Dress up the brunch table with this decadent lemon poppy seed loaf cake with homemade lavender glaze.
- Serve it for breakfast, brunch, or dessert — this lemon poppy seed loaf cake with lavender glaze is bound to be a hit.
- Mascarpone makes this lemon poppy seed recipe different than most and more moist than ever, so don’t skip it.
- Pair this lemon loaf with a light roast coffee boasting of a light, tea-like body.
- Grab my FREE desserts eBook at the bottom of the post for more delicious coffee pairing recipes just like this!
With spring in full swing, we’re making the most of the season’s flavors: lemons and lavender. There’s something so refreshing about lemons both in color and in flavor. Lavender, though much more subtle, is equally delicious in its floral and earthy tasting notes. Combining the two in this lemon poppy seed loaf cake with lavender glaze brings about a delicate balance of tart and sweet flavors you have to treat yourself to.
Read on for further tips on how to ensure the moistest lemon poppy seed loaf cake and the most delicious homemade lavender glaze (made with fresh lavender)!
Make the lavender simple syrup first or the day before you plan on baking this lemon poppy seed loaf cake.
The lavender glaze is a unique part of this lemon poppy seed loaf cake recipe. The subtle & sweet flavors of the lavender are brought forward most delicately when combined with the tartness of the lemon.
To make use of seasonal herbs, this lavender glaze is actually made with homemade lavender simple syrup. It’s important to start with the syrup before anything else because it takes the longest. It will need to steep for about an hour to soak in the lavender flavors.
All you will need for the lavender simple syrup is sugar, water, and fresh lavender (stems and flowers). You can get this bonus lavender simple syrup recipe at the bottom of the page on a convenient printable recipe card. The rest of the instructions can be found on the PDF card. Grab yours today by signing up below.
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Place the mascarpone on the counter to bring it to room temperature.
Mascarpone makes this lemon poppy seed loaf cake nice and moist, making it an important element in this recipe. For best results, be sure to take out the mascarpone just before you’re going to start this recipe to bring it to room temperature. Should only take about 15 minutes on the countertop.
Mascarpone can be found at most grocery stores in the dairy section, likely near the cheeses. Sour cream, buttermilk, or even greek yogurt can be used as substitutes if you can’t find it. But do your best to find it, as it does make a difference in moisture.
Use your fingers to thoroughly combine the sugar and lemon zest.
One of the first steps of this recipe requires you to combine the granulated sugar and the lemon zest. It’s best to just use your fingers for this step to really get in there and combine the ingredients properly to get that wet sand-like texture.
Once it feels like wet sand, you can go ahead and add the butter to start creaming it together.
Cream. Then, cream again. And yes, cream once more.
The fun part — creaming. For this stage, you will be combining the softened butter and the sugar and zest mixture. You’re welcome to use an electric mixer (in fact, it’s ideal!) or you can use manpower (or woman-power!). I used a manual whisk and just kept a close eye on the color of the mixture. I wanted to see it turn from a dark yellow to a light yellow, and the texture should be more fluffy and light. If you’re using an electric mixer, this step will take about 3 minutes on a medium speed.
You’re not done yet though. Next, you will add the eggs one at a time, ensuring that each egg is beaten well into the mixture. This takes a lot of arm power if doing it by hand, but I find it more satisfying at the same time.
Pair this lemon loaf with a light roast coffee boasting of floral notes and a tea-like body.
To bring the lavender flavors forward from this lemon poppy seed loaf, look for a light roast coffee with floral tasting notes and a delicate, tea-like body. This will help to highlight those subtle, earthy flavors of the lavender that are hiding behind the lemon.
My specific pick is SK Coffee’s Guatemala, Lake Atitlán. This coffee was so bright and so bursting with flavor that it’s definitely worth trying. SK Coffee is a fairly new brand based in Minnesota – check them out and support a small and ethical coffee business!
If you want more coffee and food pairing suggestions like this, grab my free desserts eBook at the very bottom of this post. Each recipe includes a suggested coffee companion to help you pair each dessert perfectly at home. Grab your eBook today.
Make a lavender latte or even a lavender cocktail with the extra simple syrup you have from the below recipe.
If you follow the recipe provided at the bottom of this page for the lavender simple syrup, you will have some extra. But it’s actually a great simple syrup to have on hand for other recipes this summer.
You can make lavender lemonade, lavender-flavored cocktails, and even a lavender latte (which I’m likely to post soon, so stay tuned!).
Serve it for Mother’s Day brunch — it’s sure to dress up the table immediately with some lovely pastels.
Be it Mother’s Day, brunch, or just another Sunday breakfast, this lemon poppy seed loaf cake with lavender glaze is sure to dress up any tabletop. The bright colors of the lemon come right through, giving this loaf a vibrant yellow color. The lavender glaze also adds an element of beauty in its pearl-like beauty.
And if that’s not enough, take it up a notch by garnishing the final lemon poppy seed loaf cake with additional sliced lemons and fresh lavender flowers and leaves. The juxtaposition of the green lavender stems and purple flowers against the yellow will have you and your guests stunned. The thing is so pretty you won’t even want to eat it!
Share your photos with us on Instagram or on Pinterest!
After you’ve made with your beautiful lemon poppy seed loaf cake with lavender glaze, post a pic and tag me on Instagram @bakedbrewedbeautiful or use the hashtag #bakedbrewedbeautiful, so I can see your designs!
I love to talk baking, so if you had any issues with your lemon loaf, feel free to send me a message or reply with a comment below!
Moist Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake with Lavender Glaze Recipe
Lighten things up for dessert with this decadent lemon poppy seed loaf cake with a delicate lavender glaze.
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Be sure to grab the FREE bonus homemade lavender simple syrup recipe along with a recipe checklist for this lemon poppy seed loaf cake! Find it above in the full recipe post.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper so that it covers the bottom and long sides with about an inch of parchment paper extending beyond the pan.
In a medium bowl, combine the lemon zest and white sugar by rubbing the ingredients together with your fingers until it looks like wet sand. Add the softened butter to the same bowl and cream it with the zest/sugar mixture until it's fluffy and a light yellow color. An electric mixture is ideal for this step, and it should take about 3 minutes to cream properly. Add the eggs one at a time to the same bowl, and beat well after each addition. Add the lemon juice and vanilla, and mix together.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the mascarpone. Finally, add the poppy seeds to the batter and mix well.
Pour the batter into prepared pan, and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in pan until warm to the touch. Run a knife along the short ends of the pan, and use the parchment paper edges to lift and remove the loaf from pan. Allow to cool on a cooling rack. Prepare the glaze while the loaf is on the cooling rack.
Whisk together the syrup, powdered sugar, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add more lavender syrup if desired. Place a tray or plate under the cooling rack to catch any drips and proceed to spoon the glaze over top of loaf, allowing it to drip down the sides a bit. Garnish with lavender and sliced lemons.
Ingredients
Directions
Be sure to grab the FREE bonus homemade lavender simple syrup recipe along with a recipe checklist for this lemon poppy seed loaf cake! Find it above in the full recipe post.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper so that it covers the bottom and long sides with about an inch of parchment paper extending beyond the pan.
In a medium bowl, combine the lemon zest and white sugar by rubbing the ingredients together with your fingers until it looks like wet sand. Add the softened butter to the same bowl and cream it with the zest/sugar mixture until it's fluffy and a light yellow color. An electric mixture is ideal for this step, and it should take about 3 minutes to cream properly. Add the eggs one at a time to the same bowl, and beat well after each addition. Add the lemon juice and vanilla, and mix together.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the mascarpone. Finally, add the poppy seeds to the batter and mix well.
Pour the batter into prepared pan, and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in pan until warm to the touch. Run a knife along the short ends of the pan, and use the parchment paper edges to lift and remove the loaf from pan. Allow to cool on a cooling rack. Prepare the glaze while the loaf is on the cooling rack.
Whisk together the syrup, powdered sugar, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add more lavender syrup if desired. Place a tray or plate under the cooling rack to catch any drips and proceed to spoon the glaze over top of loaf, allowing it to drip down the sides a bit. Garnish with lavender and sliced lemons.
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It looks so good!