I’ve tried a lot of lemon poppyseed cakes over the years, and most of them fell into one of two camps: too sweet, or too dry. Ina’s version sidesteps both, and it does it the way she always does—by paying attention to the little things.
You soak the poppy seeds in buttermilk ahead of time, you use real lemon juice and zest, and you finish with both a lemon syrup and a glaze. It’s structured, bright, and beautifully balanced.
Here’s how I made it Ina-level.
What Surprised Me
The two-step lemon finish—syrup and glaze—makes all the difference. The syrup soaks into the warm cake, locking in moisture, while the glaze adds a delicate tangy finish. It’s not showy, but it works.
And soaking the poppy seeds in buttermilk before baking? That’s a quiet stroke of genius. It softens them just enough and disperses their nutty flavor evenly through the batter.
My Ingredient Notes
- Buttermilk (1 cup) – Gives the cake tenderness and tang. Room temperature is key to a smooth batter.
- Poppy seeds (⅓ cup) – Soaked in the buttermilk for 2 hours for even flavor and texture.
- Lemon zest (⅓ cup) – Use a microplane and only zest the bright yellow skin. The white pith is bitter.
- Lemon juice (¾ cup total) – Fresh-squeezed. You’ll divide it between the batter, the syrup, and the glaze.
- Unsalted butter (2 sticks) – Softened, for creaming. This gives the cake lift and richness.
- Cornstarch (¼ cup) – Lightens the crumb, almost like cake flour.
- Flour (2¾ cups) – All-purpose works fine here. No need to swap.
- Sugar (2½ cups total) – It sounds like a lot, but it’s balanced by the lemon and used in three stages.
- Glaze: Powdered sugar + lemon juice. It should be pourable but not runny.
Safe Substitutions
- No buttermilk? Mix whole milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Pan swap: You can use a loaf pan or cake round instead of a Bundt—just adjust bake time and test with a skewer.
- Orange twist: Sub in orange zest and juice for a mellow citrus version.
What I’d Do Differently
| What Went Wrong | Why It Happens | How to Fix It |
|---|---|---|
| Cake stuck in pan | Pan not greased well enough | Use baking spray with flour (like Baker’s Joy) |
| Glaze slid off | Cake was still too warm | Let it cool completely before glazing |
| Dense texture | Overmixed batter or cold butter | Cream well, then mix dry in gently |
| Bitter taste | Used too much zest or included pith | Only use outer yellow part of lemon |
How to Make Ina Garten’s Lemon Poppyseed Cake
- Soak the seeds: Stir poppy seeds into buttermilk and let sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
- Prep oven and pan: Preheat to 350°F. Spray Bundt pan thoroughly with baking spray.
- Cream butter + sugar: Beat softened butter with 2 cups of sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs + flavor: Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and lemon zest.
- Combine dry ingredients: Sift together flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Mix batter: Alternate adding dry mixture and poppyseed buttermilk into the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
- Bake: Spoon into prepared pan and bake 40–50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
- Make lemon syrup: Heat remaining ½ cup sugar with ½ cup lemon juice until sugar dissolves.
- Soak cake: Cool cake in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. Spoon warm syrup over cake. Let cool 30 minutes.
- Make glaze: Whisk confectioners’ sugar with 1½ tbsp lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.
Tips I Always Use
- I place a baking sheet under the cooling rack to catch any syrup or glaze runoff.
- I zest the lemons before juicing—it’s nearly impossible the other way around.
- If the glaze is too thick, add lemon juice ½ teaspoon at a time. Too thin? Add more sugar.
Storing & Serving
- Room temp: Wrapped tightly, it stays fresh for 3 days.
- Freezer: Wrap slices in parchment and foil. Freeze up to 3 months.
Quick Questions, Real Answers
Q: Can I make this in advance?
A: Yes. I often bake the night before, then glaze the next day for best texture.
Q: Can I skip the syrup?
A: You can—but the syrup adds moisture and keeps it from drying out. I wouldn’t skip it.
Q: How do I get a clean Bundt release?
A: Use baking spray with flour, let the cake cool 10 minutes, then gently loosen edges before inverting.
Try More Recipes:
Ina Garten Lemon Poppyseed Cake
Description
A bright, tender cake soaked in lemon syrup and drizzled with lemon glaze, dotted with poppy seeds for crunch and color.
Ingredients
For the cake:
For the glaze:
Instructions
- Stir poppy seeds into buttermilk. Let sit 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray Bundt pan well.
- Cream butter and 2 cups sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix in vanilla and lemon zest.
- In another bowl, sift flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, baking soda.
- Combine buttermilk with ¼ cup lemon juice.
- Add dry and wet mixtures to butter in thirds, starting and ending with flour.
- Pour into pan. Bake 40–50 minutes until tester comes out clean.
- Combine remaining sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Heat until dissolved.
- Cool cake 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack over tray. Spoon warm syrup over cake. Let cool 30 min.
- Mix glaze and drizzle over cooled cake.