French Poppy Seed Cake Recipe

A slice French Poppy Seed Cake, served with an espresso.

5 from 1 vote

You like poppy seeds? Then you will love this French Poppy Seed Cake. A soft and delicious cake with poppy seeds inside and on top --- try it for your next coffee break!

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Servings:

Calories: 237kcal

Author: Neriz

Equipment

Ingredients

For Poppy Seed Cake Batter:

125 grams butter (1 stick + 1 tbsp, level), unsalted and softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 & 2/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp & 2 tsp poppy seeds
1 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp honey
1 piece lemon, grated zest
1 medium egg yolk
4 medium egg whites

For Lemon Icing:

1/2 cup powdered sugar, heaping
5 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

Start by preheating your oven to 180°C (350°F), greasing an 8-inch cake pan with butter, and dusting it with a bit of flour. Set cake pan aside.

Cake Preparation:

Use a strainer to sift flour and baking powder in a medium bowl.
Add 4 tablespoons of poppy seeds, then mix.
Using a large mixing bowl, combine butter with sugar, then mix until it's creamy.
Add the yolk, honey, lemon zest, and milk, then continue mixing to combine evenly.
Add the dry ingredients from earlier --- flour, baking powder, and poppy seeds.
Mix until just combined, then set cake batter aside.
Beat the egg whites until you get stiff peaks.
Add 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter and fold gently to combine.
Add the remaining egg whites in batches; do not overmix, but just enough to combine the whites into the rest.
Pour the batter into the greased cake pan.
Tap the pan gently on the counter to get rid of bubbles.
Place the pan in the lower part of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes; or until a toothpick comes out dry when you stick it in the cake.
Take your poppy seed cake out of the oven and set it aside to cool.

Icing Preparation:

Combine the powdered sugar with the lemon juice and mix until you get a creamy texture.
Pour on the cooled cake and use an angled spatula to spread it evenly.
Sprinkle the remaining poppy seeds on top.
Set aside until it sets.
Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Cook's Tip #1: Remember to use eggs at room temperature. Take them out of the refrigerator earlier if that's where you keep them.
Cook's Tip #2: Make sure the cake is no longer warm before adding the lemon icing on top. Otherwise, it will just melt the icing instead of setting it.
Cook's Tip #3: Feel free to double the serving of the icing if you prefer a thicker layer than what I've shown in the images.
Cook's Tip #4: Do not add all the lemon juice at once when preparing the icing. Add it a teaspoon at a time while mixing --- it should have a creamy consistency, not thin or watery.

Nutrition