Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

I can't express how happy I am about this cake. This was my favorite thing to bake (and eat) before I went vegan, and I haven't had it since! I've been thinking about adapting the recipe for a while now, but was convinced it wouldn't work because the original has whipped egg whites in it, but yesterday I threw caution to the wind and gave it a go, fully expecting a cake that would fall apart and be a disaster.

Oh boy, it's the complete opposite! I think this is actually the best cake I've ever made! It's moist, tangy and dotted with poppy seeds. Topped with a deliciously zingy lemon icing, this cake is absolutely perfect!

Makes one 8inch cake

Recipe adapted from The London Cookbook

110g poppy seeds

225ml almond milk

225g vegan butter

225g sugar

1/2C soy yogurt

1 heaped tablespoon ground flax seeds

225g wholemeal flour

1 1/2Tbsp baking powder

3Tbsp lemon juice

1-2C powdered sugar

Lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 8in cake tin.

Place the poppy seeds and the almond milk in a small pan and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and leave to soak for around 15mins.

In a medium mixing bowl cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the yogurt and mix well. Add the lemon juice, flax, flour and baking powder and mix until everything is well combined. Finally add the seeds and milk and mix well. (The mixture may look like its separating, don't worry!)

Pour into the greased tin and bake for 45mins-1hr, until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely while you make the icing.

Pour the powdered sugar into a small bowl. Add lemon juice a teaspoon at a time until you have a thick icing that you can still pour easily. Once the cake is cooled pour the icing onto the center of the cake and spread out with the back of a spoon. Leave the icing to set and serve with a nice cup of earl grey tea!