This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
When lemon season hits, this is the cake I bake on repeat. Itโs plush, zesty, and flecked with crunchy poppy seedsโfinished with a glossy lemon glaze that sinks into every bite.
Youโll love that itโs a simple stir-and-bake situation with real lemon flavor (zest + juice) and a tender crumb that stays moist for days. Enjoy for brunch, as an afternoon snack with a latte, or for dessert with ice cream on the side.
And just like that, weโve made it to Friday! When I was a kid, Friday was my absolute favorite day of the week. Friday meant it was the last day of school and I had two full days of absolutely zero school ahead of me. It was always such a relief once Friday finally rolled around. Plus, I knew that after school there would be a very good chance I could convince my mom to bake something sweet with me, normally cookies.
I still look forward to Friday, but probably more because itโs been ingrained into me to just love this day. I donโt actually have a favorite day anymore, I usually wake up pretty excited and full of energy to tackle whatever is on my list that dayโฆMonday through Sunday (though I still donโt love Sundays). But something about Friday holds so much excitement. Itโs the end of the week (and this week was a great one!), things usually slow down for the next couple of days, and life chills out.
And that right there is reason enough to celebrateโฆ
Which is why I (mostly) reserve Fridays for something sweet. We took a quick break last week to share one of my go-to weekend breakfasts. But this week itโs back to something sweet. Enter this oh so pretty, and perfectly lemon, poppy seed cake. Itโs healthy(ish), so easy to make, gluten free (if you need it to be), and most importantly?
Insanely delicious.
The Inspiration.
Iโve talked about this before, but I find a lot of inspiration from the seasons and the produce that goes along with each season. The more time I spend developing recipes, the more I lean on the food itself for inspiration. Currently, winter citrus is my main focus. I canโt stop both cooking and baking with all the wonderful citrus thatโs currently in the market.
I shared a savory salmon early this week, and today, itโs cake. And you guys? This cake is so good. I used Meyer lemons for incredible tang and sweetness. I also used vibrant blood oranges in the glaze to add a pop of color.
Best (healthy) lemon poppy seed cakeโฆdetails.
The cake batter is simple, easy, no fuss, and can even be made gluten free. I used olive oil and Greek yogurt to not only keep the cake light and moist but to add additional flavor. If youโre new to baking with olive oil donโt be scared. Itโs actually such a nice oil to bake with and itโs really just an added bonus that it happens to be healthy. You might think youโd be able to taste the oil but you really canโt. It only leaves the cake with a moist texture and a faint fruity hint, which pairs perfectly with the citrus.
To keep the muffins sweet, I used manuka honey Some of you might argue that honey is sugar, and all sugar is the same. Iโm looking past this, and instead focusing on the benefits manuka honey is said to have. Just trust me here, it works and itโs good. If you prefer not to splurge on fancy manuka honey feel free to use regular honey too.
Moving alongโฆthat citrus honey glaze.
While the cake is so good on its own (really, it is), the glaze seals the deal (literally) and makes this extra special.
The first step is the citrus. I used a Meyer lemon and a blood orange. You can use all lemons too, but I love the color the blood orange adds, so pretty.
I zested the fruits with a Y peeler, then thinly sliced the zest into very thin dainty strips. Set the strips aside for a minute and mix the citrus together with the honey. Some of the citrus honey is poured over the warm cake, which helps to really lock in the moisture. The remaining citrus honey is mixed with a little powdered sugar (only just a little) and all the citrus zest. Spoon this over the cake to finish.
And thatโs itโฆsimple, pretty, perfectly sweet, extra moist SO GOOD!
FAQ:
Can I bake this as muffins?
Yesโfill liners about ยพ full and start checking early. Theyโre done when domed, lightly golden, and a tester shows a few moist crumbs.
How do I get stronger lemon flavor without making it sour?
Use extra zest and rub it into the sugar before mixing. Keep juice amounts the same and lean on the glaze for tang.
Why did my poppy seeds sink?
Gently toss them with a spoonful of dry ingredients or soak briefly, then fold in at the end. A thicker batter also helps suspend the seeds.
Can I halve the sugar?
Reducing sugar will make the crumb drier and the glaze more tart. For a less-sweet cake, cut a little sugar and add a touch more fat or yogurt to keep moisture.
