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State Fair Winning Poppy Seed Cake

I know it doesn’t look like much, but looks are often deceiving. 

I have been craving a little snack cake.  You know, one of those desserts you curl up with in the afternoon over a cup of coffee and a good read. 

I went searching in my files for something to satisfy my craving for a quick, easy dessert.  I came upon this recipe I clipped out of the Los Angeles Times possibly ten years ago.  I thought it was about time I made it.

This Poppy Seed Cake was a two-top prize winning recipe at the Iowa State Fair (not sure what year) and it’s delicious.  Just perfect. 

The cake is moist, airy and totally enjoyable to eat.  It doesn’t even need frosting, just sprinkle with powdered sugar and it’s ready to devour.

While this is the perfect little snack cake, I can guarantee company wouldn’t mind if you served it for dessert.

The recipe specifically mentioned to use cake flour only as the use of all-purpose flour results in a heavy, gummy texture.  Don’t forget.

In a medium sized bowl sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add poppy seeds and set aside.

Beat butter with an electric mixer for about one minute.  Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and airy; about 2 more minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add 1 egg at a time to butter-sugar mixture, beating well after each until batter is smooth.  Add lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well.

Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk (i.e. start with dry and end with dry) scraping down sides with rubber spatula after each addition.  Do not over mix or you will have a tough cake.

Grease bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch cake pan (use butter and flour, shortening and flour or baking spray).  Pour batter into prepared cake pan and use a spatula to spread batter evenly in pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 27-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

It’s perfect for Fall afternoons.

Poppy Seed Cake
Adapted from the Los Angeles Times

2-2/3 cups cake flour (do not substitute)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1-1/2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
1-2/3 cups sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
Zest of one lemon
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk (I did not use lowfat & I let it warm up a bit with the eggs and butter before using)

In a medium sized bowl sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add poppy seeds and set aside.

Beat butter with an electric mixer for about one minute.  Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and airy; about 2 more minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add 1 egg at a time to butter-sugar mixture, beating well after each until batter is smooth.  Add lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well.

Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk (i.e. start with dry and end with dry) scraping down sides with rubber spatula after each addition.  Do not over mix or you will have a tough cake.

Grease bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch cake pan (use butter and flour, shortening and flour or baking spray).  Pour batter into prepared cake pan and use a spatula to spread batter evenly in pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 27-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

One Year Ago:  High Priced Moo-ver

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Comments

  1. Almost time for tea here, & I can feel a craving creeping up on me. I love cakes that don’t need to be frosted. Yes, this does look like the perfect snack cake. B’milk within must add to its lightness. Oh YUM, this is just my kinda cake Cathy!!

    Reply

  3. This looks delicious and love the powdered sugar finish. I don’t like frosting and will actually take it off a piece of cake before I eat it. This sounds right up my alley. Nice pictures! love the dark background. Lea Ann

    Reply

  5. This recipe is most certainly getting bookmarked!
    I have just rediscovered a poppyseed cake recipe my mom used to make. It is made with a can of (Solo) poppy seed filling and sour cream – it was delicious!
    Question: Is it OK for toddlers to eat baked goods with seeds?

    Reply

  8. I want to make this so badly but alas, the twins have made me promise not to make ANYTHING with poppy seeds before they leave for Basic as they have two more random drug tests before they leave.

    But the minute they’re out the door…the cake goes in the oven! Good thing I just bought a case of dental floss!

    Um yeah, we go through dental floss around here like no ones business!

    Reply

  24. I had a roommate back in college who used to make a killer poppy seed bread that was just drenched in butter and glaze. It was good, but I like that this is more simple–BIGGER and not quite so “bad”. Mmmm!

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  27. Hey, you should enter this in the OREGON state fair next year! LOVE the Oregon State Fair. Wouldn’t it be fun to be a judge at the fair? Pressure for sure, but fun, too! I suspect I would love this cake. I really like how this is topped with powdered sugar. YUM!

    Reply

  28. Boy, I tell you, if a recipe is a State Fair winner, then it is most definitely a good recipe! Having been involved in helping at, participating at, and judging at fairs for more than 2 decades, any recipe that is a winner at a State Fair has been judged more critically and strictly than any opinions and comments a Food Network show judge could ever dish out.So this has to be every bit as good as you say it is! Looks like another recipe I have to print up and try out!

    Reply

  29. Lemon and poppy seed is such a classic combination. I think there was a great Silver Palate recipe similar to this one, but I can’t quite remember. Nice to have a “little” cake like this in your repertoire.

    Reply

  42. I want to make this so badly but alas, the twins have made me promise not to make ANYTHING with poppy seeds before they leave for Basic as they have two more random drug tests before they leave.

    But the minute they’re out the door…the cake goes in the oven! Good thing I just bought a case of dental floss!

    Reply

  45. The food and green groceries sold in farmersĂ¢â‚¬â„¢ markets may also fall into this category, including the food exhibited and sold in gathering fairs, such as agricultural show and state fair. Most street food is finger. Food and green groceries are available on the street for a fraction of the cost of a restaurant meal and a supermarket.

    Reply

  47. Although the lemon cake was highly reviewed here, I found it a bit strong. The strawberry cake was AMAZING, and more to my liking. It had a fluffy texture that contrasted nicely with the crust, and great flavor as well. I tried the award winning chili which was better than some vegetarian chilis that I have had. However it did seem a bit rich, and I wouldn’t want to eat a lot of it at once. Except for the onions, the portobello sandwich was delicious, and I was surprised that the bread was actually…bread, and certainly fresher tasting than some sprouted breads that I’ve gotten from the store.

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  48. I made this cake, followed the recipe exactly except that instead of 1 and 1/2 Tbs of poppy seeds I used just 1 because I don’t like it when the cake gets too crunchy. I made this for a family weekend gathering and just a few hours later more than half of the cake was gone. My cousins loved it, said it reminded them of a cake they got from a bakery back in the 80’s, they don’t make them like that no more! people were slicing and packing it up for the next morning! The taste is simple but really delicious.

    Reply

  49. I wanted so badly to make a lemon poppyseed cake. Picked this recipe. I have been baking more years than I care to mention. As I was alternating buttermilk and flour mixture I realized it was getting way too thick. I left out at least a 1/3 cup of flour and added a couple teaspoons of lemon juice to thin it out some. It baked perfectly. However, it took an hour to bake at 350 degrees. Haven’t tried it yet but the batter tasted awesome and the finished product looks great.

    Reply

  51. This lemon poppy seed cake is delightful. My family loves it and so does anyone who tastes it. Thank you so much for such a terrific recipe. One of my go to favorites especially with a light cream cheese lemon zest frosting đŸ™‚

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  52. I stumbled here looking for a poppyseed cake recipe. I even wrote a story on my own blog about a certain poppyseed cake that I’m obsessed with but the person who makes it every year will not release the recipe. I think I’ll make yours. Of course I now have to head back out for buttermilk. You totally had me in your short bio at: HI! I’M CATHY. I love mayonnaise butter and Jewish men. Twinning! Do you think I can use this recipe but make it in two pans for a layer cake? I really do want frosting with it. And, since it’s Valentines Day — I’ll share it with my Jewish husband. Sometimes I hoard food.

    Reply

    • Have you checked your oven temperature lately? It could be yours is not heating to 350 degrees therefore it’s taking longer to bake. If your oven is gas and not electric, it’s also possible the temperature is fluctuating.

      Reply

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