Vegan lemon poppyseed pound cake with blackberries

There's a bit of scepticism around vegan cakes in some quarters, but this one is genuinely a revelation. Incredibly simple to make, deliciously lemony and moist, and nobody will believe it doesn't contain eggs or butter. Soy milk is thickened with lemon juice to replace the eggs, and a tiny touch of turmeric gives a buttery golden colour. This recipe, made for Labor MP Josh Burns, is part of the 2026 season of Kitchen Cabinet, on ABC iview and ABC TV every Tuesday at 8:30pm.The cake features surprisingly few ingredients and takes just over half an hour to make. (ABC TV)Vegan lemon poppyseed pound cake with blackberriesPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 25 minutesSkill level: LowServes: 12IngredientsMethodPreheat oven to 180°C, fan forced. Grease a 23cm square baking tin (it's fine if yours is slightly bigger or smaller) and line with baking paper.For the batter, place the sugar in a bowl, and zest the two lemons into it. Using clean hands, rub the zest into the sugar. This releases the full flavour of the zest.Place the soy milk in a large bowl, add the juice of one lemon (you're looking for around 2 tablespoons) and set aside for 2-3 minutes; it'll curdle slightly.Add the sugar mixture to the soy milk mixture, then add the oil and vanilla and mix to combine.In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate soda, salt, cornflour, poppy seeds and turmeric.Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix gently until just smooth. Don't over-mix.Pour the batter into the prepared baking tray. Tap it on the bench to get the surface flat.Place in the oven and immediately turn down to 160°C. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin.For the icing, grate the zest of the lemon onto a plate, set aside to dry. Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl, add the lemon juice, and mix until smooth. It should be a thick consistency.Remove the cake from the tray, then spread icing evenly over cooled cake. Sprinkle with the dried lemon zest, cut into slices and top with blackberries to serve.