Skip to main content

Lemon Poppy Seed Traybake

Slice of Lemon poppyseed cake on a plate.
Photo by Sam Harris

I think I could write a whole book just on lemon cakes! As good as this cake is, the tangy, crunchy icing you get on top finishes it off perfectly. This bake sits well for a few days—leave it in the fridge before bringing it to room temperature and adding the icing.

This recipe was excerpted from 'Bake It Better' by Matt Adlard. Buy the full book onAmazon.

All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

What you’ll need

Ingredients

Makes 1 cake

For the cake

Unsalted butter, for greasing
275 g eggs (about 6 large eggs)
275 g powdered sugar
6 g lemon zest
1 tsp. pure lemon extract
100 g vegetable oil
215 g heavy cream
60 g ground almonds
10 g poppy seeds
305 g all-purpose flour
7 g baking powder
Pinch of salt

For the sugar syrup

100 g granulated sugar
50 g fresh lemon juice
50 g water

For the icing

250 g powdered sugar, sifted
5 g poppy seeds
Fresh lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)
  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 320°F. Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch pan with butter and line the base and sides with parchment paper, creating a slight overhang so you can lift the cake out once baked.

    Step 2

    做蛋糕,碗站混合器适合ted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon extract. Whisk on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture is pale and thicker in consistency, scraping down the sides as needed.

    Step 3

    Lower the speed to low. Add the oil, then add the cream.

    Step 4

    Add the ground almonds and poppy seeds. Mix until combined.

    Step 5

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift this mixture into the bowl of the stand mixer. Use a spatula to gently fold this into the batter. Keep mixing until the flour has absorbed, but be careful not to overbeat it. There might be a few small lumps, but don’t worry about that. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

    Step 6

    Place the pan in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until it has a golden color and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

    Step 7

    To make the sugar syrup, in a small saucepan on the stovetop over low heat, combine the sugar, lemon juice, and water. Bring to a boil, then remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool as the cake bakes.

    Step 8

    Remove the pan from the oven and immediately pour the sugar syrup all over the cake. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully lift the cake out, remove the parchment paper, and wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

    Step 9

    Remove the cake from the fridge and allow it to reach room temperature.

    Step 10

    To make the icing, in a medium bowl, combine the sugar and poppy seeds. Add the juice from ½ a lemon and whisk this into the icing. Keep whisking in lemon juice until the mixture resembles the consistency of runny honey.

    Step 11

    Use an offset spatula to spread the icing on the cake. Allow the cake to rest at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the icing to form a slight “crust” before serving.

Excerpted fromBake It Betterreprinted by permission of DK, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2023 by Matt Adlard Ltd. Buy the full book fromAmazonorPenguin Random House.
Sign InorSubscribe
to leave a Rating or Review

How would you rate Lemon Poppy Seed Traybake?

Leave a Review

  • I will make this recipe this week. Any recipe developed by Matt Adlard is 100 % tops always! I also have to get the cookbook. Thanks for running the Lemon Poppyseed Traybake. I love a good quarter slab for a crowd.

    • Pilar

    • Philadelphia, PA

    • 8/28/2023

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Sheet-Pan Lemon Poppy Seed Layer Cake
There’s something so playful about a lemon poppy seed cake—the lemon brings a zingy flavor, and the poppy seeds bring that delicate crunch.
Strawberry, Ginger, and Poppy Seed Scones
These pretty pink-and-white scones are dotted with blue or black poppy seeds.
Lemon Curd
Our best lemon curd recipe is low-effort, high-reward, and results in a spread so light you’ll want to eat it with a spoon.
Turmeric-Lime Chicken With Pumpkin Seed Salsa
A spiced lime and yogurt marinade tenderizes and flavors this spatchcocked chicken, served with a salsa made from vegetables and pepitas roasted alongside.
Lemon Meringue Bread
This lemon meringue bread gets better the longer it sits—on days two and three it really shines.
Lemon Oat Bars
These lemon oat bars are a great make ahead dessert, perfect for holidays, gatherings, or just afternoon snacking.
Lemon Cornmeal Scones
Think Italian-style lemon cornmeal cake, served in scone form. These lemon cornmeal scones are great to have in your freezer at all times.
Creamy Preserved Lemon Dressing
Inspired by classic blue cheese dressing, this citrusy version leans on pantry-friendly preserved lemon to bring the salty funk-factor.