Healthier Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Loaf
This Healthier Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Loaf is SO good. It’s healthier than usual cakes of this variety because it has no butter, minimal oil, less white flour, and reduced sugar. Can’t forget that the zucchini adds extra nutritional benefits! Zucchini is packed with many important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Zucchini also has a high fiber content and a low calorie count. This kind of loaf is usually covered with a lemon glaze but I think this loaf is absolutely delicious without it, and therefore healthier without extra sugar. The zucchini gives this quick bread so much moisture and lovely texture! It’s divine. I love subbing out some white flour in this kind of recipe and using almond flour instead because it adds the perfect crumble! And it also adds extra nutritional benefits.
When I bake a treat with lemons, I make sure it reaally tastes like lemon! So don’t be shy and add the fresh lemon zest and the lemon juice! Make sure you use an organic lemon for zesting though so you don’t get lots of nasty pesticides and chemicals in your loaf. To bring out the lemon flavour even more, you can rub the lemon zest with your fingers together with some of the sugar. This really enhances the lemon flavour. This treat is delicious as is, but if you love a good lemon glaze you can go right ahead and glaze this baby! I even have another Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf with a lemon glaze if you’d like to check that recipe out! The lemon glaze adds another layer of lemony goodness. I hope you like this recipe as much as I do! I love receiving feedback so let me know what you think if you bake this Healthier Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Loaf! 🙂
Healthier Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Loaf
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- 1 2/3 cup white flour
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ cup granulated sugar ⅔ cup works great for reduced sugar
- 1 ½ tbsp lemon zest use an organic lemon
- ⅓ cup softened coconut oil
- 1 cup loosely filled grated zucchini about one smallish zucchini (loosely filled cup), lightly squeeze out some excess water
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce*
- ¼ cup coconut cream** or yogurt
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a loaf pan, or line a loaf pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Whisk the chia seeds in a small mixing bowl with the applesauce, coconut cream, vanilla, and lemon juice. Set aside to let the chia seeds soften up.
- Combine the almond flour, white flour, baking powder and soda, poppy seeds and the salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- Grate the zucchini and lighly squeeze out a bit of excess liquid if there's lots.
- Measure the sugar into a bowl, and rub lemon zest between your fingers with some of the sugar. Add the zest to the sugar. Soften the coconut oil in the microwave and whisk in with the sugar and zest. Add the chia mixture to the sugar mixture and mix until combined.
- Fold in the zucchini. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined being careful not to overmix. Transfer the loaf batter to the loaf pan and smooth out evenly into the pan.
- Bake the loaf in the oven for around 50 minutes, depending on your oven. When the loaf is done baking a knife should come out clean except for maybe a couple moist crumbs.
- When the loaf is done baking, remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Remove the loaf from the pan after a few minutes. Don't leave it in the pan too long or the loaf can get soggy. Once the loaf has completely cooled, enjoy!!
Notes
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