Lime and poppy seed loaf / cake...

Poppy seeds are used in Poland very often. Mainly in bakeries - to decorate by sprinkling on the top of fresh rolls, Danish pastries, or as a main ingredient for example in very popular "makowiec" (poppy seed cake, with a filling of paste made of mixed poppy seeds, dates and honey). I like poppy seeds a lot! That little crunch and very distinctive taste, but also poppies are one of my favourite flowers in the garden.

Normally you would probably be familiar with a lemon loaf cake, but I decided to go for limes. They're completely different. Their taste is fresher and lighter for me, that the one of the lemon. So I made a swap - and what a result! 

The cake is light, soft, moist with a zingy lime taste and crunchy poppy seeds in the middle. Perfect fresh taste for summer and I think it's one of my favourite quick cakes to make for an afternoon tea/coffee break, under the summer sun of course ;)

How to make it...

Ingredients:

- 190 g unsalted vegan softened butter
- 190 g plain flour
- 190 g caster sugar
 - 3 flax or chia eggs (3 tablespoon ground flax/chia seeds with 9 tablespoon water, whick together until thick and frothy)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 25 ml oat or soy milk
- 80 g vegan cream cheese (like Violife or you can replace it with plain soy yogurt!)

For the glaze:
- juice of 1/2 lime
- icing sugar

Method:

- Preheat oven to 170 C and grease and flour your 2lb/900g loaf tin. You pretty much need a hand stand mixer for this recipe, otherwise your arm will get really good workout... 

- Cream the butter and sugar together. 

- Add the cream cheese (or yogurt). 

- Add the flax/chia eggs one by one pushing the sides down with a spatula. 

- In a separate bowl measure the flour, baking powder, salt, poppy seeds and lime zest (I didn't measure the amount of zest, just added zest of 2 whole limes). 

- You have to add these dry ingredients in thirds, mixing well each time on a low speed. 

- After the second go add in the milk (at this point I've also added 1 tablespoon of lime juice to intensify the taste/aroma a bit more). 

- Once it's all in, mix it on high for a little bit until it's completely mixed in. 

- Pour it all into your loaf tin and level it out. 

- Bake for 50-60 mins, until your skewer comes out clean through the middle and it's nicely browned on top.
To make the glaze 

- Mix lime juice with enough icing sugar to create a thick consistency liquid. It has to be liquid enough for you to be able to pour over the loaf, but not too runny, as it will have problems to set. 

- Pour over your cooled loaf and leave for few minutes to set.
  

Smacznego!


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