Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt (Printer-friendly)

Moist cake with fresh lemon zing and crunchy poppy seeds, finished with a bright lemon glaze.

# What you'll need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
06 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 2 cups granulated sugar
08 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
10 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Lemon Glaze

13 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10 to 12-cup Bundt pan thoroughly.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla extract.
05 - Combine lemon juice and milk in a separate measuring cup.
06 - On low speed, add flour mixture and milk-lemon juice alternately to batter, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just blended; avoid overmixing.
07 - Pour batter evenly into prepared Bundt pan and smooth top with a spatula.
08 - Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Let cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth and drizzle over cooled cake. Allow glaze to set before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The poppy seeds give you little pockets of crunch against the softest, moistest cake imaginable.
  • Fresh lemon flavor that tastes like sunshine but isn't aggressively tart or one-note.
  • The glaze is forgiving, drizzles beautifully, and makes your kitchen smell incredible.
  • It's impressive enough for guests but simple enough that you won't stress while making it.
02 -
  • Room temperature eggs and milk aren't just fancy talk—they emulsify properly and create a smoother, more even batter.
  • The moment you stop beating after adding wet and dry ingredients, you stop developing gluten; overmixing is the main reason this cake turns out dense.
  • If your glaze is too thick, add lemon juice one teaspoon at a time until it drips off a spoon; too thin and it'll slide right off the cake.
03 -
  • Invest in a microplane zester; it creates fluffy zest that's much easier to distribute evenly than box grater zest.
  • Always check your baking powder and baking soda for freshness—old leavening agents are why cakes sometimes fall flat or turn out dense.

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