Preparation Steps

• Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment for easy removal.
• Whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs lightly with a fork. Add the avocado oil, maple syrup, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and homogenous.
• Pour the dry ingredients into the wet bowl and fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined — a few small streaks of flour are fine. Fold in the poppy seeds if using.
• Let the batter rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate; this helps the crumb and keeps the loaf from drying out.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Rotate the pan once halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots.
• Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, lift the loaf from the pan using the parchment, and return it to the rack to cool completely before glazing.
• Make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar with lemon juice until smooth. If it's too thick, add a scant teaspoon of water at a time to reach a pourable consistency.
• Drizzle the glaze over the fully cooled loaf and let it set for 15–20 minutes before slicing. Store wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer storage.