Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake

By Melissa Clark

Updated April 15, 2025

  • Dane Tashima for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes
Rating
5(5,370)
Comments
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This lemon poppy seed pound cake is summery and quick to make, and perfect for a picnic. One tip: Cut up the pound cake before the picnic but leave it in the baking pan. It makes it easier to transport, and the pan protects it, too. Then serve it on its own, with ripe berries, and let the ants enjoy the crumbs.

Featured in: The Ants Will Love You

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

  • Butter, for greasing pan

  • 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, more for pan

  • Zest of 2 lemons

  • 1 cup sugar

  • ½ cup buttermilk

  • 3 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons lemon juice

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

  • ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

  • ½ cup confectioners’ sugar

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

57 grams carbs; 75 milligrams cholesterol; 446 calories; 14 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 22 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 232 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein; 34 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch loaf pan.

  2. Step 2

    In a bowl, combine lemon zest and sugar and rub with your fingers until it looks like wet sand. Whisk in buttermilk, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and eggs. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk dry ingredients into the batter, then whisk in oil and poppy seeds.

  3. Step 3

    Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan until warm to the touch, then turn out onto a baking rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Turn cake right side up.

  4. Step 4

    Whisk together remaining 4 teaspoons lemon juice and the confectioners’ sugar. Use a pastry brush to spread glaze evenly over top and sides of cake. Cool completely before slicing.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
5,370 user ratings
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Comments

Jón Helgi Þórarinsson

Please... use grams and millilitres, or have a conversion function. Baking is about precision and cups are an archaic and inaccurate form og measurement.

MamaB

Use Myer lemons, up the zest amnt
Add juice of 1/2 lemon to batter
Canola not olive
Change topping:
Boil 1/2 sugar with 1/4 c lemon juice
Poke holes, pour over after bake
Then bake a few xtra mins
Go heavy on poppy

TJM2

You could also substitute sour cream, which I do often as I usually don't have buttermilk.

JYL

Sorry to say I won't be making this recipe again as the olive oil taste was far too prominent in the finished product for me.

PaddyMc

Great recipe but make sure to use LIGHT olive oil, and don’t overbake. Made this in 2 different ovens, only needs 50 minutes. Hour is way too long.

Roberta

I've been making this recipe as muffins: makes a dozen. Bake for 20 minutes. Glaze when cooled. They freeze beautifully.

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