Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

This Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake is moist and fluffy, sweet and tangy and a little nutty from the poppy seeds! It's also covered in a rich,lemony frosting. 

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 60 g (1/4 cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
• 180 ml (3/4 cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
• 8 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest (use unwaxed lemons)
• 12 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt
• 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) ground almonds (almond meal) *
• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
• 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

For the frosting:

• 100 g (2/3 cup) raw cashew nuts soaked in cold water overnight or in hot water for 15 minutes
• 6 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice

To decorate (optional):

• Lemon zest
• Poppy seeds

Instructions

For the cake:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil)
• Once melted, add the milk to the same bowl along with the lemon juice, lemon zest, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, poppy seeds and ground almonds
• Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda
• Mix well, adding a tiny splash more milk if it’s looking too dry
• Transfer mixture into a loaf tin lined with greased baking paper (I used a one-pound loaf tin)
• Bake in oven for 45 minutes until risen and golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean
• Once out the oven, transfer the cake from the baking tin onto a wired rack to leave it to cool completely before applying the frosting

For the frosting:

• Drain the soaked cashews and add to a food processor or blender with the maple syrup and lemon juice
• Whizz until completely smooth, adding some plant-based milk or water to thin out if necessary

To frost and decorate the cake:

• Use a knife (or palette knife) to spread frosting over the top of the loaf
• Decorate with lemon zest and poppy seeds, if desired
• This cake tasted best eaten on the day it was made, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days

Notes

*You can alternatively use almond flour

Tips for baking with lemons

• For optimum lemon flavour, I would recommend using fresh lemons (not ones that you've had sitting in your fruit bowl for weeks!) and organic ones if possible.
• You have to be careful when baking with lemon juice as the acidity and lemon flavour can really vary depending on the lemons you use.
• I would recommend tasting the lemon juice you're using and adjusting the amount of lemon juice you use accordingly.
• For the lemon zest, make sure you use unwaxed lemons.

https://www.rhiansrecipes.com/gluten-free-vegan-lemon-poppy-seed-cake/