Name: Almond Poppy Seed Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 7 oz. pitted dates (about 12 Medjool or 23 Deglet Noor); 1½ cups unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk; 1½ teaspoons pure almond extract; 1¼ cups rolled oats; ¾ cup dry millet; 2 tablespoons poppy seeds; 1 teaspoon regular or sodium-free baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce; 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon); 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries, optional, for topping; 5 oz. pitted dates (about8 to 9 Medjools or 17 Deglet Noor); ¾ cup raw cashews (3 oz.); 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Prep-time: 25 minutes / Ready In: 90 minutes
Makes one (9×5-inch) loaf (about 10 slices)
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This festive and hearty cake is not only delicious but also very fragrant, and it bakes up nice and moist without any added oil. Its few ingredients and steps make for easy preparation, and you can serve it plain or with Lemon Frosting. Millet flour yields a cake that is less dense and heavy than when made with oat flour alone. You can buy pre-ground millet flour (use the same amount, ¾ cup), but it’s very easy to grind your own from whole millet; just follow the directions below. Look for whole millet in the bulk section of healthier grocery stores.

Recipe from Straight Up Food.

By Cathy Fisher, Last Updated: Apr 11, 2023

Ingredients

For the cake

7 oz. pitted dates (about 12 Medjool or 23 Deglet Noor)
1½ cups unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk
1½ teaspoons pure almond extract
1¼ cups rolled oats
¾ cup dry millet
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon regular or sodium-free baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries, optional, for topping

For the frosting

5 oz. pitted dates (about8 to 9 Medjools or 17 Deglet Noor)
¾ cup raw cashews (3 oz.)
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

For cake, in a small bowl combine the 7 oz. dates, the milk, and almond extract; let stand at least 15 minutes to soften dates. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
Place oats in a blender; cover and blend into a flour. Transfer to a medium bowl. Repeat with the millet, blending 30 to 40 seconds to make a flour (millet is harder than oats). Add millet flour to oat flour. Add poppy seeds, baking powder, and baking soda to bowl; whisk to combine.
Pour date mixture into the blender; cover and blend until smooth. Add to dry ingredients along with applesauce and lemon zest; stir until well incorporated. Spoon batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly.
Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until the top is medium brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan to cool completely on wire rack.
While cake bakes, prepare frosting: In a clean blender combine 5 oz. of the dates, the cashews, lemon juice, vanilla, and ¾ cup water. If the water doesn’t completely cover dates and nuts, add more just until it does. Let stand 45 minutes to soften dates. Cover and blend until very smooth, scraping down sides once or twice. (If your blender has a tamper, you may want to use it.) Add a little more water if the mixture becomes too thick to blend. Top cooled cake with frosting and strawberries, if desired.

tags:

cakes

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7 Comments

Comments (7)

(4.67 from 6 votes)

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Maryam4 weeks ago

Really good

Lois2 months ago

I love this recipe, and made it a second time, one week later, however the cooked dough is a little gummy, any way to fix that? Suggestions?

Rhi7 months ago

Delicious!
Will definitely be making this again : )

Cindy2 years ago

A 5 star

Cindy2 years ago

A great cake. I agree with the comment below, it doesn’t really need the glaze it’s excellent without it. I did make the glaze but didn’t have Meyers lemons so used regular lemons which had a more bitter flavor. I made it for my husband’s birthday and he deemed it a winner!

Shirley Madrid2 years ago

I made these for Christmas gifts and co-workers were amazed with the delicious taste- I love the interesting texture. Time to make some more ASAP

Dianne2 years ago

I can’t believe no one else has commented about this cake. It is unbelievably delicious! Made this a bunch of times and it always comes out great. Nice and moist. A little on the dense side. so think of the texture of a traditional banana bread. I’ve never bothered with the glaze since it’s perfect as is.

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Almond Poppy Seed Cake topped with strawberries on a slate serving tray

about the author

Cathy Fisher

Cathy Fisher is the creator of StraightUpFood.com, a website offering free recipes and information on eating a whole-food, plant-based diet free of salt, oil, and sugar. She is also a cooking instructor, teaching classes at TrueNorth Health Center and the McDougall Program, both in Santa Rosa, CA. Cathy began eating a plant-based diet in 1999, and in 2016 published her first cookbook, Straight Up Food: Delicious and Easy Plant-based Cooking Without Salt, Oil or Sugar. Find her on Instagram and Facebook.

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