This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.
This easy Lemon Curd Poppy Seed Cake recipe includes a tender-crumbed, super moist white cake with a delicious lemon curd filling and icing. Make the ridiculously easy lemon curd in minutes!
You might frown on me, but I have to admit that I'm a little selfish when it comes to a really good cake. When our kids were growing up, Scott used to buy me a delicious layered birthday cake every year from my favorite little neighborhood bakery. I would proceed to make the children's favorite dessert (often this French Silk) for my birthday. Perhaps they thought I was being really nice (maybe not, since they know me so well) but that was the farthest thing from the truth. I made their most cherished dessert so they wouldn't eat all of my cake! There you have it, a true confession. Oh, and since I'm being honest, one more thing. If you were coming for dinner tonight, I might make you something really wonderful for dessert and never tell you that there's a Lemon Curd Poppy Seed Cake stashed away in the freezer.
This cake is that good! It's as delicious as the wonderful cake Scott used to buy from the fine little bakery down the street. Sadly, that bakery closed years ago (and we moved to the other side of the state) so I love that I can make something on that caliber myself. And, even more, I love that this sweet little cake comes together easily with no-mixer needed!
This Lemon Curd Poppy Seed Cake includes lemon curd in both the filling and the icing. I use our Ridiculously Easy Microwave Lemon Curd which you can throw together in less than 10 minutes. You will need to allow time for the lemon curd to cool though so you might want to make it the day before or earlier in the day.
This would be a fabulous cake for Easter, Mother's Day, a graduation party, a baby or wedding shower or just to convey some sweet love to family, friends, neighbors, etc. The cake can be made ahead and frozen, then thawed and iced early in the day you want to serve it. I made it a one-layer cake for easy entertaining, but the recipe could be easily doubled or tripled for a two or three-layer cake.
One of our granddaughters, little Emmy, turned seven this week and, after taking one bite of this Lemon Curd Poppy Seed Cake earlier this month, she chose it for her birthday cake. Emmy is definitely a little foodie (she gets the trait honestly!) and thinks long and hard each year about what kind of birthday cake she wants. She also asked if she could come and help me make it - so we made it a fun joint effort!
I doubled the recipe, then split each layer in two so we ended up with a four-layer cake and three layers of lemon curd. For some reason, Emmy is quite smitten with pug dogs. So I ordered some "pug" cake toppers from Amazon and a pug cake it is!
Which flowers are edible?
I'm not a great cake decorator so I love using edible flowers to make a really pretty presentation without a lot of work (or talent). We don't actually eat the daises, but it's important when decorating food items with flowers, to use safe edible varieties. I used tiny daisies to decorate this Lemon Curd Poppy Seed Cake. Both daisy flowers and leaves are edible.
Which flowers are edible? A lot more than you might think! According to Southern Living, these are the best (and some of the most common) edible flowers:
- Pansies
- Roses
- Violets
- Nasturtiums
- Lavender
- Hibiscus
- Zucchini blossoms
- Calendula
- Borage blossoms
- Bluets
Avoid using edible flowers that have been sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals not suitable for consumption.
What do poppy seeds taste like?
Wondering what poppy seeds taste like? Poppy seeds don't have a ton of flavor when used in a cake. If finely ground and used as a filling, some people describe them as having a slightly "nutty" flavor, some people call it "fruity". Whatever you call it, in a cake like this Lemon Curd Poppy Seed Cake, it's very mild. To me, it's more about the whimsical appearance and texture (a bit of crunch) than the flavor.
I wish we could sit down and enjoy a piece of this delicious cake together. There's so much unsettling, unprecedented stuff going on in the world around us right now. Other than keeping us on our knees, seeking strength from above and the comfort of family and friends, there's nothing like a sweet little treat to take our minds off of the craziness.
Café Tips for making this Lemon Curd Poppy Seed Cake
- This recipe calls for an 8-inch cake pan with sides that are at least 2-inches tall. If your 8-inch cake pan is lower than 2 inches, use a 9-inch pan.
