg (1%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 230

% Daily Value*

Serving 1piece
Calories 230kcal 12%
Carbohydrates 28g 9%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 35mg 12%
Sodium 170mg 7%
Sugar 16g 32%
Vitamin C 10.7mg 12%
Calcium 10mg 1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.