Lemon and poppy are a common combination in cakes, and how can they not be when they are a great combo, both visually and in taste. The cake was created as a result of the desire for lemon in the dessert. It was a close fight with a raw lemon cake, which I am sure I’ll make very soon, so stay tuned for that!

Why gluten free? Because I decided to stop eating gluten for a while, purely an experiment I hope will last on the long term. The curious nature of my spirit does not give me peace and I just want to see the effects on my body, if there are any. I will definitely let you know the results, and until then enjoy this gluten-free delicacy.

Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

Servings: 4 
Preparation time: 75 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1 cup oat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum *
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 1 cup erythritol
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup coconut yogurt
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 5 drops of cold pressed lemon oil (optional, for a more intense taste)
• peel of one lemon

* there are many substitutes for xanthan gum in gluten-free baked goods, and one is ground flax  mixed with water (1 tablespoon ground flax + 2 tablespoons water, in this case).

Preparation:

1. Mix all dry ingredients.
2. In another bowl, mix the wet ones.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, stir (enough for the ingredients to come together) and transfer to an oiled and / or paper-lined loaf mold.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F approx. 55-60 minutes.
5. The cake is ready when the toothpick comes out dry.
6. Allow the mold to cool slightly then carefully remove to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
7. You can pour sugar icing over the cake (cooled). I used erythritol instead of white sugar and did a great job in that role. Keep in mind that icing is quite sweet, and if you are not a fan of overly sweet, you don’t have to pour the whole cake in a thick layer, like me, but you can make lines with the help of a decorating bag.
8. The recipe for icing goes like this: mix 3/4 cup of erythritol powder (grind in a coffee grinder), mix with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of almond milk.