I made these mini lemon poppy seed loaves on a whim while in a light tea cake kind of mood. I didn't want a big production. Muffins seemed too big and bready {and a little unrefined for tea ;) }, and I wanted to make a tiny dessert so I don't have to worry about all the leftovers staring me in the face every time I open the fridge {because truth be told, there's never a dessert shortage at this house, and sometimes it's hard to keep up! ;) }. Enter these little gluten-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free little loaves that are oil-free as well. Bingo! {<< that's my refined side speaking ;)}.
These tiny loaves make an amazing snack. You can slice them into the tiniest little slices and it almost feels like you're having a cookie in cake form. Top that with some whipped lemon lavender butter and you've got yourself one amazing treat.
They make a wonderful snack on the go too. And most importantly -- they are super cute ♥ {<< that is the most important consideration when preparing food, right? ;) }
The butter part is obviously not fat-free. I'm not a magician ;). Feel free to skip if you want to keep this on the lighter side. But it really does complement these little loaves. I've always been a fan of lemon and poppy seed, and also of lemon and lavender together, and the three flavors here really complement and highlight one another. So leaving it up to you -- I enjoy these with and without the butter -- it's a different experience whichever way you go :)
If you're an anti non-dairy butter person, a good alternative is to make lemon lavender coconut whipped cream -- equally delicious. {see directions} Either way -- you're in for a treat!
PrintMini Lemon Poppy Seed Loaves with Whipped Lemon Lavender Butter
A light, gluten-free poppy seed tea cake complimented by luscious lemon lavender vegan butter. Oil-free and refined sugar-free.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 mini loaves
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Wet:
- 6 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
- 6 tbsp maple syrup {or agave, etc.}
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp pure lemon extract
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Dry:
- ¾ cup brown rice flour
- 5 tbsp tapioca starch
- 5 tbsp sweet sticky rice flour {also known as glutinous rice flour/mochi/mochiko}
- ¼ tsp guar gum
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
Optional topping:
- A hint of non-dairy powdered milk for dusting {I used organic coconut milk powder}
Whipped Lemon Lavender Butter:
- ¼ cup non-dairy butter {or cream layer from one can of full-fat coconut milk, chilled overnight}
- 2-3 tablespoon maple syrup {or agave, etc.}
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried lavender
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp pure lemon extract
- dash of salt {unless your butter is salted}
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line two mini loaf pans with parchment paper {I used 5.5" x 3" x 2" pans}. Set aside.
- Place all wet ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix to combine. Add in dry ingredients and stir everything together into a uniform mixture. Let mixture stand a minute. Transfer into prepared pans.
- Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack. Optional: once cool, dust with non-dairy milk powder.
- To make the whipped lemon lavender butter {or whipped cream if using coconut milk}, place all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and mix until everything is incorporated into a smooth mixture. Spread on your loaf slices and enjoy!
Notes
Store butter and cake in the fridge. If you want it to last more longer than 2 days, I recommend replacing 1-2 tablespoon of the applesauce with an oil of your choice {as it helps to keep the moisture in longer} or if you want to keep it oil-free, then I recommend freezing some of the cake for later use.
The butter is best used fresh. Otherwise it needs to be refrigerated until further use. If left out for more than an hour or two, it might begin to separate after a while {still edible -- will just require some stirring}.
Evie says
Would this work if I double the recipe and bake In a regular loaf pan? And for how long would you suggest for it to bake in the oven? Thanks
The Real Person!
Hi Evie. I just replied to Katie, who asked a similar question right before you, about making this recipe in a bigger pan. So in your case, the reply is similar, but it would depend on the size of your "regular" pan (since they do come in slightly varying sizes. Look up the volume your pan size holds, and then you'll need to multiply this recipe accordingly to fill your larger pan. This recipe is designed for a volume of 4 cups currently (split between 2 mini loaf pans, each of which holds 2 cups).
You can find some common loaf pan volumes at this link to get you started: https://www.bitchinfrommelanieskitchen.com/2013/08/-the-lowdown-on-loaf-pans-what-kind-size-.html
And then in terms of how long it'll need to bake, I'm afraid you'll need to experiment with that yourself, since I've not made this in a larger pan before. I'm guessing you'll need to increase the baking time some, but it might not be by much. I'd just keep an eye on it past the 30 min mark and when it looks "done" to you (lightly golden, lightly domed in the center, etc.) you can just test by sticking a skewer through the center and seeing if it comes out dry. If it does, it's done, if wet stuff sticks to it then it needs to bake a little longer.
