Lemon Poppyseed Pound Cake
Reunited and it feels so good!
I know it doesn’t seem like a big deal, but I haven’t had the time or energy to test out new recipes for the past few weeks. When I was faced with the reality of taking time off to focus on rest and recovery, I decided to make a list of the things I love that I still can do. Don’t get me wrong, I had to have multiple breakdowns and pity parties before I could get into that mindset, but since then it’s made such a positive impact. It’s helped me realize that I can pick back up on my daily practices and routines, ones that I’ve been neglecting for the past few months because I “haven’t had time”.
And number one on my list, cooking and baking. I realized that I can take advantage of this time to get back in the kitchen, as long as it’s actually what I want to do and not just to feel “productive” . Cooking and baking were technically what first brought me into the health and wellness world years ago, when I learned that so many of the foods I love no longer felt the same about me. To this day it’s one of my favorite hobbies, which is why I’m still so passionate about coming up with new recipes and trying them out to see if they actually land. And this one certainly landed, so I have no choice but to share.
Another perk of having more time is being able to dive deeper and learn more about the science of the recipes I want to try. Yes, I’m nerdy as hell for saying that, but it’s true. Since I hadn’t made a pound cake before, I first did some research to figure out what exactly makes them different from any old cake. Where does the pound part come in? I’m glad you asked. The name is from the origins of this recipe, where one pound of each ingredient was used. However, that is not quite the case for this version, but we can pretend. Pound cakes are also much denser than your typical cake, but can easily become too dense if the batter is worked too hard, so it’s a tricky balance to find. And lastly, the order and measurements of ingredients matters - I’m not really sure why, but what the Food Network says goes.
Back to the star of the show, this lemon poppyseed pound cake is so delicious. It’s perfect for this time of year, especially as a delicious complement to your morning tea or coffee. It’s dense, but not too dense where it comes out dry. It has a slight almond taste, because in my opinion every lemon recipe is better with almond extract. But I’ll let you try and see for yourself…
What are you waiting for? Make it today!
RECIPE
Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups gluten free 1:1 flour (sub any all purpose flour)
2 tbsp arrowroot powder (sub corn starch)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup monkfruit, coconut, or any granulated sugar
1/3 cup melted vegan butter
2/3 cup plain vegan sour cream (sub a thicker coconut yogurt)
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp almond extract
Lemon zest
Poppyseeds
Lemon glaze: Whisk vegan powdered monkfruit sugar (sub any powdered sugar) with 1 tbsp plant based milk and lemon juice until thin
Directions:
Combine flour, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar in a large bowl. Pour in melted butter and continue to mix.
In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining wet ingredients. Slowly pour into bowl with dry ingredients and mix gently until combined.
Spread batter in a loaf pan and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. If it’s not done yet, tent with foil and cook for another 10 minutes. Let cool completely before topping with glaze.