This Almond Poppy Seed Cake is quick and easy for any night of the week. Lemon juice, lemon zest, and almond meal complement the classic poppy seed flavor.

May 4, 2021 Updated May 15, 2021 Jump to Recipe
This Almond Poppy Seed Cake is quick and easy for any night of the week. Lemon juice, lemon zest, and almond meal complement the classic poppy seed flavor.
Maybe it’s just me.
But sometimes, by the end of the day, I need CAKE.
(Have we talked about this before?)
The problem is, by the end of the day, who feels like making cake?
Maybe like one, contrary person with super-human energy.
But most of us probably don’t.
And if you’re like me, no store-bought cake—and very few bakeries—cut it when the need for cake strikes.
That’s where this recipe comes in.
I developed this Poppy Seed Cake on one of those nights described above. Baking was just about the last thing I felt like doing, but I really needed cake. So I made this recipe incredibly easy, simple, and free of mess.
If you absolutely can’t stand juicing or grating a lemon, then perhaps you disagree with me. 😄
But I’m telling you, when the end cake tastes this good, preparing the lemon is nothing. And totally worth it.
The classic poppy seed taste is beautifully complemented by the lemon juice, lemon zest, and almond meal in my recipe.
And although I’m definitely an icing person, the icing here is optional—this cake can stand alone.
This cake comes together so quickly, you really can make it any night of the week.
It’s like a weeknight meal—quick, easy, very little effort, and absolutely delicious.
But it’s cake.
So next time you simply must have cake, make my Weeknight Almond Poppy Seed Cake.
Almond extract will really bring out the almond meal, and enhance the poppy seed flavor in my recipe. It’s an optional ingredient, but if you have almond extract on hand, use it! And if you’re up for getting some for next time, you can find my favorite almond extract here on Amazon [aff. link].
This Post Has 4 Comments
Oh, I totally hear ya! By late in the afternoon, I am totally shot – the last thing I want to do is make a cake. But I always WANT cake! This is the perfect solution, and I love the almond meal + poppy seed flavors going on here. This sounds like such a delicious treat for a Spring evening!
Thanks David! Haha so glad you relate!
I really love everything about this, from the gorgeous, delicate color and texture, to the vintage dish you baked it in, to the fact that you can whip it together on the fly. And yes, who doesn’t need a piece of cake at the end of a day?
Thanks Jeff! Haha it’s so true, nothing like a slice of cake at the end of the day. 😋