Healthier Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake
The popular Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake, with a few tricks to make it a little healthier! Enjoy that classic cake flavor, but with less sugar. My version is made with olive oil, Greek yogurt, and maple syrup.
My Lemon-Poppy Seed Cake, Less Sugar, Same Great Taste!
I love finding ways to lighten up and reinvent popular desserts. After my carrot cake and chocolate muffins, here is my take on the lemon-poppy seed cake, just like the one at your favorite coffee shop!
Why make this recipe?
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No need to cream butter and sugar: you can leave the electric mixer in the cupboard! Thanks to the olive oil and maple syrup, a simple hand whisk is all you need.
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A moist texture that lasts: olive oil provides a silky crumb that doesn’t harden over time, while Greek yogurt keeps the cake incredibly tender. This combination of olive oil, maple syrup, and yogurt ensures the cake stays perfectly moist for days.
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No refined white sugar: this recipe relies on honey (or golden maple syrup) and raw cane sugar. This creates a more complex flavor profile and a slightly more balanced glycemic index than the traditional recipe. I prefer my desserts a little less sweet, but nothing is stopping you from adding a glaze!
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease a metal loaf pan (9×5 inches) and line it with a strip of parchment paper across the width for easy removal.
Infuse the sugar: in a large bowl, rub the cane sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until fragrant. Add the honey (or maple syrup), followed by the olive oil, eggs, yogurt, milk, vanilla, lemon extract, and salt. Whisk until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula. Do not overmix; it’s okay if the batter isn’t perfectly smooth. Fold in the poppy seeds last.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely in the pan before lifting it out using the parchment paper.
Note: If you prefer a sweeter treat, you can dust the cake with powdered sugar or drizzle it with the lemon glaze (whisk one cup of powdered sugar with 1 tbsp of lemon juice together until smooth).
Bon appetit and enjoy!
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