By: Susan Joy

This Lemon Poppy Seed cake has a moist, light, melt-in-your-mouth texture and has a lovely fresh taste. It’s laced with fresh lemon juice and zest, and coconut yoghurt. No one will notice I’ve also used a vegetable (zucchini) to add moisture and extra nutrients to my healthy gluten-free and egg-free cake. I’ve covered the cake with a delicious lemon coconut icing that contains no refined sugars. The cake keeps well for days and can be served directly from the fridge or at room temperature.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups almond meal/flour, (from blanched almonds)
  • 2/3 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot flour, or tapioca
  • 1 tsp baking soda (bicarb)
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 250g peeled zucchini, (chop the zucchini flesh into cubes)
  • 1/2 cup vanilla coconut yoghurt
  • 1/3 cup honey (unprocessed)
  • 2 Tbsp fine lemon zest
  • 3 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (organic)
  • 2 Tbsp poppy seeds
  • LEMON COCONUT ICING:
  • 1/2 cup coconut cream, (a thick brand, I use Ayam)
  • 1/4 cup solid coconut oil
  • 2 Tbsp ghee, (if you don’t tolerate, replace with coconut oil)
  • 2 Tbsp honey (unprocessed)
  • 1 tsp fine lemon zest
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 – 2 tsp arrowroot flour
  • Pinch fine sea salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 165c (fan-forced). Line the base of a 20cm (8in) springform cake tin with baking paper. Place your sheet of baking paper over the base and clip the sides closed, leaving a little hanging out for easy removal. Grease the sides and the paper with coconut or olive oil.

Add the almond meal, coconut flour, arrowroot, baking soda, salt and chopped zucchini flesh to a food processor. Process for approximately 15 – 20 seconds or until the zucchini has combined with the dry ingredients and the mixture has become moist.

Add the vanilla coconut yoghurt, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and vanilla to the food processor. Blend everything together for 15 seconds stopping once to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl. Remove the blade and stir through the poppy seeds making sure to distribute the seeds evenly through the cake mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and spread out evenly, then smooth the surface with a spatula or your hands and press down lightly.

Bake for approximately 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. The cake will have started to come away from the sides, and the top will be golden brown. It’s a very moist cake but you may need a few minutes longer if your coconut yoghurt has a thin consistency (I tested the cake with a couple of different yoghurt brands).

Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes, then use a knife to run around the inside of the tin to loosen the cake. Gently remove the springform sides of the tin and allow the cake to finish cooling on the base. Once completely cooled, carefully remove the baking paper, using your hands to support the bottom of the cake while taking off the paper and transferring it to your serving plate.

LEMON COCONUT ICING: Meanwhile, as the cake finishes cooling, prepare the icing. Add all the icing ingredients to a small saucepan (you need the oils to be solid not melted so they emulsify together while whisking). Whisk continually while heating over med-low heat. The icing will start to thicken as it’s near boiling point. Promptly remove it from the heat before it bubbles. Set aside to slightly cool. The cake needs to be completely cooled but the icing needs to be spreadable so don’t refrigerate it before spreading it over the cake. Spread the icing evenly over the cake and sides then sprinkle with a little extra lemon zest. Place in the fridge to firm up the icing. I added a rosemary sprig to decorate my cake.

Once the cake is covered in the icing it can be stored on your serving plate in the fridge a day ahead of your event. This cake freezes well, slice before freezing works best. It keeps for up to 7 days in a sealed container in the fridge.


Article supplied with thanks to The JOYful Table.

About the Author: Susan is an author of The JOYful Table cookbook containing gluten & grain free, and Paleo inspired recipes for good health and wellbeing.

Feature image: Supplied