Incredibly light and tender homemade Poppy Seed Cake, is easy to make and perfect for brunch or dessert! 

Poppy seed cake with a few slices cut into it.

I'm a huge fan of simple, classic recipes, like this Poppy Seed Cake. This 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 its simplicity; no frostings or glazes, but just a light dusting of powdered sugar.

Serve it for brunch with a side of fruit, coffee or tea. It could also be served as a light dessert–I'm thinking some sugared strawberries on top and maybe even a spoonful of fresh whipped cream would be divine.

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.

How to make Poppy Seed Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Cream together butter and 1 ¼ cups of the granulated sugar. Stir in ¼ cup milk and vanilla.

Butter, sugar, vanilla and milk combined in a mixing bowl.

  • Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir in poppy seeds. Set aside.

A wooden mixing bowl with flour, salt, baking powder and poppyseeds.

  • Alternately add the flour mixture and the ¾ 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 ½ cup sugar. Fold egg whites into cake batter.

Egg whites being folded into poppy seed 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 cooling rack.

A bundt pan filled with poppy seed cake batter, ready to bake.

  • Sift powdered sugar over the top of the cake before serving.

Overhead photo of a baked poppy seed cake dusted with powdered sugar.

Storing and Freezing Instructions:

Store the cake covered at room temperature for 2-3 days. To freeze, allow the cake to cool completely, then covered tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.

More popular bundt cake recipes:

FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOKTWITTERINSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!

Recipe

Poppy seed cake with a few slices cut into it.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Total 55 minutes
Save Recipe

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt pan.
  • Cream together butter and 1 ¼ cups of the granulated sugar. Stir in ¼ cup milk and vanilla.
    Butter, sugar, vanilla and milk combined in a mixing bowl.
  • Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir in poppy seeds. Set aside.
    A wooden mixing bowl with flour, salt, baking powder and poppyseeds.
  • Alternately add the flour mixture and the ¾ 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 ½ cup sugar. Fold egg whites into cake batter.
    Egg whites being folded into poppy seed 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.
    A bundt pan filled with poppy seed cake batter, ready to bake.
  • Sift powdered sugar over the top of the cake before serving.
    Overhead photo of a baked poppy seed cake dusted with powdered sugar.

Notes

Egg Whites: Real egg whites are essential for this cake and can't be substituted. For best results, separate the egg whites from the yolks when the eggs are cold. Then, bring the egg whites to room temperature before whipping, as they will have better whipped volume at room temperature.  
Freezing Instructions: Once cooled, the cake can be covered tightly and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 291kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 4gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 120mgPotassium: 171mgFiber: 1gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 270IUCalcium: 104mgIron: 1.3mg

Create a FREE Account to save your favorite recipes and create meal plans

Have you tried this recipe?!

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

I originally shared this recipe February 2017. Updated October 2020.

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

This post contains affiliate links.

Related Posts

Share Recipe

Categories

About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

4 1 vote
Recipe Rating
4.94 from 73 votes (65 ratings without comment)
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

38 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
sharon
24 days ago

do you soak the poppy seed in milk? my grandma did but i don’t know how long.

Admin
23 days ago
Reply to  sharon

No! No soaking required in this recipe.

Raylene
1 month ago

4 stars
I’m confused does step 2 and 3 ingredients get added together before step 4? I don’t see any place that talks about combining steps 2 and 3. Thank you.

Admin
1 month ago
Reply to  Raylene

Great question! Yes—after you cream the butter, sugar, milk, and vanilla (Step 2), you’ll gradually add the dry ingredients from Step 3 to that mixture in Step 4, alternating with the remaining milk. So Steps 2 and 3 are kept separate until Step 4 when they come together. Hope that clears it up!
-Stacy