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Cold and gray January days deserve a bright pop of sunshine in cake form and that’s what we’ve got today, friends. This Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf is easy peezy lemon squeezy and a vibrant little burst of happiness we all need. You know the way the scent of citrus fills the air when you zest a lemon? That’s one of my favorite things. Nice and fresh. Citrusy, sunny, sweet. 💛

I was at the dentist yesterday morning and they always have the radio on in all the rooms so you can listen to grocery store music while you get your teeth cleaned. The radio man was talking about Blue Monday, and I’d somehow never heard that term before. The third Monday of January is called Blue Monday and is considered the most depressing day of the year. Apparently, it takes three weeks for people to realize they spent too much money over the holidays, they’ve already bombed their New Years resolutions, and, at this point, the seasonal depression is real. Truly a joy to hear at 8am while the dental hygienist scraped my teeth and I powered through my anxiety enough to ask about having my wisdom teeth out.

But. But! I knew I was going to make this lemon poppy seed cake when I got home. I’d tested a pound cake version the day before. I wasn’t really into the dense texture and was looking for something lighter and softer.

It came out just the way I envisioned it the second time. A taller, zesty loaf flecked with plenty of poppy seeds and a flavorful glaze to go on top. One bowl for the cake, one bowl for the glaze. This Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf is flavored with fresh lemon zest and juice, as well as a little splash of lemon extract. Same for the glaze. I wanted to dunk each slice in this glaze! But I didn’t. You can, though, if you want.

Blue Monday? I don’t know her. 😏

More Lemon Recipes:

Rosemary Meyer Lemon Cake
Small Batch Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Pound Cake

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Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 20

Servings: 1 loaf

Ingredients

Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ tbsp poppy seeds
3 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp lemon zest
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon extract
¾ cup buttermilk

Lemon Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp lemon extract

Instructions

To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 8.5 x 4.5” loaf pan with baking spray and line with parchment, leaving an overhang so the cake can be easily lifted from the pan once baked and cooled.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds. Add eggs, oil, lemon zest, juice, extract, and buttermilk. Mix well until all dry ingredients are incorporated.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until center has set and a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze:

Whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled pound cake and allow glaze to set. Cut cake into slices to serve.
Store covered at room temperature.