Lemon Poppy Seed Layer Cake

This lemon and poppy seed layer cake is so fresh and tangy and it's a perfect spring cake! It is full of zesty lemon flavor with moist lemon and poppy seed cake layers and a delicious lemon curd. It is paired with a white chocolate buttercream to perfectly balance the tangy flavors of the lemon.

Citrus season is a favorite of mine and this lemon poppy seed layer cake is no exception! It has soft lemon and poppy seed cake layers, a delicious lemon curd and is covered by a white chocolate buttercream that gives a perfect balance to the fresh and tangy flavors of the lemon.

To make it showstopper its decorated with a yellow white chocolate drip and wreath of buttercream. This cake tastes absolutely amazing and I hope you’ll love it too!

For more fruity layer cake recipes, try Strawberry and Blueberry Layer Cake, Strawberry and Lemon Layer Cake and Raspberry Pistachio Layer Cake

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Lemon poppy seed cake layers: These cake layers are so soft and full of lemon and poppy seed flavor
• Lemon curd: Between the cake layers it's filled with a homemade lemon curd.
• White chocolate buttercream: To balance out the tangy flavor of the lemon in the cake layers and curd, I've added white chocolate to the buttercream.
• Showstopper layer cake: The layer cake is a showstoppers and are perfect for a party or birthday.

INGREDIENT NOTES

These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

• Lemon: Freshly squeezed lemon gives a bright and fresh flavor to the cake.
• Poppy seeds: The poppy seeds adds great flavor to the cake layers.
• Butter: Take it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking (depending how warm your kitchen is).
• Eggs: Take them out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking (depending how warm your kitchen is).
• All-purpose flour: I always use an all-purpose flour that has 10-11% protein. The lower the protein in the flour, the less gluten gets produced, which makes for a soft and tender cupcake.
• Buttermilk: Buttermilk makes for a softer and more tender cake. Measure out the buttermilk and let it come to room temperature 1-2 hours before baking (depending how warm your kitchen is).
• White chocolate: Use chips or a block of white chocolate.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE LAYERS

Here is how make and bake the lemon poppy seed layer cake. This recipe needs stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer. You will need 3 x 20 cm baking pan lined with baking paper.

The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.

Before starting preheat the oven to 160ºC/ 350ºF conventional oven. Prepare a 20x20 cm square pan with parchment paper.

STEP 1: Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the lemon zest and poppy seeds to the flour mixture, mix it together, and set it aside. Mix together the buttermilk and vanilla extract and set it aside.

STEP 2: In a mixing bowl, use the paddle attachment add the butter, vegetable oil, and sugar and mix it on high speed for 3 min.

STEP 3: Add the eggs one at a time into the mixture and mix it in until combined.

STEP 4: Add the lemon juice to the milk. It will curdle but don’t stress, it’s just the lemon juice reacting with the milk.

STEP 5: Continue by alternating between adding ⅓ of the flour mixture and ½ of the milk mixture, ending on the flour mixture. Mixing in each addition until just combined.

STEP 6: Divide the cake batter into the 3 prepared 20 cm baking tins and bake them for 26-28 min or until a cake tester comes out clean.

STEP 7: Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 5 min, gently remove the cake from the cake tin and let the cakes cool down completely.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - LEMON CURD

STEP 1: In a small pot add lemon juice, sugar, egg, and egg yolk. With a whisk, constantly whisk at a slow pace the curd, while heating it up on a medium heat until it starts to thicken.

STEP 2: Then take it off the heat, and pour it through a sieve over a bowl, to catch any cooked egg bits.

STEP 3: Let it sit for 2 mins to slightly cool down. Then add the cold cubed butter and with an emersion blender, blend it together until smooth. Pour the curd into a shallow bowl, so it cools down faster, and cover the curd with a piece of cling film so it touches the surface or the curd and place it in the fridge. Let it cool down until cold, about 1 hours.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - BUTTERCREAM

STEP 1: Melt the white chocolate and heavy cream together over a bain-marie or in the microwave. Let it cool down to room temperature (it’s important that it’s not too hot) while making the buttercream. 