Katie says
Hello there! I really liked how this recipe turned out. I made it for a birthday tea. How would you recommend making a regular sized loaf? Would I need to increase the recipe or would this amount work in an 8x5 loaf pan? How much should I increase the time?
Thanks!
The Real Person!
Hi Katie, I'm really glad you enjoyed this recipe! :)
I've never tried baking these as a bigger cake, but I think it should work just fine. In terms of quantity, you have to look at the volume of the pans to get the right quantity for a larger pan. So for instance, in this case the recipe uses 2 small loaf pans. Each of these holds 2 cups, for a total recipe volume of 4 cups of ingredients. A standard 5" x 8" pan holds about 6 cups of ingredients, so you'll need to multiply the original recipe here by 1.5 to fill up a pan that size. For reference, you can always google to get the volume of whatever pan size you're using so you can size recipes up or down accordingly.
Serena says
Hi
I am wanting to make this recipe into a larger birthday cake do you think that would be possible/have recommendations for altering the recipe to suit a larger size?
Thanks!
The Real Person!
Hi Serena,
I haven't tried making this as a larger cake before. I believe one of my readers might have shared that they've done that, so I'm assuming it should come out alright. If making as a larger cake the baking time would likely need to be extended as the mini loaves are tiny and bake faster than a whole cake. For a birthday though, I'd probably try a trial version ahead of time to be sure it works in case there are any surprises, as you wouldn't want a cakeless birthday should anything go amiss.
Anna Lutz says
Hi for your recipies that are gluten free, is it okay to sub the total flour ingredients with a glutonus flour? Simply because it would cost a ton to buy each of the separate non-gluten flours and starches since im not gluten free!
The Real Person!
Hi Anna,
I'd say yes for most. There are a few that are a bit more finicky that come to mind (eclaires, cream puffs, etc.). That said, I've not tested them myself with regular flour (I'm too sensitive to bake with it), bit I've had readers tell me they've substituted regular flour in many of the cakes & breads and it worked fine -- this particular recipe I was told works well.
megan says
Cannot wait to make this!! I love all things lemon! Where do I get sticky rice flour? Can I make it without the lavender - not sure if my son with allergies is OK with lavender.
Thanks!
The Real Person!
Hi Megan,
Most definitely ok without the lavender. In fact I have a sneaking suspicion he won't enjoy the lavender much anyways -- it's usually more of an adult flavor. You can add some blueberries in instead as an option too -- they go well in this cake.
Sweet sticky rice -- you can find it in the baking section of some grocery stores. Bob's Mill has a version. And you'll be able to find it in Asian food shops or an Asian aisle at regular grocery stores sometimes. They also sell on Amazon.
Holly says
Hi there!
This loaf looks amazing :) I'm wondering if I wanted to make muffins instead, what would the bake time be on them?
Thanks so much
Holly
The Real Person!
Hey Holly,
Thanks so much. These mini loaves are quite small -- the size of about 2 muffins. As such, the baking time should be quite close to what the recipe specifies or just a couple of minutes less. I'd test it at the 28 minute mark for "doneness", but should be about 30 minutes total. Enjoy it!
Michiko says
Wow, these look amazing! Thanks so much for the recipe. Lemon, poppy and lavender are my partner's favourite flavours :) Do you know if this would work in a round tin or as cupcakes and could the butter be left on top rather than put on the side? It's her birthday on Monday so would love to make them for her!
The Real Person!
Hi Michiko -- yes, absolutely -- it works as cake or cupcakes. I sometimes make it in a 6" round cake pan or cupcakes. And of course you can top it with the butter, although you'll want the cakes to be very chilled so the butter doesn't melt away. I hope she has a very happy birthday! :)
Kelly // The Pretty Bee: Cooking & Creating says
This is so pretty, Audrey! It reminds me of a cake from a fairy tale or something!
