Almond Flour Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

Name: Almond Flour Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2½ cups (250 g) fine blanched almond flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; sifted if lumpy; 2 tbsp (18 g) poppy seeds; 1 tsp (4 g) baking powder; ½ tsp (2½ g) baking soda; ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt; 4 large (200 g) large eggs, at room temperature; ⅓ cup (113 g) honey, at room temperature so it pours easily; 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes, plus a little extra for greasing the pan; 2 tbsp (12 g) lemon zest, finely grated from 2 large lemons; 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained; 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar, sifted (optional); 1½ tbsp (22 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tender, moist, honey-sweetened loaf made with almond flour instead of wheat flour. Bright lemon zest and juice, crunchy poppy seeds, and an optional lemon glaze make it perfect for breakfast or tea.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 1 hr 15 min
Total: 2 hr 35 min
Makes: 1 loaf (10 slices)

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Ingredients

10 servings

For the loaf
2½ cups (250 g) fine blanched almond flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; sifted if lumpy
2 tbsp (18 g) poppy seeds
1 tsp (4 g) baking powder
½ tsp (2.5 g) baking soda
½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt
4 large (200 g) large eggs, at room temperature
⅓ cup (113 g) honey, at room temperature so it pours easily
4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes, plus a little extra for greasing the pan
2 tbsp (12 g) lemon zest, finely grated from 2 large lemons
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
For the lemon glaze (optional)
½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar, sifted (optional)
1½ tbsp (22 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained (optional)

Equipment (8)

9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan
Parchment paper
Large mixing bowl and medium mixing bowl
Whisk and rubber spatula
Microplane or fine grater
Wire cooling rack
Aluminum foil
Skewer or instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Take the eggs out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead so they mix smoothly into the batter.
Use finely ground blanched almond flour, not coarse almond meal, for a tender crumb.
You need 2 large lemons: zest them first, then juice them (about 4½ tablespoons of juice in total).
Plan on about 1 hour of cooling before slicing. This loaf is fragile when warm.

1
Preheat and line panOven 350°F / 175°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
- Lightly grease a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan with a little butter from the 4 tablespoons (reserve the rest for the batter).
- Line the bottom and the two long sides with a strip of parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang to use as handles.
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Ready when: Pan is lined with parchment that overhangs both long sides.
Tip: Almond flour loaves stick easily, so don't skip the parchment.
2
Zest and juice lemons
- Finely grate the zest from 2 large lemons to get 2 tablespoons, avoiding the bitter white pith.
- Then halve the lemons and squeeze them.
- Strain out the seeds and measure 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of juice for the batter; set aside 1½ tablespoons (22 ml) more for the glaze, if using.
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Ready when: You have 2 tbsp zest and about 4½ tbsp juice.
Tip: Zest before juicing; a squeezed lemon is nearly impossible to zest.
3
Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 30 seconds, pressing out any lumps with the back of the whisk.
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Ready when: The mixture looks uniform with no clumps of baking soda.
4
Whisk wet ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and honey vigorously for about 1 minute until pale yellow and slightly frothy.
- Whisk in the melted butter, lemon zest, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, and vanilla until fully combined.
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Ready when: The mixture is smooth and uniform, with no streaks of honey or butter.
Tip: Let the butter cool for 5 minutes first, or it can scramble the eggs.
5
Combine batter
- Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined and no dry pockets remain.
- Sprinkle in the poppy seeds and fold 5 or 6 times to distribute.
- The batter will be thick but pourable, like a loose muffin batter.
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Ready when: Batter is evenly speckled with seeds and has no dry flour pockets.
Tip: Stop mixing once combined; there is no gluten to worry about, but overmixing can make the loaf dense and oily.
6
Fill the pan
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly into the corners.
- Tap the pan firmly on the counter twice to release large air bubbles, and smooth the top with the spatula.
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Ready when: The batter is level and fills the pan about three-quarters full.
7
Bake uncoveredOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) on the center rack for 30 minutes, until the top is set and light golden.
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Ready when: The top is light golden and domed, and the center is starting to set.
Tip: Don't open the oven in the first 25 minutes, or the loaf may sink.
8
Tent and finish bakingOven 350°F / 175°C
- Loosely cover the loaf with a sheet of aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
- Continue baking at 350°F (175°C) for 18 to 22 minutes more.
- The loaf is done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs, or when the center reads 205°F (96°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
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Ready when: Skewer comes out clean; top springs back lightly when pressed; edges pull slightly from the pan.
Tip: Almond flour browns fast because of the honey, so tent as soon as the top is deep golden.
9
Cool in pan
- Set the pan on a wire rack and let the loaf cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
- It will firm up and be less likely to break.
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Ready when: The loaf is warm, not hot, and feels firm at the edges.
Tip: Don't try to remove it sooner; the crumb is very tender when hot.
10
Cool completely
- Use the parchment overhang to lift the loaf out of the pan and set it on the wire rack.
- Let it cool completely, about 40 minutes, before glazing or slicing.
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Ready when: The bottom of the loaf feels completely cool to the touch.
11
Glaze and serve
- Whisk the powdered sugar with 1½ tablespoons lemon juice until smooth and thick but pourable, adding more juice a few drops at a time if it is too stiff.
- Drizzle over the cooled loaf and let the glaze set for 15 minutes.
- Slice with a serrated knife into 10 slices using a gentle sawing motion.
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Ready when: The glaze is opaque and no longer tacky when touched lightly.
Tip: Glazing a warm loaf makes the glaze soak in and disappear.

Good to know

Tips

Measure almond flour by weight (250 g) if you can; packing it into the cup can make the loaf heavy and greasy.
Rub the lemon zest into the honey with your fingertips for a minute before mixing for stronger lemon flavor.
Use a serrated knife and slice with a gentle sawing motion; the crumb is delicate. Chilling the loaf for 30 minutes makes cleaner slices.
If your oven runs hot, check the loaf at 40 minutes total; honey makes the crust brown quickly.

Make ahead

"Bake the loaf up to 2 days ahead, cool completely, and wrap tightly at room temperature. Add the glaze on the day you serve it."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 days in an airtight container (glazed or unglazed). Refrigerator: up to 7 days, wrapped well; bring slices to room temperature or warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes. Freezer: up to 3 months, sliced and wrapped individually, unglazed; thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes or toast from frozen."

Substitutions

honey → pure maple syrup. Use the same amount; the flavor will be slightly more caramel-like and the loaf may be a touch less moist.
unsalted butter → melted coconut oil or light olive oil. Use the same amount; coconut oil should be melted and cooled slightly.
poppy seeds → chia seeds. Use the same amount for a similar texture; the flavor will be milder and the speckles gray rather than blue-black.
powdered sugar → powdered erythritol or other powdered sugar substitute. Use the same amount; the glaze may be slightly thinner.