STEP 2: Take the butter out of the fridge 10 min before starting. Cut the butter into cubes. Sift the powdered sugar.

STEP 3: In your stand mixer, use the paddle attachment, start by creaming the butter for 2 min on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix 1 min more. Add the melted white chocolate and mix it in until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it another mix to make sure it’s fully incorporated with the butter. On low speed, add the sifted powdered sugar in 3 portion, mix in the powdered sugar at low speed, until each addition is fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix for 2 min on low/medium speed.

STEP 4: Take the bowl off the stand mixer and with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, beat it well by hand to make sure to remove the air bubbles in the buttercream. Add ⅓ of the buttercream to a piping bag with a closed star piping tip, e.g. 2D, and set it aside

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - ASSEMBLING AND DECORATION

STEP 1: Place the first cake layer on your serving dish or cake board on your turntable. If you don’t have a turntable, don’t worry, you can easily decorate the cake without it. 

STEP 2: Add a very thin layer of buttercream to the cake layer and with an offset spatula, even it out. Pipe a boarder around the top of the cake. Then add half of the lemon curd and even it out. Add the next sponge layer and do the same as the previous layer. Then add the layer cake layer and cover the cake in a thin crumb coat. Place it in the freezer for 30 min, for the buttercream to set.

STEP 3: Add the remaining buttercream, but the buttercream in the piping bag save that for the decoration, and spread it out in an even layer. Scape down the sides of the cake to get smooth sides on the cake. Place it back in the freezer for 30-60 min. Meanwhile make the ganache for the decoration.

STEP 4: For the ganache chop the white chocolate if you’re not using chocolate chips.

STEP 5: Heat the heavy cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for 2 min. Then stir it together with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add the white and yellow gel color and mix it well together. Let it cool down until around room temperature. You don’t want it too warm as it otherwise can melt the buttercream.

STEP 6: Then take the cold cake out of the freezer and pour the ganache over the cake so it create a drip effect. Even the top out with an offset spatula or a spoon. Lastly decorate with the remaining buttercream and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams as it is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
• Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula, after everything has mixed together, and give it one final gently fold together, to make sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
• Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pan are light in color and therefore attracts less heat which means they bake more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a e.g. a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat, which will then give a darker crust, that results in a dryer cake.

FAQ

STORAGE

Store the lemon poppy seed layer cake in the fridge in an airtight container. When wanting to eat it, take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. It's best enjoyed within a few days.

Other Layer Cake Recipes To Try

Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.

Lemon Poppy Seed Layer Cake

Lemon poppy seed layer cake with soft lemon and poppy seed cake layers, a delicious lemon curd and covered by a white chocolate buttercream

5 fra 4 stemmer

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 26 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 12

Equipment

• 3 20 cm baking pan

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE LAYERS

• 360 g all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Zest of one lemon
• 1,5 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 240 g buttermilk room temperature
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 180 g butter room temperature
• 65 g vegetable oil e.g. canola oil
• 330 g granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 1,5 tablespoon lemon juice

LEMON CURD

• 80 g lemon juice
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 50 g butter cold, cut into cubes

WHITE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

• 200 g white chocolate
• 70 g heavy cream
• 300 g butter cool room temperature
• 500 g powdered sugar

CHOCOLATE DRIP

• 100 g white chocolate
• 55 g heavy cream
• white and yellow gel color

Instructions

 

LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE LAYERS

• Preheat the oven at 160ºC conventional oven and prepare 3 x 20 cm baking pan with parchment paper.
• Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the lemon zest and poppy seeds to the flour mixture, mix it together, and set it aside. Mix together the buttermilk and vanilla extract and set it aside.
  360 g all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, Zest of one lemon, 1,5 tablespoon poppy seeds, 240 g buttermilk, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• In a mixing bowl, use the paddle attachment add the butter, vegetable oil, and sugar and mix it on high speed for 3 min.
  180 g butter, 65 g vegetable oil, 330 g granulated sugar
• Add the eggs one at a time into the mixture and mix it in until combined.
  4 large eggs
• Add the lemon juice to the milk. It will curdle but don’t stress, it’s just the lemon juice reacting with the milk.
  1,5 tablespoon lemon juice
• Continue by alternating between adding ⅓ of the flour mixture and ½ of the milk mixture, ending on the flour mixture. Mixing in each addition until just combined.
• Divide the cake batter into the 3 prepared 20 cm baking tins and bake them for 26-28 min or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 5 min, gently remove the cake from the cake tin and let the cakes cool down completely.

LEMON CURD

• In a small pot add lemon juice, granulated sugar, egg, and egg yolk. With a whisk, constantly whisk at a slow pace the curd, while heating it up on a medium heat until it starts to thicken.
  80 g lemon juice, 100 g granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk
• Then take it off the heat, and pour it through a sieve over a bowl, to catch any cooked egg bits.
• Let it sit for 2 mins to slightly cool down. Then add the cold cubed butter and with an emersion blender, blend it together until smooth. Pour the curd into a shallow bowl, so it cools down faster, and cover the curd with a piece of cling film so it touches the surface or the curd and place it in the fridge. Let it cool down until cold, about 1 hours.
  50 g butter

WHITE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

• Melt the white chocolate and heavy cream together over a bain-marie or in the microwave. Let it cool down to room temperature (it’s important that it’s not too hot) while making the buttercream.
  200 g white chocolate, 70 g heavy cream
• Take the butter out of the fridge 10 min before starting. Cut the butter into cubes.
  300 g butter
• Sift the powdered sugar.
  500 g powdered sugar
• In your stand mixer, use the paddle attachment, start by creaming the butter for 2 min on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix 1 min more. Add the melted white chocolate and mix it in until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it another mix to make sure it’s fully incorporated with the butter. On low speed, add the sifted powdered sugar in 3 portion, mix in the powdered sugar at low speed, until each addition is fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix for 2 min on low/medium speed.
• Take the bowl off the stand mixer and with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, beat it well by hand to make sure to remove the air bubbles in the buttercream.
• Add ⅓ of the buttercream to a piping bag with a closed star piping tip, e.g. 2D, and set it aside.

ASSEMBLING

• Place the first cake layer on your serving dish or cake board on your turntable. If you don’t have a turntable, don’t worry, you can easily decorate the cake without it.
• Add a very thin layer of buttercream to the cake layer and with an offset spatula, even it out. Pipe a boarder around the top of the cake. Then add half of the lemon curd and even it out. Add the next sponge layer and do the same as the previous layer. Then add the layer cake layer and cover the cake in a thin crumb coat. Place it in the freezer for 30 min, for the buttercream to set.
• Add the remaining buttercream, but the buttercream in the piping bag save that for the decoration, and spread it out in an even layer. Scape down the sides of the cake to get smooth sides on the cake. Place it back in the freezer for 30-60 min. Meanwhile make the ganache for the decoration.

GANACHE

• Chop the white chocolate if you’re not using chocolate chips.
  100 g white chocolate
• Heat the heavy cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for 2 min. Then stir it together with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add the white and yellow gel color and mix it well together. Let it cool down until around room temperature. You don’t want it too warm as it otherwise can melt the buttercream.
  55 g heavy cream, white and yellow gel color
• Then take the cold cake out of the freezer and pour the ganache over the cake so it create a drip effect. Even the top out with an offset spatula or a spoon.
• Lastly decorate with the remaining buttercream and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Nutrition

Carbohydrates: 128gProtein: 10gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 594mgPotassium: 260mgFiber: 1gSugar: 95gVitamin A: 335IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 189mgIron: 3mg

Keyword layer cake, lemon, lemon curd, white chocolate buttercream

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