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Sweet, tart, moist and perfect for a spring brunch with the ladies…this iced lemon poppy seed loaf cake comes together in no time and is so outrageously delish!

If you’re going to have an iced lemon loaf cake, then you better have an iced lemon poppy seed loaf cake too because lemon and poppy seeds just belong together! I love the added flavor and texture the poppy seeds add.

Here’s the proof…glazed poppy seed bread, lemon poppy seed muffins, cinnamon lemon poppy seed bundt cake, lemon poppy seed cake. I’m just a little obsessed! We have all our poppy seed bases covered! I love a good loaf cake though, so I had to figure out the perfect recipe for a lemon poppy seed loaf cake. It just looks a little prettier with that glaze over a loaf.

a photo of two slices of lemon poppy seed loaf cake stacked on a plate. the two slices are topped with white icing.

Ingredients Needed for Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake

You’re going to see lemon infused in every part of this cake. The loaf cake is soaked with a lemon glaze and then topped with a lemon icing. Here is what you will need for each part:

Cake

  • Flour
  • Baking Powder
  • Baking Soda
  • Salt
  • Sugar
  • Lemon Zest
  • Meyer Lemon Juice
  • Lemon Extract
  • Butter
  • Eggs
  • Sour Cream
  • Poppy Seeds

Lemon Glaze

  • Butter
  • Lemon Juice
  • Sugar
  • Vanilla

Icing

  • Powdered Sugar
  • Lemon Juice
  • Milk

See! Lemon everywhere! I’m infatuated! The measurement for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

a photo of an iced lemon poppy seed loaf cake topped with bright white icing and thinly sliced lemon slices.

How to Make Iced Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

There are three parts to this recipe, but each step is simple and I’m going to walk you through each part. Here are the basic steps:

For The Cake

  1. Preheat the oven and grease a loaf pan.
  2. Combine the sugar and lemon in a bowl and rub it between your fingers to release the oils in the lemon zest.
  3. Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the sugar and lemon zest and whisk to combine.
  4. Whisk the eggs and sour cream together in a small bowl.
  5. Place the flour mixture and butter in a stand mixer and beat until fluffy.
  6. Add half the egg mixture and the lemon juice and lemon extract.
  7. Increase the speed on the mixer and beat until smooth scraping down the sides as needed.
  8. Add the rest of the egg mixture and beat until combined.
  9. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the poppy seeds.
  10. Spread the batter into the loaf pan.
  11. Bake. While it is baking, prepare the lemon glaze.

a photo of a lemon poppy seed loaf cake with three slices laying down staggered on top of each other.

For The Glaze

  1. Melt the butter in a small pan on the stove top.
  2. Add the sugar and lemon juice and stir to combine.
  3. Whisk in the vanilla until the sugar is dissolved.
  4. When the cake is finished, use a toothpick to poke holes all over the cake.
  5. Pour the glaze all over it.
  6. Let the cake cool and then turn it out onto a cooling rack. Top with the icing.

For The Icing

  1. Whisk together all the ingredients for the icing in a small bowl.
    • PRO TIP: If you want bright white icing, omit the lemon juice. The icing will be thicker.
  2. Pour the icing down the center of the cake and spread the icing to cover the cake.
  3. Serve.

The complete detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

a photo taken directly above a lemon loaf cake topped with bright white icing and thinly sliced lemons.

Can Oil Be Used Instead of Butter?

You can substitute vegetable oil for the butter. The cake will be even more moist, but it won’t have a buttery taste. I like the cake both ways, but I’m such a sucker for the buttery goodness!

Does Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Need To Be Refrigerated?

Lemon poppy seed cake can be stored in the pantry, but it will last longer if you refrigerate it.

How Long Will Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Keep?

Lemon poppy seed cake will store well for 3 days at room temperature or 5-6 days in the fridge.

The cake should be covered to store.

Are Poppy Seeds Good For You?

Poppy seeds are a rich source of essential minerals including calcium, iron, and zinc.

a photo of two slices of lemon poppy seed loaf cake stacked on each other on a small white plate with lemon slices in the background and a wooden lemon reamer in the foreground.

It’s lemon and poppy seeds and cake. That’s a trio that I will love forever! You’re going to love this bright and tender iced lemon poppy seed loaf cake. Please invite me to your next spring brunch with the ladies!

