This lemon poppy seed cake has three layers of fluffy cake, and a lemon-infused cream cheese frosting! Made using whole milk yogurt, the texture is so light that it practically melts in your mouth. Plus, the cake is baked up and ready in less than 1 hour — perfect for an impressive dessert in very little time.

A lemon poppy seed cake on a pink plate.
Top the cake with lemon cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with more poppy seeds.

It’s literally took me over a year to get this moist poppy seed layer cake up on the blog. Heres the thing though- I didn’t want to post it right away because after testing it 4 or 5 times I still wasn’t happy. As a trained pastry chef, I need to make sure my recipes are up to my high standards.

I was getting really frustrated with not getting the results I wanted which was a fluffy, light cake, like the tons of layer cake recipe ideas I have. Instead I was getting a dense, heavy cake.

UGH. So I started all over again and after multiple rounds of testing, much like my lemon poppy seed muffins, I can now say that this cake is SO fluffy. It literally almost melts in your mouth from how light it is. It’s topped with a zesty lemon cream cheese frosting because the more lemon in my book, the better.

This cake is made from scratch but if you want a shortcut for an impressive lemon dessert then definitely this lemon pudding bundt cake with boxed cake mix should be your go to.

Want cupcakes? These moist lemon cupcakes with buttermilk have your name all over it.

What makes this cake so fluffy?

Answer- the combination of eggs and yogurt and the way you cream the eggs and sugar. The two ingredients together in a cake recipe that calls for creaming is like magic. The air incorporated into the butter mixture creates a really fluffy crumb, and the yogurt and eggs keep that moisture locked in.

The lemon flavor really comes through too which I was happy about. Sometimes you need to use an extract instead of 100% juice to get a good amount of flavor, but not with this recipe! It uses only fresh lemons and lemon zest, and the flavor is totally there.

How to make the cake

To make this cake you use the creaming method- which is just a baking term that tells you in what order you mix the ingredients:

  1. Cream the butter and sugar until
  2. Add in eggs
  3. Alternate mixing in the dry and wet ingredients
Creamed butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and airy. Med speed for 2 minutes.
Then add the eggs one at a time, creaming in between each addition.
Dry ingredients for lemon poppy seed cake in a bowl.
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Measure the yogurt, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a measuring cup.
Add liquid ingredients to a measuring cup. Zest the lemon over the measuring cup so you capture all the extracts.
Lemon cake batter in a mixing bowl.
Alternate the dry and wet ingredients starting and ending with the dry.
Poppy seeds added to a lemon cake batter.
Add the poppy seeds to the batter and mix in by hand, so the batter doesnt get over mixed.
Lemon poppy seed cake batter in a 9" round cake pan.
You need 3 9″ round cake pans for this recipe. Spray them well with baking spray first!
Lemon poppy seed cake layers.
The cakes bake very flat so theres no need to level.

Make the frosting

While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. You’ll need the mixer again so wash and dry it after the cake.

The cream cheese and butter need to be softened at room temperature. If they are cold, you can unwrap and microwave on a plate for 8 seconds per side. Flip the cream cheese and butter after each 8 second burst.

When you add the powdered sugar into the bowl, its always best to start on low speed so the sugar doesnt blow out of the mixer from the force of the paddle.

Cream cheese and lemon zest creamed in a mixer bowl.
Add the softened cream cheese, butter, and lemon zest into the mixer. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute.
Lemon cream cheese frosting in a mixing bowl.
Add the sugar, lemon juice, and milk/cream and mix on low moving up to medium speed for 2 minutes until fluffy.

Assembling the cake

It’s easiest to use a cake turner to frost a cake, or even a lazy susan. Lay one layer of the cake upside down so that the bottom is now the top- this ensures you are working with a flat surface and the cake will be level.

Frost the top, then add the second layer. Repeat with the 3rd layer and frost the whole cake. I use a small offset spatula but a knife or even the back of a spoon works too!

A cake layer with white frosting on top, on a pink plate.
Eyeball the frosting to make an even layer. You’ll have enough to fill and frost the entire cake.

Tips on freezing

You can either freeze this cake with or without the cream cheese icing frosting. My preference with cakes are to freeze just the cake and frost right before you need it. But if you really have no time you can frost the cake and freeze it right after.

