Lemon Poppyseed Loaf – grain free

This Lemon Poppyseed Loaf is a loaf lovers dream come true!

I wasn’t even aware that I am such a fan of Lemon Poppyseed loaf until I had some poppyseeds left over from another recipe…

Instead of regular flour or a gluten-free flour mix – this loaf turns out wonderfully by using almond and cassava flour.

Almond flour is incredibly nutritious. It’s particularly rich in vitamin E and magnesium, two important nutrients for health. Besides many people reacting sensitive when consuming wheat or gluten, refined flour is also stripped of its fiber, nutrients, and fats. Therefore the carbohydrates in flour are too fast converted into simple sugar molecules and enter our bloodstream to quickly. The result, spikes in blood glucose levels, followed by rapid drops, which can leave you tired, hungry and craving foods high in sugar and calories. Conversely, almond flour is low in carbs yet high in healthy fats and fiber. These properties give it a low glycemic index, meaning it releases sugar slowly into your blood to provide a sustained source of energy.

Cassava flour is slowly starting to get more into our health shops. The plant which produces the cassava root is known as yuca or manioc, a starchy, high-carbohydrate tuber similar to yams, taro, plantains and potato. Cassava is a staple food in Asian countries. You might have heard of Tapioca starch before, which is the starch only vs cassava flour being made of the whole root. So far I have not used it in many meals or baked goods, but I know it works great for pancakes, or to thicken sauces too. It is a perfect alternative if you are looking for a flour, which is free of nuts, grains and gluten.

Lemon Poppyseed Loaf - grain free

Baking

Serves: 5-6 mini loaves

Prep Time: 30 minutes – Cooking Time: 25-30 minutes – Total Time: 1 hour

A very tasty grain-free Lemon Poppyseed Loaf made with almond and cassava flour, which tastes better than the wheat flour version.

Ingredients

• 120g soft butter
• 75g sugar
• 75g honey
• 5 egg yolk
• 1 big lemon, juice and zest
• 75g cassava flour
• 150g almond flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 40g poppyseeds
• 5 egg whites
• 1 tbsp sugar

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 170°C or 340°F. Set the oven to convection to distribute the heat evenly. Rub/spray a baking pan for 6 mini loaves with butter or avocado spray. Sift a thin layer of cassava flour or sprinkle some coconut flakes into the mould in order to prevent the cake from sticking to the sides.

2

Use your kitchen machine or take a big bowl and blend the butter and sugar with a hand mixer until well combined.

3

Add the egg yolks, one at a time, then the honey, lemon zest, and juice. When it is nice and smooth put the mixture to the side.

4

Start beating the egg whites until foamy, add one tablespoon of sugar, and keep mixing until they form peaks. Then set to the side for later.

5

Take the bowl with the egg yolk/butter mix. Add the almond flour, baking powder, poppyseeds, and then sift the cassava flour into mixture. Blend, but don't mix it too much – just enough to combine.

6

Take a rubber spatula, add the egg whites and fold together carefully. Don't overdo it, otherwise the egg whites will go flat and so the loaves.

7

Spoon batter into the prepared baking pan and fill up 2/3 of the moulds. Place on the middle shelf of your preheated oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes until risen and golden brown.

8

Optional, sift some icing sugar on top.

Notes

Take the butter out of the fridge in advance to have a soft butter when you start mixing the batter. You might use honey instead of the sugar (I used organic and less refined sugar). The loaves will rise nicely when the moulds are filled to the top.