This Poppyseed Cake is absolutely EASY, delicious, serves 12 as dessert or coffeecake, and takes only 5 minutes prep time, using a boxed cake mix!
Want a fabulous tasting cake recipe that only has a few ingredients, takes 5 minutes to throw together, and can be served as dessert OR coffeecake? Well if you do, this Poppyseed Cake is perfect for you!
I found the recipe for this poppyseed cake in my Mom’s trusty recipe box over 35 years ago and wrote it down on a little 3×5 index card. It looked easy to prepare, and turned out fantastic the very first time I made it, so I’ve been making it ever since!
The recipe is totally EASY, EASY, EASY, and tastes amazing, due to the subtle flavor imparted into a simple boxed yellow cake mix by adding a couple additional ingredients like poppyseeds and cooking sherry!
Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Prepare The Cake Batter
The poppyseed cake can be in the oven in about 5 minutes! How’s THAT for easy? Combine cake mix, oil, cooking sherry, eggs and poppyseeds in a large bowl. Mix well for 4-5 minutes. That’s it! The cake batter is ready!
Bake The Poppyseed Cake
Pour the cake batter into a very well-greased bundt pan. Make sure the batter is evenly distributed. Bake the poppyseed cake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. You can test for “done-ness” by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, then it is ready!
When the cake is done, remove the bundt pan from the oven, and transfer the pan to a wire rack to completely cool the cake.
Removing the Poppyseed Cake From the Bundt Pan
Once the cake has cooled completely, run a spatula or butter knife around the edges of the cake, because it helps to loosen the edges. Place a large plate upside down on top of the bundt pan, and holding both bundt pan and plate securely, flip the cake upside down, inverting the cake onto the plate.
If you greased the pan really well, it should come right out onto the plate. Once onto plate, carefully turn the cake over again so it is right side up on a serving platter.
Make The Decorative Icing To Drizzle On the Cake
Decorating the cake with an icing drizzle is completely optional (cake tastes great all by itself), and the icing adds a nice fancy touch, and a little sweetness.
In a small bowl, mix together the icing ingredients until you have an icing that can be decoratively drizzled over the surface of the cake. Let this icing firm up completely, once you’ve drizzled it onto cake.
Time To Serve The Poppyseed Cake!
Slice and serve! If serving poppyseed cake as a dessert, a scoop of ice cream is a perfect accompaniment. When serving it as a breakfast or snack coffeecake, it tastes great with a good cup of coffee or tea! Doesn’t it look yummy?
The flavor is wonderful, and the cake is not dry! Sure hope you will consider making this Poppyseed Cake. It’s also a wonderful addition to any brunch table, too.
Thanks for taking time out of your day to give this recipe a “look”. Really glad I found it in my Mom’s old recipe box so long ago. I don’t have a clue who the original author was, but am thankful for the recipe, because I’ve made it many, many times over the past 35 years!
By the way, if you enjoy cakes that can double as dessert OR coffeecake, be sure to check out my recipe for Hummingbird Cake! Have a wonderful day.
Looking For More CAKE Recipes?
You can find all of my cake recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few favorites include:
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Recipe Source: My Mom (years and years ago)
This Poppyseed Cake is absolutely EASY, delicious, serves 12 as dessert or coffeecake, and takes only 5 minutes prep time, using a boxed cake mix!
- 1 box yellow cake mix (get the kind that says "with pudding")
- 3/4 cup cooking sherry
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1/3 cup poppyseeds
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- a few sprinkles water at a time (until icing becomes a "drizzling" consistency)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a bundt pan very well. Set aside.
- In large bowl, mix cake ingredients for 5 minutes (boxed yellow cake mix, cooking sherry, oil, eggs and poppyseeds). Pour batter evenly into greased/floured cake pan. Bake cake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove pan to wire rack to cool.
- While cake is cooling, mix up icing ingredients in small bowl. Add sprinkles of water until icing is thick enough to drizzle over top of finished cake. (Too thick... add couple drops water. Too thin... add more powdered sugar).
- Once cake has completely cooled, invert a plate over top of bundt pan, and holding both plate and bundt pan securely, flip the cake over. Once cake is on plate, carefully turn it over once more on serving platter so the right side is facing up. Decoratively drizzle the icing over top of cake. Let icing firm up, then serve and enjoy this tasty cake for dessert (with a scoop of ice cream) or as a coffeecake for breakfast!
The baking time indicated is designed for a bundt pan. If using a standard sized cake pan, your cooking time will need to be adjusted slightly.
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!