Easy Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe (2024)

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!