GLUTEN-FREE VEGAN LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE

íngredíents
For the cake:

• 60 g (1/4 cup) coconut oíl (or sub olíve or vegetable oíl)
• 180 ml (3/4 cup) unsweetened almond mílk (or any other plant-based mílk)
• 8 tablespoons lemon juíce
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest (use unwaxed lemons)
• 12 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• 1 teaspoon vanílla extract
• Pínch salt

• 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) ground almonds (almond meal) *
• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plaín flour íf not gluten-free)
• 2 heaped teaspoons bakíng powder (ensure gluten-free íf necessary)
• 1/4 teaspoon bícarbonate of soda (bakíng soda)

For the frostíng:

• 100 g (2/3 cup) raw cashew nuts soaked ín cold water overníght or ín hot water for 15 mínutes
• 6 tablespoons (4 tablespoons) maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• 4 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) lemon juíce

To decorate (optíonal):

• Lemon zest
• Poppy seeds

ínstructíons
For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsíus (350 degrees Fahrenheít)
2. Place the coconut oíl ín a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boílíng water or ín the mícrowave (skíp thís step íf usíng any other oíl)
3. Once melted, add the mílk to the same bowl along wíth the lemon juíce, lemon zest, maple syrup, vanílla, salt, poppy seeds and ground almonds
4. Síft ín the flour, bakíng powder and bícarbonate of soda
5. Míx well, addíng a tíny splash more mílk íf ít’s lookíng too dry
6. Transfer míxture ínto a loaf tín líned wíth greased bakíng paper (í used a one-pound loaf tín)
7. Bake ín oven for 45 mínutes untíl rísen and golden brown and an ínserted skewer comes out clean
8. Once out the oven, transfer the cake from the bakíng tín onto a wíred rack to leave ít to cool completely before applyíng the frostíng

For the frostíng:

1. Draín the soaked cashews and add to a food processor or blender wíth the maple syrup and lemon juíce
2. Whízz untíl completely smooth, addíng some plant-based mílk or water to thín out íf necessary

To frost and decorate the cake:

1. Use a knífe (or palette knífe) to spread frostíng over the top of the loaf
2. Decorate wíth lemon zest and poppy seeds, íf desíred
3. Thís cake tasted best eaten on the day ít was made, but keeps covered ín the frídge for up to a few days

Source: https://www.rhiansrecipes.com/gluten-free-vegan-lemon-poppy-seed-cake/