Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

Can you believe we’re almost at the end of November?! I am glad it will soon be Summer here in New Zealand though. I miss NYC but I really don’t miss the bitter winters they have there! Last weekend I took a trip to a strawberry farm in Clevedon. Even though it’s not Summer yet, the strawberries were sweet and delicious. I got my mum one of the frozen yogurt cones blended with strawberries, which she really enjoyed. I will definitely be making more trips back there before the season is over. Check out my Instagram feed for photos. 

Recently, I had a friend give me a huge bag of lemons which was awesome because I like to add the juice to my drinks and often use them in cooking. I couldn’t get over how large some of them were! Check the photo below. That’s the great thing about homegrown fruit!  I thought another great way to use the lemons would be for something sweet, so I decided to make this Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf. Healthier than your usual sweet loaves, this one has whole wheat flour and Greek yogurt, and uses olive oil instead of butter. It’s so light and tender, you can’t stop at just one slice. I’ve long been a fan of poppy seeds as my Mum used to make a poppy seed walnut cake when I was growing up. I hope you enjoy this loaf 🙂

*Recipe adapted from The Recipe Critic

Ingredients:

For the loaf:

1 & 1/2 cups whole wheat (wholemeal) flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Finely grated zest of one lemon
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

For the glaze:

1 & 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons milk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Spray a loaf pan, 8.5 in by 4.5 in with cooking spray & set aside.  
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder & salt. Set aside. 
3. In a large bowl, add the sugar & lemon zest. Stir together. Add Greek yogurt, milk, olive oil and vanilla. Stir until combined, then add the eggs one at a time and beat with a mixer until well blended. Stir in the poppy seeds. 
4. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and blend until just incorporated. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. 
5. Make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice and milk. Pour over the top of the loaf.