Lemon Poppy Seed Cake is made using only 6 ingredients and they’re all mixed together easily in a single bowl. It comes out of the oven perfectly baked, moist, delicious and ready to serve! Great for week night dessert and also great party fare.
Original post: September 2014 | Post updated: May 2020
It seems like forever ago when my then-kindergartener brought home a sweet recipe card for me for Mother’s Day called “Mommy Seed Cake.” I thought it was the sweetest thing ever and I was also intrigued by it because it was just so simple! Everything mixed together in a single bowl? I gave the lemon poppy seed cake a try almost immediately and was shocked to pull a perfect dessert out of the oven.
I love this recipe. It has been a go-to dessert recipe over the years because of its ease and it never lacks in flavor. Without fail, it gets swooned over every single time. Add this easy dessert to your rotation pronto! Your family will thank you.
HOW TO MAKE LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE
STEP 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and generously coat a bundt pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, applesauce, poppy seeds, 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice and water and mix well with a spoon.
Pour cake batter into the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.
STEP 2
Let cool 5 minutes, loosen sides with a butter knife and invert pan onto a serving plate to remove from pan.
STEP 3
While cake is coming to room temperature, prepare the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp lemon juice (or milk) in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. When cake has completely cooled, drizzle the glaze over top of the cake. Serve immediately!
RECIPE NOTES
- Increase the lemon flavor in Lemon Poppyseed Cake by replacing yellow cake mix with a lemon variety. You can also replace the vanilla pudding mix with lemon flavored pudding mix.
- Bake time may vary by 5 minutes depending on your oven, so start checking at the 40-minute mark.
- To dress up the cake even more, sprinkle lemon zest over the glaze before serving.
- One of the perks of this recipe is that you don’t need to get out a mixer. If you prefer to use a mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix until just moist and combined.
HOW TO SELECT A PERFECTLY RIPE LEMON
I have fresh lemons on hand all the time because their delicious juice goes great with so many different foods. Fresh lemon juice spruces up salad, chicken, all different types of beverages and so many other things. When selecting limes at the grocery store, look for these attributes to make sure you are getting the juiciest, ripest ones:
- First, smell the lemon. Go ahead, put it right up to your nose and smell for a strong lemony scent. The stronger the scent, the riper the fruit will be.
- The darker yellow citrus fruits are typically riper and juicier, as well.
- The heavier it feels in your hands, the more juice is hiding inside!
- Gently squeeze the fruit in your hands. The more give it has, the juicier it’ll be. If it is too squishy it may be past its prime, so be sure it doesn’t give too much.
BEST LEMON DESSERT RECIPES
Don’t limit yourself to lemon squares! If you or anyone in your life loves lemon desserts as much as I do, consider making one or more of these delicious sugary concoctions:
- Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake with Lemon Buttercream – This Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake with Lemon Buttercream Frosting will knock your socks off, from the blueberry- and lemon-infused cake, through the succulent lemon curd and straight to the lemony buttercream frosting.
- If you have a lemon lover in your life, you are going to want to add these Lemon Bars to your baking list pronto! A lemon curd filling tops a perfectly baked shortbread crust, making the most delicious lemony dessert you will ever taste!
- Lemon Curd is a fresh, light and lemony filling or topping that goes great on cakes, cookies, cupcakes or any baked treat!
- Candied Lemon Slices are EASY to make! They make beautiful edible garnishes for baked goods and can be enjoyed as a treat, as well. Such a great way to use up lemons!
- Looking for more uses for lemons that might be sitting in your kitchen? Read on for a variety of delicious ideas!
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz. yellow cake mix or lemon
- 5.1 oz. vanilla instant pudding mix or lemon
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/4 cup poppy seeds
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice or milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and generously coat a bundt pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, applesauce, poppy seeds, 1/2 cup lemon juice and water and mix well with a spoon. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.
- Let cool 5 minutes, loosen sides with a butter knife and invert pan onto a serving plate to remove from pan.
- While cake is cooling, make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp lemon juice (or milk) in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. When cake has completely cooled, drizzle the glaze over top of the cake. Serve immediately!
Notes
- Increase the lemon flavor in Lemon Poppyseed Cake by replacing yellow cake mix with a lemon variety. You can also replace the vanilla pudding mix with lemon flavored pudding mix.
- Bake time may vary by 5 minutes depending on your oven, so start checking at the 40-minute mark.
- To dress up the cake even more, sprinkle lemon zest over the glaze before serving.
- One of the perks of this recipe is that you don’t need to get out a mixer. If you prefer to use a mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix until just moist and combined.
Rachna
This is such a delicious poppy cake. Tried out it came so well. Bookmarked.
Megan Porta
Yay, so glad to hear it, Rachna! This is one of those recipes that turns out great every time. So glad you enjoyed it!
Megan
Stephanie smith
This looks so much better than any cakes I could by at the local market! I love poppyseed, and applesauce is so much better than using oil in my opinion. This would be a great way to splurge on my birthday without having to worry TOO much about the calories 🙂 thanks for sharing!
goof
Thank you ,I will try to do it.
I have never tried cake , These cake looks awesome!
laura
I made this recipe last night. Out of necessity I had to use two loaf pans instead of a bundt. Both my adult and youth guests gave it high praise and went in for seconds ?
I've never made poppy seed cake before. I found it quite easy and satisfying.
Roan
To the person worried about wasting eggs. Poppy seed cake was a traditional holiday desert in my Slavic grandmother's household. It used up the leftover egg whites from other traditional holiday foods that required a large quantity of egg yolks. Use carton egg whites so you don't waste yolks, or use the use the yolks in another dish.
Megan Porta
Ana Ate: Stir 1 cup powdered sugar and 4 tablespoons of milk together until smooth for the glaze!
Megan
ana ate
How do you make the glaze on the top of cake
Megan Porta
Thalia – LOVE LOVE LOVE your idea about adding lemon zest!! Considering making it again soon just to see how it turns out. Thanks for the idea!
Megan
Holly @ The Very Hungry Blonde
Awww…Mommyseed cake, that's precious!
Thalia @ butter and brioche
Poppy seed cake is so delicious. You have definitely inspired me to recreate this recipe.. except I think I will be adding a dash of lemon juice and zest.
ami@naivecookcooks
Gosh such an interesting recipe!! Cake looks super moist!
Norma
This cake looks and sounds good, but I don't understand the "8 egg whites" !! Why not just use 2 or 3 whole eggs? I don't like
to waste half of that many eggs.
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
I love poppyseed cake! I rarely make it though, for some reason. Definitely need to try this!