Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt (Print Version)

Moist bundt featuring zesty lemon and crunchy poppy seeds topped with tangy lemon glaze.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
03 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 2 cups granulated sugar
08 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
10 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 1 cup sour cream, room temperature

→ Lemon Glaze

13 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan, ensuring all details are coated.
02 - Whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Using an electric or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
05 - Add the flour mixture and sour cream alternately to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined to avoid overmixing.
06 - Pour batter evenly into prepared Bundt pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
07 - Allow cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, adding more juice as needed until glaze achieves a pourable consistency.
09 - Drizzle glaze over cooled cake and allow to set for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sour cream keeps it impossibly moist while the lemon juice gives it a brightness that doesn't fade.
  • Those poppy seeds create tiny bursts of texture that make people ask what you did differently.
  • It actually tastes better the next day, so you can make it ahead without stress.
  • One cake feeds a crowd, and the glaze is so simple you won't feel like you're doing extra work.
02 -
  • All your ingredients, especially eggs, butter, and sour cream, must be at room temperature or the batter will be lumpy and the cake will bake unevenly.
  • Don't skip the sifting step for the powdered sugar—it really does make the glaze smooth instead of grainy.
  • If your cake seems to brown too quickly on top, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
03 -
  • Don't open the oven door before 35 minutes are up—the sudden temperature change can make the cake sink in the middle.
  • If you have a stand mixer, use it for the creaming step; it does better work than a hand mixer and you can step away for a minute.

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