Lemon Poppy Seed Almond Flour Bread

I’ve been using the same recipe to make Seeded Almond Flour Bread for breakfast for well over 6 months now. And don’t get me wrong, I still look forward to eating a slice most mornings of the week. I make a couple of loaves every few weeks, slice them up , and keep them in the the freezer. The slices are easy to grab on a busy morning, pop in the toaster, and top with homemade almond butter or Chocolate Hazelnut Spread.

Last weekend I was perusing recipes in search of other fun almond flour bread variations that looked enticing. I came upon a recipe for this lemon poppy seed bread, and remembered how much I enjoy the flavor of tangy lemon with a subtle sweetness and crunch. I usually don’t indulge in traditionally prepared lemon poppy seed baked goods because they’re honestly not very healthy. This variation is higher in fiber, protein, and healthy fats and lower in refined carbohydrates and sugar. I doubled the lemon from the original recipe and cut the sugar in half, and the flavor was perfect!

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
  • 2/3 cup tapioca or arrowroot starch (I used tapioca which can be found in most health food stores or Asian grocery store)
  • 1/4 cup natural cane sugar
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/3 cups unsweetened organic applesauce
  • 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (make sure to wash the lemons, then use zester or fine cheese grater)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Lemon Zest adds the perfect tangy zing!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or use a silicone pan sprayed lightly with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk the almond flour, tapioca starch, sugar, poppy seeds, baking soda, and salt.

Add the applesauce, lemon zest and lemon juice to bowl, stirring until blended.

Transfer batter to prepared pan, smoothing the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 42 to 48 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center of the loaf comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached.

Muffin Variation: To make muffins instead of bread, divide the batter evenly between 12 cups (lined with paper or foil liners) of a standard size muffin tin. Bake in a preheated 350F for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center of a muffin comes out with only moist crumbs attached.