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Home » Dessert » Cakes/Cupcakes » Poppy Seed Cake

Poppy Seed Cake

By Lauren Allen on February 17, 2017, Updated August 9, 2019

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Incredibly light and tender homemade Poppy Seed Cake, perfect for brunch or dessert! 

A poppy seed bundt cake on a white plate with powdered sugar sprinkled on top and one slice missing.

I’m a huge fan of simple, CLASSIC recipes, like this Poppy Seed Cake. The ingredients are simple and the presentation is simple. Sometimes it’s the simple sweets that are the most popular!

An overhead view of a homemade Poppy Seed Cake with powdered sugar on top.

My mom has been making this poppy seed cake for years. The original recipe came from her friend (thanks Ciel!!) and it’s one our family has grown to treasure.

One slice of poppy seed bundt cake on a white platter with the rest of the cake behind it.

This poppy seed cake is NOT dense, rich or overly sweet, and that’s part of why I love it so much! It’s like a step-sibling to angel food cake in how light, and mildly sweet it is.  I also think it’s beautiful in it’s simplicity.

No frostings or glazes. Just a lightly dusting of powdered sugar. It’s the perfect cake for serving at brunch with fruit and something warm to drink.

It could definitely be served as a light dessert as well–I’m thinking some sugared strawberries on top and maybe even a spoonful of fresh whipped cream would be divine.

Consider trying these popular bundt cake recipes:
  • Caramel Apple Bundt Cake
  • Chocolate Bundt Cake
  • Chocolate Macaroon Bundt Cake
  • Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake
  • Poppyseed Cake
  • Chocolate Chocolate Chip Nothing Bundt Cake

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Incredibly light and tender homemade Poppy Seed Cake, perfect for brunch or dessert!

Poppy Seed Cake

Incredibly light and tender homemade Poppy Seed Cake, perfect for brunch or dessert! 
4.67 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 291kcal
Author: Lauren Allen

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/3 cup poppy seeds
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar divided
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup milk , divided
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 large egg whites
  • powdered sugar for garnishing, if desired

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt pan.
  • Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir in poppy seeds. Set aside.
  • Cream together butter and 1 1/4 cups of the granulated sugar. Stir in 1/4 cup milk and vanilla.
  • Alternately add the flour mixture and the 3/4 cup milk, a little bit at a time, stirring gently after each addition, starting and ending with flour.
  • Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until they stand in soft peaks and then beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Fold egg whites into cake batter.
  • Pour batter into greased bundt pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes in the bundt pan before inverting on a wire rack.
  • Sift powdered sugar over the top of the cake before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 120mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 270IU | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 1.3mg
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Nutrition Facts
Poppy Seed Cake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 291 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 22mg7%
Sodium 120mg5%
Potassium 171mg5%
Carbohydrates 47g16%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 30g33%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 270IU5%
Calcium 104mg10%
Iron 1.3mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Have you tried this recipe?!

RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.

Incredibly light and tender homemade Poppy Seed Cake, perfect for brunch or dessert! | Tastes Better From Scratch

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Breakfast/Brunch· Cakes/Cupcakes· Dessert
18 Comments

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Comments

  1. 2pots2cook says

    February 17, 2017 at 3:18 am

    There are some simple dishes, like all the other simple things in our lives, that are the best and last forever. Literary. So does the magnificent evergreen Poppy Seed Cake. Thank you so much for sharing this one with us !

    Reply
  2. Wendy S. says

    December 23, 2017 at 2:58 pm

    The recipe calls for 1 cup if milk, divided, yet it says to add only 1/4 cup milk to the butter and sugar mixture. There is no indication for the other 3/4 cup milk so I just added it to the batter at the end, before the egg whites. ALSO, I greased and floured the bundt pan where you only say to grease it. I have had other cakes that I have not been able to remove from the (nonstick) bundt pan before. is it preferable to use grease and flour or was this an omission in the recipe?

    Reply
    • Lauren Allen says

      December 30, 2017 at 12:16 pm

      Hi Wendy, the remaining milk is added in step 5. I clarified the instructions to make it more clear! Hope you enjoyed the cake!

      Reply
  3. Lucie says

    February 17, 2018 at 1:18 pm

    5 stars
    Hi!
    This was excellent!
    I just reduced to only 1 cup of sugar.
    Great recipe and a big hit with the family.
    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  4. OSNAT HAREL (ISRAEL) says

    July 8, 2018 at 12:47 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for the recipe. Look amazing!
    Can I switch the 4 egg white with 2 eggs? what do I missing by doing so?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Lauren Allen says

      July 9, 2018 at 8:59 pm

      Sorry, the egg whites are essential in this recipe! The cake is made similar to an angel food cake or other extra-light white cake where the egg whites are whipped and then folded into the batter. Using two whole eggs would really mess with the texture and the final product. Hope you get a chance to try it 🙂

      Reply
  5. Paul Marshall says

    October 31, 2018 at 4:58 am

    I wont use recipes which only use ”CUPS” as a measurement, If I am expected to change cups to Grams or ounces, I just ignore them.
    Have consideration for the Millions of people outside the USA who use real measurements.

    You have some good recipes, but I’m not going to spend hours converting your cups to Grams or Ounces.

    Reply
    • Lauren Allen says

      November 17, 2018 at 9:21 am

      Hi Paul, that is definitely not lost on me. Time has not allowed me to get to that point yet, but hopefully one day.

      Reply
    • Eliza says

      January 5, 2019 at 11:14 am

      Really, Paul? You couldn’t have said that without haughtiness and arrogance? The girl is from America… those are the measurements they use. Almost every recipe I look up on the internet uses those measurements. It’s not that hard to convert. She was just sharing something she loves. Give her a break …and maybe an apology!

      Reply
  6. Sue says

    December 8, 2018 at 9:42 pm

    I want to make sure the egg yolks are not used….is this correct?

    Reply
    • Lauren Allen says

      December 13, 2018 at 8:19 pm

      That’s right, only the whites 🙂

      Reply
  7. Joan says

    February 5, 2019 at 2:20 pm

    can this recipe be used in a loaf pan?

    Reply
    • Lauren Allen says

      February 8, 2019 at 9:21 am

      Hi Joan- I have a similar lemon poppy seed bread that’s meant for a loaf pan! Enjoy!

      Reply
  8. Joette says

    February 7, 2019 at 7:46 pm

    This looks amazing! What would be your suggestion if I wanted to add some lemon? I’m not a professional baker so any suggestions you have are appreciated. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Lauren Allen says

      February 8, 2019 at 9:20 am

      Hi Joette,
      You could easily incorporate lemon into this recipe. I would add about 2 teaspoons of lemon zest and stir it right into the batter! You could also make a lemon glaze to top the cake. Check out the orange glaze on this recipe and substitute lemon zest instead. You may also want to double the glaze recipe.

      Reply
  9. Jean Diesch says

    February 10, 2019 at 1:03 pm

    My family always told me that this recipe, my great aunt Hedwig, won a Pillsbury bake off many years back. Interesting she had a cousin Ceal! Are you from Pittsburgh! This is a family favorite as well!

    Reply
  10. Lea says

    December 3, 2019 at 11:52 am

    Can you make this ahead and freeze?

    Reply
    • Lauren Allen says

      December 3, 2019 at 12:36 pm

      Sure, it will freeze well if it’s wrapped tightly and stored in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag.

      Reply

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