Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

I really love to bake and when we’re just on the cusp of spring and it’s been sunny and warm for 4 days straight the only thing I want to make is Lemon Poppy Seed Bread. Like the Coco Banana Bread, I’ve tried a lot of recipes, mostly as an omnivore, and they’ve always been too dry or too heavy. So when the mood hit me this week, I reached for my current culinary crush, the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook and the results were luscious lemony goodness.

Somehow this bread is incredibly light, super fresh and not-too-sweet making it perfect for those who love to indulge but are trying to avoid the bulge. When I fed it to clients earlier this week, the word “delicious” was employed and yummy noises were audible but when I told them it was vegan, they didn’t believe me. They had to know how I could make something so light and fluffy without  dairy products and the answer is contained in the recipe below. You know you’ve got a winner when you have a groups of guys talking about baking in the middle of a meeting. I hope you enjoy this as much as the boys did.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, makes 1 large loaf or 2 small
Active time: 20 minutes / Baking time: 45 – 50 minutes for one large loaf and 30 – 35 for 2 small

For the Bread:

1  3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup raw granulated sugar + 2 tbsp raw granulated sugar, divided
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp xanthum gum
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 serving of tofu dessert
1 cup vanilla soy milk
1/4 cup Earth Balance Butter, melted
1 tbsp lemon juice, fresh + 4 tbsp lemon juice, fresh, divided
2 tsp lemon rind

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350℉. Prepare loaf pan(s) by spraying with neutral oil, set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the tofu dessert, soy milk, lemon juice and melted Earth Balance and puree with an immersion blender or whisk until smooth and some volume has been achieved, approx. 3-5 minutes (with blender, longer with whisk). Chill for 20 minutes.
3. While tofu lemon mixture is setting, combine all dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.
4. Once tofu lemon mixture has set, pour entire mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. The add lemon rind and lightly combine again.Do not overwork the batter, you’re bread will be tough and the volume achieved will be lost and the bread will end up dense and mealy, not light and moist.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and bake for 45-55 minutes or until the top has cracked, is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out moist but clean.
6. While bread is baking, make glaze by combining 4 tbsp of lemon juice and 2 tbsp of raw granulated sugar and whisk until sugar has mostly dissolved
7. Cool loaf in pan for 10 minutes then invert out and onto a cooling rack and using a pastry brush, baste the all sides of the bread until all of the glaze has been absorbed. Return to rack with top-side up for 40-50 minutes or until completely cool.

Bread will keep in an air-tight container for 1-2 days. Not a long shelf life but it really won’t need one!

NOTE: Dusting the top of the bread with icing sugar will make you bread yummier and pretty but do so only at the last moment as the moisture of the glaze will absorb the sugar quickly and you’ll loose the effect.