- This is a no-mixer cake so the butter needs to be very soft. Check out some easy ways to soften butter quickly in our Lemon Curd Shortbread Tart post (under Café Tips).
- Because this Lemon Curd Poppy Seed Cake is a white cake, the recipe calls for just egg whites, no yolks. The last step of the recipe is to whisk the whites until foamy and stiff. I do this by hand and it takes two minutes, but if you want to pull out your hand mixer or use a stand mixer, feel free. I remember my mom sitting on a chair in the kitchen and whisking egg whites (a dozen!) for angel food cake. I figure if she could whisk up 12 egg whites until foamy and stiff, I can do three!
- For whisking eggs, I love this old-fashioned spiral whisk. It's great for lightening the whites and adding lots of air which makes for a light, tender-crumbed caked.
- You'll have three egg yolks leftover after making this Lemon Curd Poppy Seed Cake. You can use them for your lemon curd or make these Ridiculously Easy Brioche Dinner Rolls.
- The icing recipe will frost the cake with a nice, thick layer. If you like a thinner icing, just make half of the icing and refrigerate or freeze the leftover icing.
- I like to do a crumb coat when frosting my cake. What's a crumb coat? Just a thin layer of icing before adding the final layer. After adding the crumb coat, refrigerate the cake for 15-20 minutes to allow the icing to harden. In addition to keeping your icing crumb-free, the crumb coat also seals in the lemon curd filling so there's no chance of it oozing out. This step is totally optional - I've made this cake without doing it with good success but if you have the extra time, it's easy to do.
- Be sure to spray your pan well with baking spray. Baking spray is different than cooking spray. Baking spray is designed to help cakes, muffins, etc. release easily from the pan.
- I also recommend that you line your cake pan with parchment paper. You can cut out parchment paper rounds to fit your pan or you can purchase these pre-cut parchment paper rounds. If you do a lot of baking, these parchment paper rounds are worth their weight in gold! They're not expensive, easy to store and a package will last forever!
- Just to clarify, I call this a Lemon Curd Poppy Seed Cake a no-mixer cake but you can definitely use a mixer if you prefer.
- If you're adverse, allergic or don't feel like running out to the store for poppy seeds, just skip them. This cake will be fantastic without the poppy seeds.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear other’s results and ideas for variations
This easy Lemon Curd Poppy Seed Cake recipe includes a tender-crumbed, super moist white cake with a delicious lemon curd filling and icing. You can make the ridiculously easy lemon curd in minutes!
- 3 tablespoons very soft butter
- ⅓ cup oil sunflower, canola, vegetable or any other mild tasting oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk
- 3 large egg whites (save the yolks for the lemon curd!)
- ¾-1 cup Ridiculously Easy Lemon Curd
- 8 ounces very soft butter
- ¼ cup Ridiculously Easy Lemon Curd
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract optional
- 3 ½- 3 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons half and half or heavy cream
-
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spray one 8-inch round cake pan (with 2-inch sides) with baking spray and line it with parchment paper. (If your cake pan is lower than 2 inches, use a 9-inch pan.)
-
Stir the soft butter in a medium-large bowl until creamy. Add the oil, sugar and vanilla . Stir until well combined and creamy, about 1 minute.
-
Sprinkle the baking powder, the salt and approximately one-third of the flour over the butter mixture. Stir just until the flour has disappeared.
-
Add half of the milk and stir to combine. Add another third of the flour and stir just until incorporated. Repeat, adding remaining milk and then the remaining flour, stirring after each addition until almost completely combined before adding the next. Stir in the poppy seeds.
-
Whisk egg whites in a separate clean bowl for 1 ½-2 minutes by hand or with a hand mixer until foamy and a peak forms when you lift the whisk or beater out of the egg whites.
-
Using a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed in, but don’t over-mix. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.
-
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake layer comes out clean or until the center reaches 210˚F with an instant thermometer.
-
Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. If the cake looks like it’s stuck on the sides of the pan, run a thin knife around the edge, then invert it onto a cooling rack to cool completely before filling and icing.