Kat from curlsnchard.com says
I love the combinations you come up with - this sounds perfect for spring! And I know what you are talking about with the desserts staring at you from the fridge...sometimes I'm the only one at home, so I really had to start handing out servings to friends, because otherwise I would be twice my weight by now ;)
Cecilia says
What a great idea to add lavender to already perfect ingredients such as poppy seed and lemon! Awesome recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Tessa@TessaDomesticDiva says
so original, you are Queen of creative!! As much as i adore lavender (i have over 10 plants in my garden), I have never eaten it! I am curious Audrey!
The Real Person!
Thanks Tessa :) Lavender is so good -- I love it with lemon, blueberries, chocolate, other citrus. It's such a nice accent flavor. I grow my own too in the summer and then dry it for use later. Though I'm currently out and am using store-bought. Can't wait till summer again!
Lily Lau says
Lemon poppy seed, need to show this to my sister! Thanks so much for sharing :)
The Real Person!
Thanks Lily -- I hope your sister likes it ♥
Harriet Emily says
Lemon and poppyseed is definitely one of my favourite flavour combinations! I love lemon cake, and these look so cute as mini loaves!! The whipped lavender butter sounds absolutely divine - another beautiful recipe! :)
The Real Person!
Thanks Harriet Emily :) I love lemon and poppy seed so much too. Just felt like adding a little something extra this time and the lavender was an amazing addition.
The Vegan 8 says
This looks so beautiful Audrey! I love the purple lavender! Question, where on earth do you find dried coconut milk powder and dried lavender?? I've never seen these ingredients even at Whole Foods. Do you order them online? I love the sound of the lavender butter too...YUM!! I wish I could taste it right now, haha! I love poppy seeds too!
The Real Person!
Thanks Brandi! I love the purple of lavender too -- especially in a yellowish setting :)
I get both at local shops -- I have seen the coconut milk powder at whole foods before. It's a newer product, but I'm sort of finding it in every health food shop these days. They also sell it on amazon. Just make sure you're ok with all the ingredients -- some of them have questionable fillers added.. As for the lavender, in the fall I dry my own, but otherwise there are several places I've seen/bought from before: high-end grocery stores, tea shops, shops that sell spices in bulk, and online {amazon, etsy, etc.}.
Hope this helps -- I love both those ingredients a lot, and they worked perfectly for these little loaves :)
Lucie says
Oh my gosh! I love lavender in desserts! And the purple looks sooo good in the yellowish slice. Yum!
The Real Person!
Thanks Lucie :) I love lavender treats too.
Nóri | ingeniouscooking.com says
I love poppy seeds and your lemon lavender butter sounds delicious!
The Real Person!
Thanks Nori :) I love poppy seeds too -- especially in all those Eastern European pastries :)
Melissa @ vegan does it says
Cuteness is always an important factor in food and these little loaves are simply adorable! The butter looks amazing too!
The Real Person!
Thanks Melissa. And cuteness is definitely essential sometimes ;)
Leah says
This looks SO good. I've been craving anything and everything lemon with the arrival of Spring (finally!!).
The Real Person!
Thanks, Leah! And I'm totally with you on the spring lemon love <3
Natalie @ Feasting on Fruit says
These are so dainty and so adorable I can't stop scrolling through the pictures!! One whole loaf = 1 serving, right? ;)
The coconut milk powder trick is genius by the way! I've been trying to come up with a healthy powdered sugar alternative for ages, and you totally had me fooled until I read the recipe!
The Real Person!
Hehe -- yes, one serving indeed ;) Seriously though, I love the idea of mini loaves because you can cut slices way smaller than having a whole muffin or cupcake, and who ever eats half a muffin, right? But a little slice or two are just the perfect serving size sometimes :)
And yes, the powdered milk is the best thing ever! I love the look of powdered sugar so much, but since I don't eat it, this was my discovery of the century :) I tried so many other things but this is the only thing that works, looks pretty, and tastes good!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
I love lemon poppy seed and the lavender...such a beautiful idea! Yum!
The Real Person!
Isn't it, Rebecca? I love it :)
Vanessa says
Can replace the applesauce for vegan butter?
The Real Person!
Hi Vanessa, do you mean is it possible to substitute the applesauce in the cake with vegan butter or if it's possible to substitute the vegan butter with applesauce in the whip butter part?
I'm guessing you meant the first, but just want to make sure.. If it is the first question, then I'm guessing it should work just fine though I haven't tried it personally. If you give it a go, let me know how it turns out.