Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake

This lemon poppy seed loaf cake is your easy spring dessert go to! This loaf cake is flavored with bright fresh lemon juice and poppy seeds. In the center of the loaf is a lemon curd core and the top is drizzled with an easy lemon glaze.

Perfect for a spring breakfast with coffee or a dessert recipe for Easter. 

If you find yourself missing your slice of lemon loaf cake from Starbucks during these spring mornings, this recipe might just do the trick!

Either way, this is an incredibly easy spring dessert to serve up at Easter or for a brunch at home. 

I think easy loaf cakes like today’s Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake or my banana nut bread with chocolate chips are great desserts to make if you’re short on time or ingredients. They come together in one bowl and are extremely flavorful.

I think we need to actually talk about how much insane lemon flavor is packed into this loaf cake. This isn’t a normal loaf cake guys, it’s boasting a ‘lemon curd core’.

Each bite is bursting with fresh lemon flavor and moist cake texture. It’s truly a winner. If you don’t have any lemon curd, don’t fret! You can still totally make this recipe without it. Scroll down to grab the ingredient list and all the baking deets. 

Ingredients for Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake:

• Eggs
• Milk
• Vanilla Extract
• Butter 
• Sugar
• Lemon Zest 
• Lemon Juice
• All purpose Flour
• Baking Powder
• Salt 
• Poppy seeds
• Lemon curd 
• Powdered sugar 

How to make Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line a loaf tin with parchment paper and grease with butter or non-stick spray. 
2. In a large bowl combine eggs, almond milk, vanilla extract, melted or softened butter with sugar until smooth. 
3. Add in lemon zest, flour, baking soda, poppy seeds and salt to the batter and gently stir until batter is combined. Do not over mix, batter lumps are okay. 
4. Pour half of the batter into a prepared loaf tin, smooth the top. Drizzle lemon curd and swirl into the batter, top with the remaining half of batter and bake the lemon loaf for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 
5. Allow lemon loaf to cool for 10-20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Top loaf with lemon glaze, lemon slices and poppy seeds.

How to make the glaze on cake top

I can’t decide if the lemon curd core or the lemon glaze on top is my favorite. This glaze gives me all the Starbucks feels on their lemon pound cake.

Start out with your bowl of powdered sugar and add in the lemon juice and milk a little at a time (about a tsp), whisking after each addition until your desire consistency is achieved.

I like the lemon glaze kind of thick, but somewhat drizz-able. Do what feels right for you! Once your glaze is on the loaf, top with fresh lemon slices and a bit more poppy seeds. 

Tips for making the best loaf cake

• Freshly squeezed lemon juice always ensures the best, brightest flavor!
• Don’t over mix your batter! Once all the flour is folded in, transfer to your loaf tin. A few lumps are okay!
• I use a non-stick loaf pan but I always make sure to line the pan with parchment paper so the loaf cake doesn’t ever stick to the pan and comes out really easily. 
• The ‘lemon curd core’ is totally optional. If you don’t have lemon curd simply pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake as directed. 
• Be sure to add a little bit of liquid to your glaze at a time until you’ve reached your desired consistency, it can become runny very quickly!

Other Easy Spring Desserts!

• Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls
• Easy Matcha Tiramisu
• Banana Nut Bread with Chocolate Chips
• Strawberry Scones with Lemon Poppyseed Drizzle
• Simple Lemon Blueberry Cake
• Strawberry Lemon Cake 

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