Vegan Lemon Loaf with Poppy Seeds
Servings
6 portions
Prep Time:
15 min
Cook time:
20 min
Perfect For:
Dessert
About this Recipe
When I was in the Netherlands, we used to have coffee time in the afternoon, and it was most of the time enjoyed with a piece of cake.
This is not something we do a lot in my country, and it was pretty surprising for me to eat dessert before dinner! But I must admit I liked the idea a lot…
This is a perfect treat to enjoy with tea or coffee, before or after dinner! Let’s say pretty much anytime…
This lemon loaf is light, fluffy, perfectly sweet and balanced with punchy icing.
Vegan Lemon Loaf Cake
- This cake is 100% vegan. No eggs, no milk, no butter. It’s made with a little oil and very simple ingredients. The result is moist, not too sweet, and the glaze is a perfect addition. The poppy seeds add a nice little crunch.
Tips and tricks
- Oil: Use a non-flavored oil such as canola oil or vegetable oil. Coconut oil could also work, as long as your ingredients are at room temperature to prevent the oil from hardening.
- Sugar: I personally don’t like when my desserts are too sweet, but you could add more sugar to this recipe, up to a cup. I love to cut brown or white sugar with maple syrup (must be the Canadian in me), but if you don’t have maple syrup, simply use brown or white sugar.
- To zest the lemon: If you don’t have a zester, you can simply use a grate or chop the peel very finely with a sharp knife, but zesting is optional.
Variations
- The beauty of this recipe is that you can modify it in so many different ways!
- Orange Loaf: Swap the lemon juice and zest for orange juice and zest.
- Blueberry/Raspberry/Cranberry: Swap the lemon juice for 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries/raspberries or basically any berry of your choice in the batter. For the glaze, use orange juice or cranberry juice, for example.
- Chocolate: Throw in 1/2 cup of chocolate chip. Add 1-2 tbsp of plant-based milk to the icing sugar and drizzle melted chocolate on top.
Recipe
Vegan Lemon Loaf with Poppy Seeds
This lemon loaf cake is a delicious treat. It's light and fluffy, sweet, and has delicious zesty icing!
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup neutral oil
- 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 maple syrup
- 1 1/2 lemons
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 cup icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and cover a 8 x 4 inches baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, the baking soda, the salt, and the poppy seeds.
- Squeeze out the juice of one lemon.
- Mix the oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and water in another mixing bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix well, but try not to over-mix.
- Put the batter in the baking dish and bake for 25 to 35 minutes. The cooking time might vary depending on your oven. Check the center of the bread with a wooden stick after around 20 minutes to see if it’s cooked. The batter should not stick to your tooth stick once it's cooked through.
- Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Combine the juice of 1/2 lemon with the icing sugar, until smooth and uniform.
- When the cake is ready, remove it from the oven and let it cool down for about 5 minutes. Pour the glaze generously on top. It will set quickly.
- Sprinkle with extra poppy seeds and lemon zest.
- Enjoy with your favorite tea or a cup of coffee!
Notes
- Egg-free, lactose-free, nut-free, vegan
- Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Store in the fridge for up to a week.
- Can be frozen for up to 4 months.
Watch the result!
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YUM! I love the bursting lemon flavors in this loaf , and love photos!
Oh, thank you so much Radha!
Oh this lemon poppy seed loaf is incredible! Already excited to make it again!
Thanks, Katie! I’m glad you liked it!