Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt (Printable)
Moist bundt with fresh lemon zest, crunchy poppy seeds, and a tangy glaze for flavorful enjoyment.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
03 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 2 cups granulated sugar
08 - 4 large eggs, at room temperature
09 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
10 - ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
→ Lemon Glaze
13 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan thoroughly, ensuring all crevices are coated.
02 - Whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
05 - Add dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix just until combined; avoid overmixing.
06 - Spoon batter evenly into prepared bundt pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
07 - Bake 38–42 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
08 - Cool in pan 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over cooled cake and let set before slicing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The crumb stays impossibly tender for days, which means you can bake it ahead and still look like a genius when you serve it.
- It walks that perfect line between elegant enough for company and comforting enough to eat straight from the cooling rack with your fingers.
02 -
- If your buttermilk is straight from the fridge, warm it slightly in the microwave, cold liquid will shock the batter and create tunnels in the crumb.
- Overmixing after adding flour develops gluten and gives you a tough, bready cake instead of the tender slice you're after.
03 -
- Roll your lemon on the counter before zesting and juicing, it breaks the cell walls and yields dramatically more liquid.
- Save a pinch of zest to sprinkle over the glaze while it's still wet, it looks professional and doubles the aromatic hit.