I’m so happy it’s spring! Finally, I can stop wearing a heavy winter coat and 16 layers of clothing. Of course, Mike is over there just wearing a T-shirt and jeans. I have no idea why but, the older I get, the colder I get. It’s not even like it’s that cold where we live. Anyway, the weather has been gorgeous; sunshine for days and we’ve been taking advantage and going on long walks.
I love going on walks because they usually end with snacks: either at a brewery, cafe, bakery, or perhaps my fave, the ice cream store. I’m not one of those people who eats ice cream in the winter, unless it’s a really good flavor and I’m inside, cozy and under a blanket. But now, with the sun shining, give me all the ice cream!
The other day, we walked past one of my favorite ice cream stores, so we peeked inside to see what the seasonal flavors were. Along with the usuals like blueberry oatmeal and matcha, they had lemon poppyseed! I got a scoop of course, kid size in a waffle cone. The taste of tart lemon and fresh sweet cream in the sun was gloriously springy.
I love all things lemon poppyseed flavor. Growing up, lemon poppyseed muffins were always the muffins that were left behind in the family packs my mom bought from the grocery store. I always felt like I lucked out and didn’t understand why no one else in my family didn’t like them. I think they said it was something to do with poppyseeds getting stuck in her teeth? More for me!
Given my love for lemon poppyseed, this week’s small batch recipe is a little lemon poppyseed loaf. This loaf is essentially the same as the French yogurt lemon loaf with poppyseeds mixed in. It’s slightly sweet, sturdy with a nice crumb, and has the most amazing lemony favor. The poppyseeds add a delightful amount of crunch. It’s the perfect size for having one tiny slice every day of the week. I love small batch baking so much.
Happy Sunday! Hope there’s cake in your imminent future.
xoxo steph
PS – Apparently Mike is getting really annoyed at my dictation because all I do is talk into my phone all the time. “Yeah, it’s true,“ he says. But, I’m really trying to make sure that my RS I didn’t get worse because I heard that it can take months – MONTHS – to go away completely. I might be being a little paranoid about it but I figure, better safe than sorry. ?
Small Batch Yogurt Lemon Poppyseed Loaf
makes one mini loaf
- 3/4 cups (90 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- 6 tablespoons whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil and flour pan a mini loaf pan (6×3 inches or a pan that fits 2 cups liquid) or line with parchment paper.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, use your finger to rub the lemon zest into the sugar until it is fragrant and moist. Whisk the lemon zest sugar together with the yogurt, oil, egg, and vanilla.
Fold the dry ingredients in, just to blend.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, remove from the pan and let cool completely on the wire rack. Enjoy!
The bread was very yummy! The yogurt gives it a nice texture. Flavor is good, not too sweet (which is what I prefer) but really good!! I am making two other recipes of yours today for dinner….the English cut roast and the instant pot mashed potatoes. Really excited to see how those turn out!!
Hi – any recommended subs for Greek yogurt? Can I just use regular? I am not a big fan of Greek. Thanks!
regular will work fine!
Is there an alternative to sugar in this recipe?
Thanks
hi mei,
i haven’t tried with anything other than sugar!
I was wondering where you got your loaf pan? I love how the sides are straight instead of curving outwards.
hi mary,
i love it too! it’s from japan :) i haven’t seen many loaf pans here that don’t have the sloped sides.
Hi! Can you share some pan suggestions similar to what you use? I’m having trouble finding mini pans with the sharp edges :)
hi emily
you definitely don’t need to use a pan with sharp edges, a regular mini loaf pan with the rounded edges will work too! here’s a link for ones with sharp edges, if you’re set on that!
Hi! This looks delicious! :) Do you think it’s possible to use this recipe for muffins?
hi marije,
yes it will work for muffins too! :)
I love this cake and sometimes when I’m feeling fancy I make a glaze with a tbsp or 2 of Greek yogurt, powdered sugar, and a splash of lemon juice to pour over it once it’s cooled.
Can you substitute almond flour for all-purpose?
hi, you can but the loaf will come out less light and fluffy and a bit more dense. i have a almond flour loaf recipe here: https://www.vchale.com/flourless-meyer-lemon-almond-loaf-cake-recipe/