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This small batch lemon poppy seed cake is a tender and moist cake full of poppy seeds, topped with an amazing lemon curd buttercream and serves 2-4 people.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
This cake is my version of my favorite bakery cake. Each year on my birthday my husband would buy me a lemon poppy seed cake from Beaverton Bakery. It was a sad year when the bakery closed down and I had to figure out how to make it at home.
Not only can I still enjoy my favorite cake, but this recipe is the perfect size.
The star of the show though with this recipe is the lemon curd buttercream, it is so good!!!
Ingredients Needed
Lemon Curd
- Egg. We are going to use the whole egg but if you have a leftover egg yolk you can use that instead.
- Sugar
- Lemon. We will use the juice and the zest. Be sure to zest your lemon before juicing it.
Cake
- Butter. I use salted butter, make sure the butter is soft.
- Oil. You can use vegetable oil or canola oil, you want a mild flavored oil.
- Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Plain Greek Yogurt. You can also use sour cream or buttermilk
- Salt
- Baking Powder
- Flour. I prefer unbleached all purpose flour
- Milk. Use what you have on hand, you can also use half and half or whipping cream.
Lemon Curd Frosting
- Lemon Curd (see above) You will use half of what the recipe makes. You can free the remaining lemon curd in an airtight container to use later.
- Butter. Softened and unsalted.
- Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Sugar
- Milk or whipping cream
Tips from leigh Anne
- First, make the lemon curd first so it can cool before adding it to the frosting. To speed up the process put it in the freezer for 10 minutes or so.
- Second, make the cake and while it is baking mix up the frosting.
- Third, assemble the frosting and frost the cake.
How to Make Small Batch Lemon Curd
- In a medium size saucepan combine 1 egg, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest and 2 Tbsp lemon juice.
- Cook over medium heat until it begins to thicken and comes to a low boil.
- Remove from heat.
- Place 2 Tbsp butter in a bowl. Put a wire mess strainer over the bowl and pour lemon mixture through the strainer.
- Stir until butter melts.
- Cover the surface of the lemon curd with plastic wrap so a skin doesn’t form. Place in the refrigerator to cool.
How to Make Lemon Poppyseed Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a bowl combine butter and beat until creamy.
- Add in oil, egg, sugar, vanilla, sour cream and mix to combine.
- Pour in flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Add in milk.
- Pour in poppyseeds.
- Pour batter into a 6 inch cake pan that has been sprayed with non stick spray.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Lemon Curd Buttercream Frosting
While the cake is cooling mix up your buttercream frosting.
- Combine softened butter, cooled lemon curd and vanilla extract.
- Beat until smooth.
- Add in powdered sugar and enough milk or cream to make a good spreading consistency.
- Frost cake. Sprinkle edges of cake with additional poppyseeds if desired and garnish with a slice of lemon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I double the recipe to make a bigger cake?
This recipe can be easily doubled to make a two layer 6 inch cake. There should be enough frosting to frost a two layer cake.
Can I freeze leftover cake
Cake freezes really well. Just wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
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Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
This small batch lemon poppy seed cake is a tender and moist cake full of poppy seeds, topped with an amazing lemon curd buttercream and serves 2-4 people.
Prep:30 minutes
Cook:30 minutes
1 hour
Ingredients
Lemon Curd
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
Poppyseed Cake
- 6 Tbs butter softened
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp oil canola or vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp poppy seeds
- 2 Tbsp milk whole milk or 2 percent.
Lemon Curd Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup lemon curd
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Lemon Curd
- Combine egg, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a small sauce pan.
- Place butter in a bowl with a mesh strainer over it.
- Stir constantly over medium heat until it comes to a low boil and thickens up.
- Remove from heat and pour through mesh trainer over butter.
- Stir until butter melts.
- Cover with plastic wrap, let wrap touch the surface of the lemon curd. This will prevent a skin from forming on the lemon curd.
Poppy seed Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease and flour a 6 inch cake pan. Line the bottom with wax paper or parchment paper
- In a bowl combine butter and beat until creamy.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- Combine softened butter, cooled lemon curd and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
- Add in powdered sugar and enough milk or cream to make a good spreading consistency.
- Frost cooled cake.
Tips & Notes:
Tips from Leigh Anne
- First, make the lemon curd first so it can cool before adding it to the frosting. To speed up the process put it in the freezer for 10 minutes or so.
- Second, make the cake and while it is baking mix up the frosting.
- Third, assemble the frosting and frost the cake.
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Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 731kcal (37%) Carbohydrates: 113g (38%) Protein: 5g (10%) Fat: 30g (46%) Saturated Fat: 17g (106%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 9g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 99mg (33%) Sodium: 328mg (14%) Potassium: 141mg (4%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 96g (107%) Vitamin A: 871IU (17%) Vitamin C: 3mg (4%) Calcium: 65mg (7%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Joanne says
How much poppyseed do you use?
Leigh Anne Wilkes says
1 Tbsp – updated the recipe, sorry about that