LEMON POPPYSEED PROTEIN BREAD (VEGAN)
Where are all my lemon lovers at? I’m sucker for anything lemon, but my favorite is this Lemon Poppyseed Protein Bread. This bread is moist and fluffy, sweet and citrusy, and downright crave-worthy! It took way too many tries to perfect this bread, but the reward was well worth the frustration of repeated failures. After almost giving up, I finally found the “golden ratio” to maximize protein content without ruining the texture!
Did you know? This bread makes a great post-workout snack because it’s lower in fats and higher in carbs, speeding protein delivery to the muscle (fat slows digestion and absorption).
Protein substitutions
For the protein, I used LIV Body Lean Vegan Protein in Fruity Loops (this flavor works so well in lemon flavored things). I absolutely love that this brand has no artificial ingredients but still tastes great and works well for baking! Feel free to use my code “NOEXCUSES” for 20% off all LIV Body products 😉
If you don’t have this particular brand, any plant-based protein should work so long as it’s a complementary flavor (like vanilla or cake batter). Do not attempt to substitute other types of protein powder in recipes that call for vegan protein! (collagen, egg white protein, casein, whey, etc.) In my experience, soy protein, rice protein, and pea protein are mostly interchangeable (you just may need to adjust the amount of liquid or flour slightly).
If you don’t have protein powder, simply substitute three-quarters cup or 90 grams additional flour! See listed flours below…
Flour substitutions
Speaking of flours, the flour that works the absolute best in this recipe is regular old all-purpose flour. For gluten-free, I recommend this gluten free baking flour. Fine gluten-free oat flour is another good option, or any flour that measures 1:1 like regular flour and has some binding capacity (whether gluten or something else).
Up to one-third of the baking flour can be substituted for coconut flour if you need to lower the carbs, but the bread won’t be as fluffy or “tall.” For example, substitute one-third cup baking flour for 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons of coconut flour. I don’t recommend substituting 100% almond flour or coconut flour without other modifications!
Sweetener substitutions
To add the perfect amount of sweetness to this bread, I used my favorite organic stevia blend! It’s twice as sweet as sugar with no bitter aftertaste. If you’ve had stevia that tastes bitter, it’s because it’s cheap! You can substitute this stevia blend for twice as much (1 cup) baking stevia, granulated erythritol, monk fruit blend, or any granulated sugar like coconut sugar. If using stevia extract or drops, refer to the brand-specific conversion chart!
Other substitutions
To moisten this bread, I used silken tofu but have also tested plain soy yogurt and nonfat plain Greek yogurt (equivalent macros but not vegan). All three are high in protein!
The recipe also calls for aquafaba, which is the liquid from canned chickpeas (you’ll need about two cans worth). You could also use a vegan egg replacer or egg whites if not vegan! Ground flaxseed or psyllium husk are not ideal egg replacements for this recipe. Three chia eggs could be used though (maybe omit the poppyseeds)! The chia seeds will look bigger and more grey than the poppyseeds. They also won’t have that subtle crunch that’s so wonderful!
I did add a little vegan buttery spread to make this bread even moister, but it’s optional. This bread is delicious without it! And that subtle yellow hue? I used the tiniest dash of turmeric 😉
Sugar-free lemon icing
For the icing, I used fresh lemon juice and zest, unsweetened almond milk (use milk of choice), and confectioner’s erythritol. You can substitute the powdered erythritol for powdered monk fruit blend, powdered sugar, or simply blend granulated erythritol into a powder!
Use vegan buttery spread instead of the almond milk for a thicker, richer icing (what I did for these photos).
Here’s the printable recipe for this vegan Lemon Poppyseed Protein Bread! I hope you’ll rate and comment below if you try it 😉
This post contains affiliate links and is sponsored by LIV Body.
Lemon Poppyseed Protein Bread (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (130g) gluten-free baking flour*
- 2/3 cup (80g) vegan protein powder* I used LIV Body brand, code "NOEXCUSES" for 20% off
- 1/2 cup calorie-free sweetener* I used one that's twice as sweet as sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt optional
- 1/16 tsp. ground turmeric optional, for color
- 3/4 cup blended silken tofu* or Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup vegan egg replacer or aquafaba (chickpea liquid)* or egg whites
- 1/4 cup lemon juice ~3 large lemons
- 3 tbsp. lemon zest
- 2 tbsp. vegan buttery spread optional
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract optional
- 2 tbsp. poppy seeds*
Lemon icing (optional):
- 1/2 cup powdered erythritol*
- 1 tbsp. unsweetened almond milk* or melted vegan buttery spread
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. lemon zest
*See blog for more substitutions.
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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Whisk together dry ingredients (through salt) in a medium mixing bowl.
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Zest and juice about three medium lemons add them to the bowl along with other wet ingredients (through vanilla). Batter should be thick but spreadable.
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Stir in poppy seeds.
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Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (recommended) or generously coat with cooking spray or buttery spread.
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Spread mixture over the bottom of the pan using a spatula.
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Bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick or knife inserted comes out clean.
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While bread is baking, combine icing ingredients until smooth.
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Let bread cool for 15 minutes before smothering with icing and cutting into six equal pieces. Enjoy!
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Leftover bread will keep in fridge (in an airtight container) up to one week or in the freezer up to one month.
Notes
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