Lemon poppy seed cake with cream cheese frosting is a from-scratch dessert that combines bright lemon, crunchy poppy seeds, and tender, buttery cake layers. It’s an ideal dessert for spring or any time you want a fresh, citrusy treat.
Light, fluffy lemon poppy seed cake layers are filled with lemon curd and finished with a rich cream cheese frosting. The combination of tart lemon, subtle poppy seed crunch, and creamy frosting makes this cake a crowd-pleaser for holidays, family gatherings, or anytime you want a special dessert.
This recipe took some refining, and the result is a reliably moist cake with a bright lemon flavor. It’s great for Easter, Mother’s Day, or simply when the craving for a classic lemon cake hits.
Why you’ll love this lemon poppy seed cake:
- You don’t need a stand mixer—an electric hand mixer works fine.
- You can use store-bought lemon curd for an easy filling.
- Most ingredients are pantry staples, so you can likely make it now.
How to make your cake layers
- Beat room-temperature unsalted butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add sugar, lemon zest, eggs, and vanilla, then beat until very light and fluffy.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk that has been soaked with poppy seeds.
- Finish by folding gently with a rubber spatula, divide the batter between two 8-inch pans, and bake until a tester comes out clean.
Cool the cake layers completely before filling and frosting. If you prefer to assemble the next day, wrap cooled layers tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight.
Notes:
- Soak poppy seeds in the buttermilk for about 2 hours before adding to the batter—this softens them and releases flavor.
- Bring butter to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes on the counter) for best texture.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, substitute whole milk mixed with lemon juice or white vinegar (see recipe notes for proportions).
- Make sure cake layers are completely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
How to make cream cheese frosting
Cream cheese frosting is simple and its tang balances the cake’s lemon notes.
- Beat room-temperature butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt, then beat until creamy and smooth. Thin with a little milk or heavy cream if needed.
You can optionally fold in finely grated lemon zest, a bit of lemon curd, or a tablespoon or two of poppy seeds for extra flavor.
How to assemble your cake
- Trim any domes from the cake layers with a serrated knife if needed.
- Place one layer on a cake stand or board and spread a thin layer of frosting.
- Spoon about 1/4 cup lemon curd over the frosting, leaving a small margin around the edge to prevent leaking into the final frosting layer.
- Top with the second layer, frost the outside, and decorate. Thin lemon slices and a sprinkle of poppy seeds make a pretty garnish.
How to store your cake
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze tightly wrapped for up to 2 months. Bring refrigerated slices to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Buttermilk substitute
Mix an equal amount of whole milk with fresh lemon juice (or white vinegar) and let sit 5 minutes. Lemon juice is recommended here for added lemon flavor.
What are poppy seeds?
Poppy seeds are tiny seeds from the dried seed pods of the opium poppy. They’re commonly used in baking for a mild nutty, slightly spicy flavor and a pleasant crunch—essential in a lemon poppy seed cake.
Helpful tools
- A fine microplane zester for getting delicate lemon zest.
- A cake turntable to make frosting easier and smoother.
- An offset spatula for spreading frosting evenly.
- A piping tip if you plan to pipe decorations.
A few more recipes you might enjoy
Lemon Coconut Cake
Blueberry Upside-Down Cake
Lemon Drop Cookies
Lemon Curd Cupcakes
If you make this lemon poppy seed cake, please leave a comment and rating. Tag your photos @theitsybitsykitchen so others can see your creation.
This lemon poppy seed cake features soft, buttery cake layers and plenty of cream cheese frosting. It’s a bright, delicious dessert for spring or any time of year.
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk*
- 1/2 cup poppy seeds
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Finely grated zest of 1 or 2 large lemons**
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 to 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, if necessary
- 1/4 cup lemon curd
- Stir the buttermilk and poppy seeds together in a glass container and let sit for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round pans with cooking spray, line with parchment, and spray the parchment.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth.
- Add sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and eggs; beat on medium until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
- With mixer on low, beat in half the dry ingredients, then half the buttermilk-poppy seed mixture.
- Beat in the remaining flour, then the remaining buttermilk mixture until just combined. Fold a few times with a spatula to ensure even mixing.
- Divide batter between prepared pans and bake 42–50 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.
- Cool in pans 20 minutes, loosen edges with a knife, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Add vanilla and salt. With mixer on low, gradually beat in 4 cups powdered sugar.
- Turn mixer to medium and beat until frosting is smooth. Adjust consistency with milk or more powdered sugar as needed.
- Use a serrated knife to level any domes on cake layers.
- Place one layer on a stand, spread a thin layer of frosting, then spread lemon curd over it, leaving a small border.
- Top with the second layer, frost the cake, and decorate as desired.
- Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze tightly wrapped up to 2 months. Bring refrigerated slices to room temperature before serving.
- *Substitute 1 1/2 cups whole milk mixed with 2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (or white vinegar). Stir and let sit 5 minutes before using. If using lemon juice, zest first.
- **Use less zest for a subtle lemon flavor or more zest for a stronger lemon punch.
- Store-bought lemon curd works well between the layers if you prefer.
- Add lemon zest or a tablespoon or two of lemon curd to the frosting for extra lemon flavor, or mix in a tablespoon or two of poppy seeds if desired.