Author: I love loaf.
Drizzled with lemon icing - pretend it's part of a complete breakfast because it goes so damn well with coffee - Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf, I love you.
This is a glorious morning treat. If you want to feel like your house has been magically turned into that really cute little coffee shop down the street, this is the recipe you need to make. (Indie music not included). I love this soft, buttery, fluffy, lemony, poppy seedy loaf. It makes a mornings go from cold cereal boring, to a special spring way to start the day.
This breakfast cake is tasty all on its own, but drizzling the lemon icing, just kicks it up seven notches. I mean look at that drizzle! I dare you to whip out this bad boy and not wow someone, even if it is yourself, who is still in pjs way too late in the day. Not that I would have any experience with that. ~Looks to ceiling and whistling a tune~
My recipe isn't quite as yellow as some of the lemon loaves you see out there, but that's because I didn't use any food colouring, and I opted to use whole wheat flour to get a little nutrition squished in there. Personally, I think it looks gorgeous and I tell it that all the time. I don't judge by the colour of your loaf.
So here we go, mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. You can opt for less poppy seeds if you like, but I LOVE the flavour of poppy seeds, so I wasn't shy.
Mix the wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Don't forget to zest your lemons before juicing them, because then you may run into some serious zesting issues.
Mix wet into dry until just combined. No need to beat this to death, and kill all those lovely rising bubbles.
Pour into a lightly greased loaf pan. A metal one will work fine too, and bake.
Let your loaf cool completely before icing. Then just drizzle the icing all over, in any zig-zagy way you like. It always seems to look pretty no matter how messy you are. Let the icing set, stand back, cross your arms, nod, and be impressed at your gorgeous baked treat.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Lemon Poppy Loaf
Servings: loaf (about 12 slices)
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Ingredients
Dry ingredients:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups plant-based milk, (such as soy or almond)
- ½ cup light oil, (such as canola or vegetable)
- ⅓ cup lemon juice, (2-3 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the lemon icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F (190 C). Lightly grease an 8" x 4" loaf pan.
- In a large bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently mix together. Don't over mix, lumps are totally fine.
- Pout the batter into at the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 - 55 mins, rotating once midway through. The loaf is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely before icing. When cool, mix the lemon icing ingredients together in a bowl. Set the loaf on a cooling rack over a baking sheet to catch all the excess icing. Drizzle the icing over the loaf. Let the icing set for about 30 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕Featured Ingredient: Poppy Seeds. 76 Days, 45 Recipes to go!
Bon Appetegan
Sam.
Amanda says
This was absolutely delicious! I’ve made this as England is under lockdown, so I’ve got plenty of time to bake! My husband even went back for a second slice! Thanks for the fab recipe! 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! SO happy you loved it, Amanda 🙂
Jenny T. says
Omg this lemon poppy seed loaf was just what I needed yesterday! Something slightly sweet without chocolate and a bit savory too. I had all the ingredients on hand; came out of the oven perfectly at 45 minutes. Love that you don’t need to use the stand mixer. I used 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds only bc they get stuck in my teeth so much. Love love love this recipe!
MJ says
HI! I've made tons of your recipes and have all come out perfect. I am anxious to try this, however, only have one lemon in the pantry and like most, am minimizing exposure at present. Any thoughts on possibly how to sub with lemon extract, extra lemon juice, or anything? Thank you!
Stephanie says
Hi, is the whole-wheat flour bread flour? I can only find whole-wheat great flour near me but was unsure if that is the right kind.
stefany says
hi! i had this same problem too and i used 1 tbs of orange zest and some orange juice as well. came out extremely tasty!
Bella says
I've made other versions of vegan lemon poppy seed loafs and they're good but this is AMAZING. I made it last night and just realized that I might have 1/4 left, all thanks to me! The loaf is not too sweet and so fluffy and delicious. Make this immediately and you should probably double the recipe! Oh, I used oat milk and it turned out perfectly
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!! Thrilled you love it, Bella 🙂
Stella says
I had such high hopes for this recipe, so naturally, I doubled it! (Why go to all the effort for one loaf, am I right?) Well, I was utterly disappointed when the pans came out of the oven and fell totally flat, leaving a gummy layer at the bottom of each loaf. Okay, I could blame the falling cake on overmixing or expired baking powder or whatever, so I tried it again. BOY AM I GLAD I DID! This loaf is absolutely lovely, and I can hardly keep my husband (a non-vegan) from eating it all up. The real culprit for the first flop? I was using cornstarch instead of baking powder - that’s what I get for baking while distracted by two little ones underfoot. Thanks for sharing such a gem!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha awesome! Glad it turned out 🙂
Annie's Tiny Kitchen says
AMAZING - I was looking for a recipe that I could send in the mail to someone who really needs some cheering up. Made a test batch for myself and it is SO GOOD, even without the icing. I can't believe how easy you made this recipe! I have my own blog, and am always so inspired by simple, beautiful recipes like this. Thank you so much for sharing, you are so talented.
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much, Annie! Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe so much and I hope your friend feels better 🙂
Hannah says
UM YUM, I’m worried this cake won’t last the day!
I subbed the flour, half spelt, half white. Used rice bran oil as the oil and used raw sugar because that’s all I had in the pantry. It came out amazing. Fluffy but moist and full of flavour. So easy to make.
And of course I didn’t wait for it to cool completely for the icing because I’m only human. It’s a sticky delicious mess.
I’ll definitely be using this recipe again!
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome! So happy you loved it so much, Hannah 🙂
Bajan Mum says
Thanks for your recent Instagram post about this lovely loaf. As soon as I saw its luscious lemony crumb I just had to make it and it's delicious. Thanks again for sharing a lovely recipe.
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thrilled you loved it so much!! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Lisa says
Great recipe. Was great out of the freezer too! I love doing baking in the spring and freezing it so I have yummy homemade loaves in the summer when it's too hot to turn the oven on 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Great idea, Lisa! So happy you enjoyed it!
Hayley says
After all that I forgot to rate it hah!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, zo thrilled you loved it, Hayley! And thanks for the rating 🙂
Hayley says
I had a lemon loaf recipe I used to make all the time before going vegan. I usually would have just veganized it by using flax eggs but I didn’t want the dark colour of flax showing up in this loaf, so I tried your recipe (left out the poppy seeds). It was fantastic. I was impatient and didn’t let it cool too long before taking out and glazing but only one piece kind of fell apart the rest of them were perfect. Thank you!
Taylor says
This turned out PERFECT! I was looking for a simple vegan lemon poppyseed cake/cupcake recipe that didn't call for a ton of ingredients and wasn't gluten free. Came across yours and it turned out amazing. I made them into cupcakes and topped them with a vegan lemon cream cheese glaze. Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Oooh sounds delish!! So happy you enjoyed it, Taylor 🙂
JJ says
How long did you bake the cupcakes for?
Taylor says
I think I started at 18 min and tested. I can’t remember if I had to go a little longer but usually cupcakes take 18-22 min for me in my oven.
Samantha says
This recipe was to do for! Flavor and texture was spot on
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you loved it, Samantha. Great name by the way 😉
Anna says
I'm planning to make this. What size loaf pan did you use? Thanks.
Sam Turnbull says
My loaf pan is 8″ x 4″ but a 9″ x 5″ would also work, it would just be a bit shorter of a loaf. Enjoy!
Breanna says
This is excellent, exactly what I was hoping for! I would just suggest that no one try to use turmeric to make it more yellow. I added less than a quarter of a pinch and the taste is too much for the delicate lemon flavor.
Sam Turnbull says
Glad you enjoyed!
Az says
Hey, can I make muffins instead of cake?
How long should I bake it in the oven than?
Sam Turnbull says
Sure! I'm not sure the specific baking time as I haven't tried it myself. They will take less time to bake, so keep an eye on them and test with a toothpick for doneness.
Beatriz Herrmann says
This cake was out of this world. I used Avocado oil and i figured half a cup for a whole cake is not bad. I have a recipe from Green Planet and it is too oily. Your cake is amazing, as good as the Pumpkin cake recipe I made from your collection for my husband's B-Day. It is easier and takes no time....thank you so much another addition to my collection of Vegan desserts, compassionate and delicious.
Sam Turnbull says
THank you so much, Beatriz!! Thrilled you love it so much 🙂
Hazel says
Made this for the first time today,came out great, delicious and moist,with a lovely icing. Even my son loved it, and he doesn't eat cake often, he had seconds. Thanks Sam.
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome!! So happy you and your son loved it so much, Hazel 🙂
Hala says
Recipe sounds amazing!
Could these be frozen and kept post bake?
Sam Turnbull says
Yes it should freeze well. Enjoy!
Lauren Vaught says
Hi Sam,
I'm a lemon freak, so i had to make this recipe. I did so today, and since I'm WFPB, no oil, I subbed the oil for aquafaba. It baked up great, the flavors are delicious. I can't wait to drizzle the icing on it as a bonus! Thank you for the fab recipes and fun posts
Sam Turnbull says
Glad you enjoyed!
Beatriz Herrmann says
THE CAKE WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING..and yes I used Avocado oil, Oil is good for you in moderation I am so sorry but I have a long comment.....I've been a Vegan for almost 17 years before all these fad and I do not know who invented the stupid idea of grouping Vegan food into people who eat only process food , mock meats and cheeses. That is completely inaccurate and bogus. "Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpos". so is someone finds easier to eat once in a while store bought plant based cheeses or meats such as Beyond meat etc..it is OK AS LONG AS you do not eat animals and balance your diet with lots and lots of fruits, veggies and grains. The purist notion that one is healthier than the other one focuses on probably those who are used to the typical american diet full of gross burgers and processed store bought food and then they turn to plant based but under the same notion. THOSE PEOPLE DO REPRESENT all vegans and the notion of Veganism, I cook EVERYDAY and I can say that I mix it up, sometimes yes I buy plant based cheeses and other times I make my own ,like mozzarella or ricotta with almonds etc... I am size 4 and my last blood work along with my husband's were perfect...it so stupid to start with acronyms such as WFPB to group vegans that do not know how to balance their food with those who are vegans and are more knowledgeable about nutrition...it takes away all the good that involves to become a Vegan..
Lauren Vaught says
Wow, just wow Beatriz! Thanks for letting me know that your cake was amazing, and glad you enjoyed it, too. Sam, keep up the great work you're doing on IDTLC!
Irene McDonald says
I totally second your WOW Lauren.
Beatriz, Just say your cake was amazing and stop preaching to the converted! We all know what a Vegan is and we all know what WFPB means, so leave a short comment about how your cake was and drop it. I look at the comments for further tips and to find out if people liked the recipe, that it!