If $X\sim \text{Pois}(\lambda)$, then $P(X = k) = \lambda^ke^{-\lambda}/k!$, for $k\geq 0$. It is hard to compute
$$E[X^n] = \sum_{k\geq 0} k^n P(X = k)\text{,}$$
but is is much easier to compute $E[X^{\underline{n}}]$, where $X^{\underline{n}} = X(X - 1)\cdots (X - n + 1)$:
$$E[X^\underline{n}]=\lambda^n\text{.}$$
You can prove this by yourself - it is an easy exercise. Also, I will let you prove by yourself the following: If $X_1,\cdots, X_N$ are i.i.d as $\text{Pois}(\lambda)$, then $U = \sum_i X_i\sim \text{Pois}(N\lambda)$, hence
$$E[U^{\underline{n}}] = (N\lambda)^n = N^n \lambda^n\quad\text{and}\quad E[U^\underline{n}/N^n] = \lambda^n\text{.}$$
Let $Z_n = U^{\underline{n}}/N^n$. It follows that
- $Z_n$'s are functions of your measurements $X_1$, $\dots$, $X_N$
- $E[Z_n] = \lambda^n$,
Since $e^\lambda = \sum_{n\geq 0}\lambda^n /n!$, we can deduce that
$$E\left[\sum_{n\geq 0}\frac{Z_n}{n!}\right] =\sum_{n\geq 0} \frac{\lambda^n}{n!} = e^\lambda\text{,}$$
hence, your unbiased estimator is $W = \sum_{n\geq 0} Z_n/n!$, i.e, $E[W] = e^\lambda$. However, to compute $W$, one must evaluate a sum that seems to be infinite, but note that $U\in \mathbb{N}_0$, hence $U^\underline{n} = 0$ for $n>U$. It follows that $Z_n = 0$ for $n>U$, hence the sum is finite.
We can see that by using this method, you can find the unbiased estimator for any function of $\lambda$ that can be expressed as $f(\lambda) = \sum_{n\geq 0}a_n\lambda^n$.