Name: Lemon Almond Chia Snack Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 20
Cuisine: breakfast
Ingredients: 2 cups greek yogurt; 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar; 1/4 cup milk; 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour; 1 cup finely ground almonds; 5 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 3 Tablespoons chia seeds; 1 cup cane sugar + 1 Tablespoon for sprinkling; 2/3 cup olive oil; 4 Tablespoons firmly packed, finely grated lemon or lemon zest (2-3 lemons); 6 Tablespoons lemon juice (2-3 lemons); 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 teaspoons almond extract

lemon almond chia snack cake on plate with lemon slices and sage.

What if you could enjoy all the flavor of fresh lemon muffins without needing to clean a single muffin tin? This tangy and bright lemon almond chia snack cake is perfect if you are looking for an easy, healthy, make-ahead breakfast idea.

As a mom of four little kids (and a fifth on the way!), I am always looking for EASY, simple, crowd-friendly food options to feed my family. And since I make most of our food from scratch, I love batch cooking a large amount of food so I have leftovers.

Work smarter, not harder, right?!

And it’s a bonus if I can make something for breakfast and then repurpose those leftovers for a snack later in the week!

This recipe ticks all those boxes. It’s convenient, it’s tasty, it’s healthy, and since it is a quick bread, it comes together quickly to get food in hungry mouths!

And it’s a muffin-style breakfast bake, which means it has all the moisture and texture of muffins. But it is all baked at once in a 9×13 pan, so nobody’s jumping up halfway through breakfast to pull out another tin of muffins, and clean up is a breeze!

(And if you feel at all guilty about feeding your kids muffins or muffin-like options for breakfast, be sure to check out this helpful perspective – and bear in mind, this recipe has a LOT more protein and less sugar than most muffin options!)

Why You’ll Love this Lemon Almond Chia Snack Cake:

It’s baked in one 9×13″ pan = less hassle to clean
Great for meal prep
Kid-approved and nutrient-packed
Made with real food ingredients
Fluffy, moist, and bursting with lemon flavor

Ingredients for lemon almond chia snack cake on counter

Ingredients You’ll Need:

This lemon chia almond snack cake uses a combo of pantry staples, fridge staples, and fresh lemons. Specifically, you’ll need:

Greek yogurt – this helps pack in protein!
Apple cider vinegar
Milk
All purpose flour (you can substitute half of this for whole wheat flour if desired)
Ground almonds (or substitute almond flour)
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Chia Seeds (provides a fun texture and adds extra fiber)
Sugar (I use raw sugar)
Olive Oil
Lemon Zest
Lemon Juice
Vanilla Extract
Almond Extract

How to Make Lemon Almond Chia Snack Cake:

This is a pretty straightforward quick bread process, and in my opinion, it’s way easier than scooping muffin batter into muffin tins! Here’s what you’ll need to do to make this delicious lemon almond chia snack cake:

Preheat the oven and grease or line your baking dish
Zest your lemons and juice them so they are ready to go
Combine the wet ingredients in a bowl or large measuring container
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well mixed
Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed
Scrape the batter into the 9×13 baking pan and press down/spread out until it even covers the bottom of the pan.
Bake and check for doneness

lemons being grated and juiced for recipe

dry ingredients in mixing bowl with whisk for lemon almond chia snack cake

Wet ingredients in mixing bowl for lemon almond muffin cake

Batter for lemon almond chia snack cake mixed up in mixing bowl

Batter for muffin snack cake spread in baking dish

Make it Work for Your Family: Tips and Variations for this Lemon Almond Chia Snack Cake

Tip 1: I find the lemon zesting and juicing to be the most tedious. You may want to do that step the night before so you can whip up this snack cake a little faster in the morning.

Tip 2: You can add extra fruit! This recipe would be delicious with fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries added to it.

Tip 3: This recipe is naturally egg-free. I haven’t tried it dairy or gluten free, but you could substitute the yogurt and milk for non-dairy options if you needed to avoid dairy. And you could use your favorite all-purpose, gluten-free flour mix to make it gluten free.

Tip 4: Once cooled and cut into squares, this snack cake saves well in the fridge (up to 5 days), or in the freezer, up to a month.

lemon almond chia snack cake cut into squares on plate

Serving Suggestions:

My family loves this lemon almond chia snack cake for breakfast or for snacks. It makes a great make-ahead breakfast for busy weekdays, or to pack into a lunch box. Made fresh, it’s lovely for a weekend brunch or to serve guests.

Specifically, we like to:

Serve it up warm with butter or nut butter (I especially love using almond butter).
Pair it with a smoothie or boiled eggs to round out the nutrition of the meal.
Offer it alongside our favorite cheesy sheet pan scrambled eggs or leftover chile relleno casserole for a well rounded, filling hot breakfast.
Serve it cold alongside a cup of hot tea for an afternoon snack or not-too-sweet dessert.
Pack it up and take it along on picnics, to the park, or bring to a potluck.

Lemon Almond Chia Snack Cake Storage, Reheating, and Meal Prep Tips:

Fridge: You can keep this snack cake in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezer: Pack the snack cake (cut into squares) in an air-tight container or wrapped tightly in the freezer for up to a month.

Reheat: In the microwave or toaster oven.

Prep Ahead: Zest and juice the lemons in advance to streamline the process, or make on a Sunday afternoon for the week ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Can I make this lemon almond chia snack cake gluten free? I don’t know. I haven’t tried it gluten free, so if you do try it, leave me a comment and let me know how it turned out!

Can I use flax instead of chia seeds? I frequently use flax and chia interchangeably when they are ground up. This recipe uses whole chia seeds, so if you substitute flax, it will be a slightly different texture experience.

How do I make this ahead for busy mornings? Prep and bake the snack cake ahead of time, and let it cool completely. Then cut it into squares and store it in the fridge or freezer in an air-tight container, pre-cut. Heat up individual pieces as desired to serve.

Is this muffin bake good for toddlers and young kids? Absolutely – my 1 year old and 3 year old love it. However, like with most muffins, it is a bit crumbly, so I like to serve it to my little kids outside whenever I can!

lemon almond chia snack bake for pinterest - a muffin inspired breakfast dish

Happy Baking!

If you try this lemon almond chia seed snack cake, let me know how you liked it in the comments below! I’d love to hear from you.

I would also appreciate it if you’d share this recipe on Pinterest or your social media account if you liked it. It helps my blog grow, and I love seeing people find and enjoy my recipes!

Yield: 20 squares