-
With a long, serrated knife, slice the cake in half horizontally and place bottom half on a cake stand or serving platter. Scoop the lemon curd (¾-1 cup, depending on how thick you like the fillling) right onto the center of the bottom cake layer. Spread the lemon curd to within a ½-inch of the sides of the cake.
-
Set the other layer gently on top of the lemon curd, cut side down.
-
Frost the cake as desired with the lemon curd icing. Serve and enjoy!
-
Combine the soft butter, lemon curd and extract(s) in a medium-large bowl. Stir until very smooth and creamy.
-
Add the 3½ cups of the powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of the half and half (or cream). Stir together until all powdered sugar is incorporated and the icing is lump-free (about one minute).
-
If the icing seems too thick to spread nicely, add more half and half (or cream) one teaspoon at a time until a creamy, spreadable consistency is reached. If the icing seems to thin, add more powdered sugar, one to two tablespoon at a time until creamy and spreadable.
See Café Tips above in post for more detailed instructions and tips.
Cake recipe adapted from Sugar Spun Run.
The Café Sucre Farine is a participant in the Amazon Affiliate Program. The Amazon Affiliate Program is designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on Amazon. The price you pay as a consumer does not change, but if you make a purchase through one of our links, we receive a small commission – and we continue delivering delicious recipes to you
Patti Good says
Wow. Growing up in Central Wisconsin, it was a real treat to visit the corner bakery and have a slice of lemon poppy seed cake. For years, I have been searching for a recipe to bring back those childhood memories. Chris, you have done this for me. I found your wonderful blog (a game changer in the kitchen for me) during one of my many searches for this recipe. I also great great reviews on this cake from people who have no idea what it was like to visit a small German bakery as a child. THANK YOU!
CF says
It’s not possible to beat egg whites to a peak by hand in 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Save yourself some trouble (and pain) and definitely plan to use the electric mixer!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi CF, it's fine to use an electric mixer however, with 2 minutes of whisking, you can definitely get nice soft peaks with the egg whites. I timed myself when I made this cake and again just now, to make sure it worked.
Meredith says
How does this cake need to be stored, in the fridge etc. Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Meredith, this cake is fine for several hours at room temperature. For longer storage, keep it refrigerated.
Jennie says
On April 24th 2020, MaryAnn asked about the number of 8” pans for this recipe and your response was two 8” pans. I wish to make this and just need clarification on number of pans. The written recipe says to use just one 8”. Thank you so much for assisting .....I make so many of your recipes with such success and I am so excited to make this one also. Just baked your pumpkin glazed shortbread cookies for my neighbors 9 children. They were dancing around with excitement. These are my grandson’s favorite I adore the seasonal/holiday decorations that you use for this shortbread recipe. You have me constantly looking for cookie cutters😊.....and the suggested rolling pin was a great help in getting consistent thickness. Thank you so much.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Jennie, thank you for your kind words. It makes me happy that you've enjoyed our recipes. 9 children! Wow! That's amazing! I love that you made the pumpkin cookies for them! I'm sure mom doesn't have a ton of time to make treats!
Regarding your question about the cake, thank you for bringing that to my attention. My head must have been in the clouds that day! The cake should be baked in one 8-inch pan (with 2-inch tall sides) and then split in two after baking. I have amended my response on April 24th!
Fatma Bucklain says
Hi Chris
If I want to make this as a loaf cake, would it work ?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Fatma, I haven't tested this recipe in a loaf pan so I can't say how it would work or what size loaf pan would work. You might be better off finding a recipe that has been created for a loaf pan like this one: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/poppyseed-citrus-tea-cake/
Audrey says
Lemon poppy seed is my favorite cake too. I attempted this beautiful recipe a couple months ago but it went awry due to a bad batch of baking powder that made it very salty:( I am bravely attempting it again for a birthday this weekend though! I would like to make the taller cake you made for your granddaughter: 4 layers of cake and 3 layers of curd filling. A few questions that I have not been able to clarify even after reading all the comments (sorry):
Is the cake recipe as it is currently listed, intended for one 8” pan or two 8” pans? Is one batch of the lemon curd recipe and one batch of the icing enough to fill and frost a 4-layer cake (two 8” cakes sliced in half to make 4 layers)? I am aiming for a lemon-forward taste and since the cake itself does not have any lemon flavor, it seems I should use a thicker application of the curd and filling than I normally would, no?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Audrey, the cake listed makes one cake that you cut horizontally in half to make two layers. If you make a four layer cake you will need to double the recipe. The icing and the lemon curd give it lots of delicious lemon flavor!
