This is what you want from Summertime baking. My easy courgette lemon and poppy seed loaf cake won’t have you slaving in a hot kitchen for long, but the results are delicious. The perfect combination of moist cake, from the courgette and almond flour, the zing of the lemon, and the crunch of the poppy seeds. All topped with a simple, sweet lemon glaze. Ideal for serving with a blob of creme fraiche on a hot evening after dining al fresco.
Lemon drizzle cake but better!
There’s something so uplifting about a lemon loaf cake, especially one that feels light, bright and perfect for summer baking. This easy courgette lemon and poppy seed loaf is exactly that. Soft, moist and full of fresh citrus flavour, with the courgette adding incredible lightness to the sponge. It’s the kind of bake you can throw together, slice thickly, and serve with a big dollop of cream after dinner.
The poppy seeds bring a gentle crunch, the lemon keeps everything zesty, and the courgette melts into the batter giving you a beautifully moist crumb. It’s simple, reliable and a lovely way to use up courgettes when they’re in season. Whether you serve it plain, with its light glaze, or with a dollop of your favourite cream, this loaf cake always feels like a little bit of sunshine.
Other courgette sweet treats
If you like this recipe for easy courgette lemon and poppy seed loaf cake, then you’ll love my other cakes and bakes using courgettes:
Growing courgettes
Courgettes are remarkably easy to grow in the UK and are perfect for beginner gardeners. They thrive in the British climate when planted after the last frost (typically late May or early June) and can produce abundant harvests from just two plants throughout the summer months, making them one of the most easiest and rewarding vegetables to plant at home.
Courgettes like a rich, well composted soil, and above all else constant watering – especially in hot weather – as plants can produce 1-2 courgettes per day which requires a lot of water. Ensure you regularly harvest the courgettes to encourage further production.
Instead of lemon, you could absolutely switch it for lime.
To make this recipe gluten-free, use GF plain flour and add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum.
Easy Courgette Lemon and Poppy Seed Loaf Cake
Equipment
- 1 x 900g loaf tin or 2 x 500g loaf tins
Ingredients
Cake
- 350 g courgette coarsely grated
- 125 ml vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 200 g plain flour
- 100 g almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
Glaze
- 75 g caster sugar
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C
- Grease and line your loaf tin(s) with baking paper – either the 900g or 2 of the 500g tins.
- Grate your courgettes. If they are particularly moist, wrap them in a clean tea towel and squeeze out the excess water. You don't want a heavy, overly soggy, cake.
- In the bowl of the stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, beat the oil, sugar and eggs until smooth -or you can do this in a large bowl with a wooden spoon.
- Stir in the zest and juice of 1 lemon to the mixture, along with the grated courgette.
- Sift the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, and fold these dry ingredients gently into the batter. Finally, mix in the almond flour and poppy seeds.
- Pour the batter into your tin(s) and bake for 50min -1hr. The smaller loaves will likely be done in 50 minutes, but test by sticking a skewer into the cake and making sure it comes out clean with no batter attached.
- When cooked, place the cake/s (still in their tin/s) on a wire rack and pierce all over with a toothpick. Make sure you push down as far as possible so that the glaze can penetrate all the way through.
- Make the glaze in a bowl by mixing half the zest of the second lemon with all the juice and the caster sugar.
- Gently spoon the glaze over the cake(s), ensuring it spreads evenly. Allow to cool totally in the tin/s, remove when cool, and sprinkle with the remaining lemon zest. Slice and serve with a dollop of your favourite cream – mine is creme fraiche.
Notes
- Instead of lemon, you could substitute lime if you prefer.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, use GF plain flour and add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum.