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Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake

© Amy's Healthy Baking
Yields: 1 loaf, 12 slices
This citrusy cake is so easy to make but tastes incredibly sophisticated! It’s full of bright lemon flavor with the perfect earthy touch from the poppy seeds. Store any leftover cake lightly covered in plastic wrap or tin foil for up to 3 days.
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Ingredients 

FOR THE CAKE

  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour (measured like this)
  • 2 tbsp (18g) poppy seeds
  • 1 ½ tbsp (10g) lemon zest (about 3 small or 1 extra large)
  • ¾ tsp baking powder
  • ¾ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp (15mL) canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp (15mL) vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup (128g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp (30mL) fresh lemon juice (about 1-2 small)
  • 6 tbsp (90mL) nonfat milk

FOR THE GLAZE

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat a 9x5” pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  • To prepare the cake, whisk together the flour and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, egg, and vanilla. Mix in the sugar, yogurt, and lemon juice until thoroughly incorporated. Alternate between adding in the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour. (For best results, add ⅓ of the flour, then ½ of the milk, etc.)
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, cover the pan with a tent of tin foil after the first 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  • To prepare the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk in a small bowl. Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake.

Notes

FLOUR ALTERNATIVE: Whole wheat pastry flour may be used in place of the all-purpose flour.
 
POPPY SEEDS NOTE: I typically add lots of poppy seeds to my citrusy baked goods. They also add a subtle earthiness to balance out the bright lemon, but if you aren’t a fan, feel free to decrease the amount of (or completely omit) the poppy seeds.
 
MILK ALTERNATIVES: Almost any type of milk will work in place of the nonfat milk.
 
VANILLA GLAZE OPTION: For a vanilla glaze, use the same amount of powdered sugar, and stir in ½ teaspoon of clear vanilla extract plus ¾ teaspoon of nonfat milk.
 
TO MAKE CUPCAKES: One reader reported that it's possible to bake these as cupcakes too! Divide the batter between 10 muffin cups lightly coated with cooking spray, and bake at 350°F for about 11-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the muffin cups for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.