If you make this lemon poppy seed cake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, donโt forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Lemon Poppyseed Cake with Citrus Honey Glaze.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 3/4 cup plain Greek Yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Meyer (or regular) lemon zest and 1/4 cup juice
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose or white whole wheat flour , (for GF see note)
- 1 cup almond flour/meal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Citrus Honey Glaze
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 Meyer or regular lemon
- 1 blood orange
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar, using more as needed
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.2. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, eggs, yogurt, vanilla, lemon zest, and juice, mix until smooth and creamy. Add the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined, being sure the batter is completely mixed. Stir in the poppy seeds. 3.ย Pour the batter into the prepared bread pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.4. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Remove the zest from the remaining lemon and the blood orange with a vegetable peeler in wide strips. Then thinly slice the strips. Alternately, you can just zest the lemon and orange on a Microplane. ย 5. In a medium bowl, mix together the honey and about 1/4 cup lemon juice. Drizzle 1/2 the glaze over the warm cake. To the remaining glaze, add 1 tablespoon blood orange juice and the powdered sugar, whisk until smooth. Stir in 1/2 the lemon zest and 1/2 of the orange zest. ย If needed, thin the glaze by adding additional citrus juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until drizzly.ย 6. Pour the glaze over the cake, letting it fall down the sides. Let set 5 minutes, slice and enjoy warm or at room temp.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
I don’t know what happened to my cake. I followed exactly EXCEPT that I used regular lemon and used according to your substitution directions. It came out dense, “stodgy” my son said, with hardly any lemon flavor and not the the expected texture for the almond flour and poppy seeds. The only thing my family liked was the glaze. Weird.
Hi Dottie,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, I’m so sorry to hear it did not turn out for you. Any chance the batter was over-mixed? xx
Do you think I would be ok doing this recipe as a couple 6″ rounds? My mom wants a lemon cake for her birthday. I’ve done your blueberry lemon cake (delicious!) but she wants straight lemon ๐
Hey Constance,
Sure, I bet that would work nicely for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! Happy Birthday to your mom! xx
What an easy yet phenomenal cake!
Hey Prithi,
Wonderful!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Happy Thanksgiving! xT
Hi I donโt see where/ how many eggs to use. Itโs not in the ingredients but referenced in the instructions
Never mind not sure why it didnโt pop up but now itโs there!
Hi Mariana,
This recipe calls for 2 eggs at room temp and they are used in step 2. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
So easy and delicious! Looks beautiful too! I love recipes that donโt need fancy ingredients or equipment. Iโll be making this one again for sure ๐
Hey Sigal,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great weekend:)
This loaf cake is amazing! I’ve made it a dozen times now and it always turns out.
Hey Jennifer,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xT
I made this with grapefruit and coconut oil because that is what I had and it was AMAZING. A sprinkle of roasted light salted almonds didnโt hurt either. This was meant for my neighbor, but OMG. This cake is a keeper unless you make 2.
Hey Raquel,
Happy New Year!!๐ I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for giving it a try and sharing your review! xT
I want to bake and freeze this. Do I glaze before freezing or wait til
Iโve thawed the cake and then glaze?
Hi Lisa,
I would freeze without the glaze and add that fresh once the cake is thawed. I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
First, your page has been my go to for all new recipes tried in the kitchen. You make things so simple and beautiful, even my 4 year old can join in for such fun. So, thank you. Speaking of him, he loves poppyseed muffins. Would this recipe transfer well to muffins? If so, can you recommend a bake time and temp? Thank you!
Hey Kayla,
Thank you so much for your kind message, I am so glad you have been enjoying the recipes!! Yes, you can use this as muffins, I would keep the temperature the same and start checking for doneness at 25 minutes. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope the recipe turns out amazing for you! xx
Hey there! Do you have any suggestions for a substitiute for the almond flour?
Thanks!
Hey Nicole,
You can use GF flour in place of the almond flour. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hello, I am like you and live at a higher elevation(8,300 ft for me). Would you alter this recipe for higher altitudes?
Hey Libby,
No need to make an adjustments, you can follow this recipe as is:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Delicious! Iโd never used a blood orange before, but it is beautiful and has such a nice flavor! The cake is moist and light, great flavor and pretty pink tint from the blood orange glaze, and perfect lemon flavor in the cake! So glad I tried this!
Hey Ellie,
Awesome! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed and I really appreciate you giving it a try! Have the best week:) xTieghan
The cake came out dense even though I used fage yoghurt and all purpose flour. Great taste but the texture was unfortunately not right.
Thanks for giving the recipe a try Lilas! Let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
Can I use bread flour with this recipe?
Hey Annie,
Yes, that will work just fine for you. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan