Easy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Cake Mix

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These easy lemon poppy seed muffins with cake mix are super moist, quick to make, and packed with lemon flavor! These muffins are the perfect sweet treat, snack, or breakfast! Need some more quick muffin recipes? Try our 3 Ingredient pumpkin muffins with cake mix!

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Why you'll love this recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Kitchen Equipment
Step-by-Step Instructions
Storage and Leftovers
Alternative Ingredients
Frequently Asked Questions
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Related Recipes
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Why you'll love this recipe

EASY: Using cake mix for the dry ingredients makes this lemon muffin recipe super easy!
VERSITLE: These poppy seed lemon muffins are perfect for snacking, serving for weekend brunch or a quick grab-and-go weekday breakfast.
QUICK: These lemon poppy seed muffins come together quickly with just 3 simple steps!

Recipe Ingredients

Lemon Cake Mix
Lemon Pudding Mix
Eggs
Vegetable Oil
Poppy Seeds
Water

See the recipe card below for the ingredient measurements.

Kitchen Equipment

MIXING BOWL: This is a one-bowl muffin recipe, so you will only need one bowl to make the muffin batter.
ELECTRIC HAND MIXER: This is used to mix the lemon muffin batter.
MUFFIN TRAY: You will need a standard-size muffin tray with 12 muffin cups for baking the muffins.
MEASURING SPOONS AND CUPS: For measuring the ingredients.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a large muffin pan with liners (or spray with cooking spray).
Mix: Add the lemon cake and pudding mix to a bowl and whisk until combined. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, and poppy seeds and mix with an electric hand mixer. Then add the hot water and mix on low until smooth.
Bake: Pour the batter into the lined muffin cups, filling each ¾ full. Bake the muffins on the middle rack for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the muffins rest in the tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Lemon poppy seed muffins and freshly sliced lemons scattered on a cooling rack.

Storage and Leftovers

The muffins can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 5 days. They can also be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Alternative Ingredients

Lemon Juice: To make these muffins extra lemony, consider adding a couple of tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
Vanilla Pudding Mix: Another popular option is to use vanilla pudding mix instead of lemon pudding mix.
Cranberries: Cranberries and Lemon are a delicious duo! Try adding some dried or fresh cranberries to your muffin batter!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you keep muffins from going flat?

After baking, let the muffins rest for a few minutes in the pan to prevent them from going flat, deflating, or falling apart.

Why do my muffins stick to the liners?

You need to wait for the muffins to completely cool before unwrapping them. If the muffins are still hot, they will fall apart as you peel away the liner.

Can you freeze muffins?

You can freeze muffins in an airtight container or plastic freezer bag for up to 3 months.

How many muffins does this recipe make?

This muffin recipe makes 12 standard-size muffins.

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