This lemon loaf has all the “feels” of a lemon loaf from your favorite coffee shop. Save your money and make your own with pantry staples. Its texture is rich and “buttery” from extra-virgin olive oil, and it has a double hit of the fresh zing of lemon that I love in the cake and the icing.
Ingredients
- 1 flax egg or 1 egg replacer, such as Bob’s Red Mills
FOR THE LEMON LOAF:
- neutral oil, such as avocado or grapeseed, for the pan
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour or 1:1 gluten-free baking flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup plain almond milk, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
- 1⁄2 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3 large lemons)
- 1 cup organic cane sugar 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
FOR THE LEMON ICING:
- 1 large lemon
- 1 cup organic powdered sugar or 3⁄4 cup organic cane sugar, powdered (see note)
Before beginning the recipe, prepare the flax egg or egg replacer.
MAKE THE LEMON LOAF: Preheat the oven to 350oF. Lightly grease a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan with oil and line it with parchment paper with paper overhanging the 2 long sides.
In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk to combine the almond milk and vinegar. Set aside until the almond milk curdles, about 10 minutes. Add the prepared flax egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice and gently whisk until well combined. Add the sugar and olive oil and whisk to combine.
Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and gently whisk until no dry spots remain. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan with a silicone spatula.
Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the loaf from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool in the pan for 30 minutes.
MAKE THE LEMON ICING: Grate the zest from the lemon until you have 1 tablespoon and set aside. Juice the lemon and measure out 3 tablespoons. In a small bowl, com- bine the powdered sugar and lemon juice and gently stir until smooth and creamy.
Pour the icing over the cooled lemon loaf and spread to cover completely. Scatter the reserved lemon zest across the top.
NOTE: Blend the cane sugar in a blender until it has the fineness of powdered sugar.
Excerpted from EAT WHAT ELEPHANTS EAT: Vegan Recipes for a Strong Body and a Gentle Spirit. Copyright @ 2024 by Dominick Thompson. Photography Copyright © 2024 by Caitlin Bensel. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.