Sarah says
Thanks for sharing! I’m new to baking from scratch, but I found your tips helpful and the recipe easy to follow. I’ve only tasted the delicious crumbs from the cake so far because the party is tomorrow. But the curd and the icing are great!
The best compliment came from my husband who doesn’t like sweets except for chocolate. He said, “Wow! This is amazing! I mean, better than chocolate level good!” And that was just after tasting the cure and icing!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Sarah! Hope you both got a chance to enjoy the cake all put together!
Cass says
I made this cake for my 20th birthday! My cake turned out beautiful and tasted amazing. The texture of the cake was great too. Toasting my poppyseeds really added to the flavour of the white cake. I also made candied lemon slices to decorate the outside and put candied lemon chunks on top as well as poppyseeds to garnish.
Chris Scheuer says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Cass! It sounds like it looked just beautiful!
Linda says
This cake was absolutely wonderful! I omitted the poppy seeds and added 1tsp almond extract and it was delightful. Thank you for the great recipe. My husband loved having it on his birthday.
Chris Scheuer says
That's awesome, Linda! Thanks so much for sharing your results!
Audrey says
Hi Chris, looking forward to baking this pretty version of my favorite cake. Question: when beating the egg whites, can you clarify how stiff they should be? I make a lot of meringues and “foamy and stiff” seems to be 2 contradictory things. Do you beat the whites until they form stiff peaks (like for a meringue where it shouldn’t move even when the bowl is turned upside down) or do you mean foamy with soft peaks (peaks that have enough integrity to hold their shape but that fall over a bit at the tip)? Also, thank you and bless you for your easy lemon curd - you have changed lives!
Chris Scheuer says
Good question Audrey. You don't have to beat the whites until super stiff. I just beat them so when I pick up the whisk a peak forms. It's definitely not so stiff that it would hold its shape when the bowl was turned upside down. It takes me about a minute to a minute and a half with a hand whisk (not electric). Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the cake!
Curriea says
I have a question, I’ve seen this on here but feel more confused. Lol do you use one or two pans😂
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Curriea, sorry if that's confusing. You use just one pan as indicated in step 1. The cake is sliced in half in step 9, making two layers. Hope that helps! Enjoy!
Shilpa Kedia says
Hi. I’m trying to bake a 6 layer rainbow cake for my daughters birthday. Wil this recipe work if I were to use 6” pans? Will the cake be firm enough for frosting and not crumble ? Also can I make this with almond extract? Thank you
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Shilpa, I think this should work well for a layer cake. Almond extract would be wonderful!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Shilpa, yes this should work with 6-inch pans. Don't fill them more than 3/4 full. The cake should be fine for frosting and almond extract will be wonderful!
Linda says
Perhaps I shouldn't start baking at 11:00 pm! I didn't notice that the instructions say "an 8" cake pan" and used two 8" pans as you would with normal cake recipes. Just a suggestion, but you might write in "one 8" cake pan". Also, there isn't a mention of adding in the vanilla extract in the directions. The lemon curd recipe is genius. I've been making mine in a double boiler for years. Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for point these things out, Linda. Will amend the recipe a bit.
Mary-Anne says
Cake was amazing but sunk in the middle, confused by recipe one 8 inch pan or two
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Mary-Anne, the cake should be made in one 8-inch pan. You will split the cake in two after baking.
It may have not been baked quite long enough if it sunk in the center.
Amy says
This cake is amazing. I made 2 8 inch cakes and was able to need only one batch of icing and curd. I put 3 thinner layers of curd in the cake. Super moist and lemony for spring. Made for Easter this year.
Chris Scheuer says
Happy Easter, Amy! So happy you had great success!
Julie says
I have made this cake twice and my family loves it! My only issue is both times the middle sunk as it cooled. I have researched what can cause the collapse and found a few different things, such as too much leavener, not enough or too much liquid and/or flour, under baking or opening the oven door too soon. I reviewed my process and could not find anything amiss. Also, I live at about 3700’ altitude which possible could have an affect, but normally is not an issue for me. As I am getting ready to make a double layer of this cake again for Easter, I was wondering if you might have a suggestion that could help my cake stay lofty?
Your microwave lemon curd has transformed my lemon life. My sons both have wonderful lemon trees which produce enormous amounts of lemons and they are always bringing me lemons:) Before I found your microwave recipe I would spend 30 minutes at the stove over a double boiler stirring and stirring.
Susan Freeman says
Julie, you may want to try weighing your flour on a digital kitchen scale instead of just spooning it into a measuring cup and then leveling if off. One cup of flour weighs 125 grams. I used to never weigh flour until I really got into bread making big time and it's amazing how much more flour you can accidentally use when you just scoop it. Also, pay attention to the size eggs you are using. Swapping out extra-large eggs will increase the amount of liquid in the recipe which could also cause a cake to collapse in the center. Additionally, always use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is the temperature it says it is. Hope these hints help.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Susan!
Geraldine says
I made this cake a couple of weeks ago and it was delicious. The slight crunch that comes from the poppy seed is met with the creamy and bright/freshness of the lemon curd filling and scrumptious frosting (which also has lemon curd in in). Since I had leftover curd and couldn't get enough , I served it with raspberries the next morning and yogurt and granola the following day! This cake is a bite of brightness that I may consider making today; although, your recent posting of the chocolate cake is tempting. Thank you for continually sharing such good tasting and approachable recipes for a novice cook like me.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Geraldine, I love that you loved this cake as much as we do! Thanks for taking the time to share your review!
Rachel says
Would you be able to put a note next to the 3 egg whites to save 2 of the yolks for the curd? I'm an idiot and tossed them right away, because I wasn't sure what to do with them and realized I needed 2 for the curd! Thanks
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Rachel. I will add that. I think I mentioned it in the post but I'll definitely add that to the recipe.
Kim says
Delicious! I made the curd and cake as written except did not stir the curd into the frosting but instead swirled it into the frosting on top for a pretty effect. A really great cake that I will make again for sure.
Chris Scheuer says
Yum! That sound wonderful! Thanks for sharing your results, Kim!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
I was waiting for this one! So perfect and so perfectly Spring-y, too! We all need treats like this 🙂
Tricia B says
Poppy seed cake is on my list for this spring! Yours looks fantastic Chris and the addition of lemon curd is brilliant. You can never go wrong with a lemon curd filling 🙂
Susan McCauley says
Just wondering if you would make any adjustments to the cake for high altitude baking...I live at 6,000 ft.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Susan, I live in the mountains of NC but I'm only at 2600 ft. I'm not familiar with altitude baking but perhaps some of our readers who live in higher mountains could give some advice.
Liz says
My mom made this kind of cake and we LOVED it! I've never found her recipe, but I can't wait to give this a try! xo
Geraldine says
Hi Chris..quick question....love all your recipes...just making this now....lemon curd is cooling and now making cake. I noticed ingredient section states baking powder and then instructions, step 3. states "baking soda" which I think maybe is a typo. I am going to stick with baking powder since there is no other mention of baking soda...will share my results but I could eat the lemond curd as is...so good! 🙂 thanks for all of your wonderful recipes.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for noticing this Geraldine. You're right, there's no baking soda in the recipe - operator error! I've corrected that!
Beverly says
I don't believe you mentioned that lightly toasting the poppy seeds before incorporating them into the recipe will make them taste much better than raw. Roasted nuts and seeds tend to enhance their flavor. Don't miss out on this step. I look forward to making this cake.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Beverly, thanks for sharing this little tip. I never heard that before but will definitely try it!