Easy Healthy Orange Poppy Seed Loaf

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This orange poppy seed loaf is simply STUNNING! Perfectly moist and flavoursome with a hint of orange and a special touch of almond extract. It makes the perfect breakfast or snack with tea when heated up and topped with a little bit of butter and honey. Best of all, you only need one bowl, it's refined sugar-free and made with wholemeal flour!

Two slices of orange poppyseed loaf with butter

Two slices of orange poppyseed loaf on a piece of baking paper and a loaf in the background.

There’s no denying orange poppy seed is a superior flavour combination. A beautiful medley of zesty, fruity, and rich, the combo works stunningly in baked goods of all sorts.

In particular: This easy healthy orange poppy seed loaf.

While loaf cakes like this one traditionally rely on a fair bit of oil or melted butter to produce that rich pound-cake-like texture, this one uses ricotta instead. Not only does this adjustment make the loaf a little bit lighter in terms of calories and fat content, but it also lends a beautiful subtle flavour with every bite.

To further health-ify this traditional teatime treat, this recipe also opts for wholemeal flour as opposed to all-purpose flour. Where baked goods made with white flour can lead to a carb crash, wholemeal flour helps sustain the energy longer thanks to its higher fibre content. That way you can enjoy your cake, and make it through the afternoon without a nap 😉

Finally, this healthy loaf swaps out the white or brown sugar typically used in baking, for honey. While honey is still considered “added sugar”, it has a lower glycemic index than sugar, meaning it leads to less intense blood sugar spikes. Likewise, many prefer honey for the simple fact that it is closer to being completely natural (but still probably pasteurised, if you bought it at the grocery store) whereas white table sugar is highly refined.

How to Make It

Making this orange poppy seed loaf couldn’t be easier! Simply combine the wet ingredients first, then mix the dry ingredients in and bake away!

Start by combining eggs, ricotta, honey and almond extract in a large bowl and stir well. It’s okay if there are still some lumps of ricotta, as they will dissolve while baking.

Loaf batter wet ingredients in a glass bowl. You can see honey, ricotta, eggs, and almond extract all in the bowl together unmixed.

Wet ingredients for brad batter being stirred together in a bowl. You can see that the mixture is partially mixed, but some egg and ricotta are not fully blended yet.

Next, add the orange juice and soy milk and stir again.

Orange juice and soy milk added to wet ingredients

Orange juice and soy milk mixed into wet ingredients.

Add the flour and mix well until combined.

Dry and wet ingredients being mixed for bread in a bowl.

Finally, add the poppyseeds and mix well!

Batter in a bowl with poppyseeds mixed in.

Pour the batter into a loaf pan and bake.

Orange poppyseed loaf batter in a pan with baking paper.

FAQ

Can I use vanilla instead of almond extract in this orange poppy seed loaf?

Yes, you 100% can! Just substitute the same amount (1 teaspoon), and you’ll be good to go. The almond adds a nice subtle flavour, but vanilla would taste lovely as well.

How can I make this orange poppy seed loaf taste more orange-y?

If you want a strong orange flavour in your loaf, add an additional 2-3 tablespoons of orange zest (from 1 orange) along with the poppy seeds.

Can I use a different sweetener in this orange poppy seed loaf?

If you want to swap out the honey, it’s best to use another liquid sweetener