Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake

By Melissa Clark

Updated April 16, 2025

Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake
Dane Tashima for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes
Rating
5(4,581)
Comments
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This lemon poppy seed pound cake is summery and quick to make, and perfect for a picnic. One tip: Cut up the pound cake before the picnic but leave it in the baking pan. It makes it easier to transport, and the pan protects it, too. Then serve it on its own, with ripe berries, and let the ants enjoy the crumbs.

Featured in: The Ants Will Love You

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings
  • Butter, for greasing pan
  • 1¾cup all-purpose flour, more for pan
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1cup sugar
  • ½cup buttermilk
  • 3tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 3large eggs
  • 1½teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ⅔cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1tablespoon poppy seeds
  • ½cup confectioners’ sugar
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

446 calories; 22 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 57 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 34 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 232 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch loaf pan.

  2. Step 2

    In a bowl, combine lemon zest and sugar and rub with your fingers until it looks like wet sand. Whisk in buttermilk, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and eggs. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk dry ingredients into the batter, then whisk in oil and poppy seeds.

  3. Step 3

    Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan until warm to the touch, then turn out onto a baking rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Turn cake right side up.

  4. Step 4

    Whisk together remaining 4 teaspoons lemon juice and the confectioners’ sugar. Use a pastry brush to spread glaze evenly over top and sides of cake. Cool completely before slicing.

Ratings

5 out of 5
4,581 user ratings
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Comments

MamaB

Use Myer lemons, up the zest amnt
Add juice of 1/2 lemon to batter
Canola not olive
Change topping:
Boil 1/2 sugar with 1/4 c lemon juice
Poke holes, pour over after bake
Then bake a few xtra mins
Go heavy on poppy

Jón Helgi Þórarinsson

Please... use grams and millilitres, or have a conversion function. Baking is about precision and cups are an archaic and inaccurate form og measurement.

TJM2

You could also substitute sour cream, which I do often as I usually don't have buttermilk.

JW

I swapped olive oil for canola oil as others recommended, then add a good 1/4 tsp of lemon extract as others said it wasn't lemony enough. It turned out really perfect, now replacing my old receipe. :) yum!

VAFUDI

I made this tonight for dessert using the zest from two large lemons, four tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, a splash of limoncello, and full fat old fashioned buttermilk. I also used Meyer lemon extra virgin olive oil from OMG! Oils and Vinegars of Seattle. I served with fresh strawberry and blueberry sauce that I made with equal parts water and sugar, LOTS of berries and a splash of Grand Marnier. Topped it with whipped cream with powdered sugar and vanilla paste. Delicious!

Eric

I just made this after not having made anything for a really long time and it was scrumptious. I weighed everything out if anyone is interested. Proceed at your own risk; yrmv: Flour 210g (somehow I came up with 262g; it was still ok (?!?) Lemon zest 24g (I used a peeler and then cut out the pith) Sugar 201g Buttermilk 115g Lemon Juice 38g (for the batter) / 17g (for the glaze) Eggs ~150g Baking powder 8g Baking soda 2g Fine Sea Salt ≤ 1g EVOO 128g Poppy Seeds 12g Conf. Sugar 54g Happy baking!

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