More Lemon Desserts:

5 from 2 votes

Iced Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake

Prep5 minutes
Cook1 hour
Total2 hours 35 minutes
Servings8
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Ingredients 

Cake

  • 1 Cup Sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
  • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest, (2 lemons)
  • 2 1/4 Cups Flour
  • 1 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 7 Tablespoons Sour Cream
  • 15 Tablespoons Butter, unsalted, softened, cut into Tablespoons (*see note)
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons Lemon Extract
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons Poppy Seeds

Lemon Glaze

  • 4 Tablespoons Butter
  • 4 Tablespoons Sugar
  • 6 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

Icing

  • 1 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, or milk (**see note)
  • 1 Tablespoon Milk
US Customary - Metric

Instructions 

For The Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 and grease and flour a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2” loaf pan.
  • In a small bowl, mix the sugar and lemon zest and rub between your fingers to release the oils.
    1 Cup Sugar, 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
  • In a bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add in the sugar and lemon zest and whisk well to incorporate the zest into all of the dry ingredients.
    2 1/4 Cups Flour, 1 teaspoons Baking Powder, 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda, 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and sour cream.
    4 Large Eggs, 7 Tablespoons Sour Cream
  • In a standing mixer, add the flour mixture and butter and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
    15 Tablespoons Butter
  • While mixing, add half of the egg mixture along with the lemon juice and lemon extract.
    2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, 1 1/2 Tablespoons Lemon Extract
  • Increase the speed up to medium and beat until smooth. Scrape down the bowl.
  • Add the remaining egg mixture and beat until everything is combined then switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the poppy seeds. Spread into the prepared pan.
    1 1/2 Tablespoons Poppy Seeds
  • Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean, meanwhile prepare the lemon glaze.

For The Glaze

  • In a small pan or bowl, melt the butter. Immediately, combine the sugar, lemon juice and butter and then whisk in the vanilla until the sugar is dissolved.
    4 Tablespoons Butter, 6 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, 4 Tablespoons Sugar, 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
  • Remove the cake from the oven and use a toothpick or cake tester to poke holes over the cake and pour the glaze over.
  • Set aside on a cooling rack to cool for 30 minutes and then invert onto the rack for 1 hour to cool completely.

For The Icing

  • In a bowl, whisk together the icing ingredients. 
    1 Cups Powdered Sugar, 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, 1 Tablespoon Milk
  • Pour the icing down the very center the cake and gently spread the icing to cover the entire cake using a spatula.
  • Serve alone or with a sprinkling of fresh berries.

Recipe Notes

* You can use vegetable oil instead of butter for an even more moist pound cake but it won't taste buttery.
** For a thicker icing that is all white use only milk.
Cake can be kept for 3 days at room temperature.  Cover well to store.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 610kcal, Carbohydrates: 75g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 159mg, Sodium: 459mg, Potassium: 175mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 47g, Vitamin A: 1017IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 86mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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a photo of a lemon poppy seed loaf cake with three slices laying down staggered on top of each other.

About The Author

Carrian Cheney

Carrian Cheney is the creative force behind ‘Oh, Sweet Basil,’ a food blog she co-authors with her husband, Cade. She creates fresh, family-friendly recipes that encourage togetherness in the kitchen.

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5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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4 Comments

  1. Shannon says:

    Not sure if you meant this but you never state when to add the sugar. I read and reread this so many times. I should have gone with my gut but I followed your recipe. Ugh

    Reply
    1. Sweet Basil says:

      Hi Shannon! Which sugar? The sugar for the bread is mixed with the lemon zest in step 1 of the instruction and then the sugar is added to the dry ingredients in step 3. Then all of that is combined with the wet ingredients in step 5 before baking.
      For the glaze, the sugar is added in step 1 and combined with everything to make the glaze. I hope this helps!

      Reply
  2. Grumpy says:

    This website is beyond annoying. It has way too many popups, ads, videos, all kinds of clutter.
    Don’t you realize that cooks and bakers just want the recipe without a boatload of blather?

    Reply
    1. Sweet Basil says:

      Hi Grumpy! I’m so sorry for the frustration! We conveniently have a “Jump to Recipe” at the beginning of every post that you can click on and it will take you straight to the recipe card. When on the recipe card, you can click print and it will open a recipe card with no adds. Thank you for your feedback! My ad partner is Raptive, and they care about reader experience and would value hearing from you. Please go here (https://raptive.formstack.com/forms/reader_feedback_form_06) to fill out a quick one-question survey.

      Reply