To freeze- Stick the cake in the freezer right after you ice it, uncovered. Then after 1 hour take it out, wrap it well in plastic wrap and place it back in the freezer.

Make sure it is defrosted before you serve.

How to make this ahead

You can make this cake up to 2 days in advance to keep at room temperature before icing. Or freeze for up to 3 months.

You can also make the cream cheese frosting a couple days in advance but just know that it will harden in the fridge and it needs to soften at room temperature before you can use it to frost. You may have to whip it again in the mixer to fluff it up.

The inside of a 3 layer lemon poppyseed cake.
Store the sliced cake covered with plastic wrap- press the plastic directly over the exposed cuts to preserve freshness, and store in the fridge.

Make into cupcakes

YES YOU CAN! In fact thats how I tested the recipe this time! This recipe makes about 18-24 cupcakes depending on size and they are ready after 17-18 minutes.

You know how they say good things come to those who wait? Well thats what this cake is for me, because, ok Im just gonna say it, this is in my top 3 favorite cake recipes!

A lemon poppy seed cake on a pink plate.
4.84 stars (6 ratings)

Moist Lemon Poppyseed Layer Cake with Yogurt

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 10 people
This lemon poppy seed cake has three layers of fluffy cake, and a lemon-infused cream cheese frosting! Made using whole milk yogurt, the texture is so light that it practically melts in your mouth. Plus, the cake is baked up and ready in less than 1 hour — perfect for an impressive dessert in very little time.
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Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs, large
  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup yogurt, whole milk
  • Zest from 2 lemons
  • ¼ cup lemon juice, about 2 lemons
  • 3 tablespoons poppyseeds

For the cream cheese frosting

  • 8 ounce cream cheese, 1 package
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 4 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1 teaspoon half n half, milk, or cream
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar on medium speed for 1 minute until the mixture is light and fluffy. Slow down the mixer to low speed and add in the eggs separately one at a time, incorporating them into the mixture before adding the next. 
  • Combine the 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt in a medium size bowl. Combine the 1 cup yogurt, zest from 2 lemons, and 1/4 cup lemon juice (2 lemons) in a medium size measuring cup or small bowl. 
  • Add in ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the mixer, mix on low until combined. Next add in ½ the yogurt mixture and mix until combined. Add in another ⅓ rd of the dry mix, then the remaining yogurt mixture, and then the last 1/3rd  of the dry ingredients- mixing in between each addition.
  • Mix on medium speed for 1 minute, then reduce to low speed adding in the 3 tbsp poppy seeds.
  • Spray 3, 8” cake pans with baking spray or line them with parchement paper and evenly distribute the cake batter into each one. 
  • Bake for 30-35 (or up to 40 mins) until the edges of the cake separate from the cake pan, the tops are golden brown, or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool before frosting.

For the cream cheese frosting:

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the 8 oz cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter on medium speed until evenly combined. Add in the lemon zest and 4 cups confectioners sugar and mix on low speed so the mixture doesnt blow up in your face.
  • Add in the 1 tsp milk and 1 tsp lemon juice and mix again until combined and super fluffy.
  • If you want the frosting to be thicker, add in more confectioners sugar starting with ⅓ cup. If you want the frosting to be thinner add in 1 teaspoon at a time either lemon juice or milk, its up to you!

Assemble the cake

  • Flip over one layer of cake onto a plate set onto a cake turn or cake plate. Frost the top of the cake with the frosting, leaving a 1/2 border of cake. Top with the next layer- also flipped over, and repeat. Frost the whole cake with the rest of the frosting and sprinkle with poppy seeds and more lemon zest if you'd like!

Notes

This cake can also be made in 2 cake pans instead of 3. Bake for 10 minutes longer.
The cake can also be made into cupcakes. Bake them for 18 mins each at 350 degrees.
You can substitute the dairy yogurt for a non dairy yogurt.
Serving: 1piece, Calories: 827kcal, Carbohydrates: 115g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 39g, Saturated Fat: 23g, Cholesterol: 151mg, Sodium: 323mg, Potassium: 152mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 89g, Vitamin A: 1251IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 134mg, Iron: 2mg
Course: Dessert
Author: Sam Adler
Cuisine: American
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