Lemon Poppyseed Coffee Cake
This Lemon Poppyseed Coffee Cake is light, tender, and bursting with fresh lemon flavor. Made with real lemon zest and juice, plus classic poppy seeds, it’s the perfect bakery-style cake for breakfast, brunch, or an easy dessert.
Ingredients
- Coffee Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- Zest of 2 lemons
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup milk or sour cream
- Optional Lemon Glaze
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 –2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease and lightly flour a 9-inch square or round baking pan.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds.
- Cream butter & sugar: In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs & lemon: Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
- Combine: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, alternating with milk or sour cream. Mix just until combined.
- Bake: Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 35–40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Glaze (optional): Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice and drizzle over cooled cake.
Notes
- Use fresh lemon zest—it provides most of the lemon flavor.
- Do not overmix the batter or the cake may turn dense.
- Sour cream creates a slightly richer, more tender crumb than milk.