Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Bread is the next loaf of bread you should be baking!
I’ve always loved a good poppy seed muffin, so it seemed like a good idea to make a whole loaf of glazed lemon poppy seed bread. This is a sweet loaf of bread, baked quickly in a loaf pan. No yeast is needed. It has a mild lemony flavor with a sweet glaze on top. I love to eat this bread as a breakfast bread or as an afternoon snack. A slice of it with a cup of tea or coffee is perfect.
What special supplies are needed to make Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Bread?
You’ll need a loaf pan. Since this loaf doesn’t rise really high, you can get away with using a 5×8-inch loaf pan. You’ll also need some lemon extract and a jar of poppy seeds.
The recipe:
This Glazed Lemon Loaf Bread is prepared just like any other kind of quick-loaf bread. The batter is scraped into a loaf pan and baked for about 50 minutes. I guess you could call the glaze “optional,” but I highly recommend adding it. The glaze is a simple mix of sifted powdered sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice. It adds a sweet and tangy component to the bread, and it’s a hint of taste that you’ll get in every slice.
What are poppy seeds, and do I have to use them?
Poppy seeds are tiny oil seeds found in the opium poppy. They’re used as an ingredient in many pastries and breads. They provide a little crunch to the foods they’re added to, but they’re mostly added to foods to provide a decorative touch. You can leave them out of this recipe if you don’t wish to add poppy seeds to the bread.
How to freeze lemon poppy seed bread:
To freeze the whole loaf, place the glazed loaf on a baking sheet and freeze for a few minutes. Remove it from the freezer and wrap it in plastic wrap and then again in foil. Drop it into a freezer zip baggie and freeze for up to three months. Alternately, you can cut the loaf into slices and drop each slice into a zip baggie. Take them out individually, as desired.
Of course, this bread will taste best when eaten the same day… fresh out of the oven. Gift it to a friend tied with a yellow ribbon, or bake a loaf for yourself. Enjoy!
Here are a few more lemon-themed baked goods you might like to try:
- Lemon Pound Cake Muffins
- Lemon Sour Cream Cake
- Best Lemon Bars
- Lemon Brownies
- Strawberry Lemon Buttermilk Pie
- Italian Lemon Cookies
- Blueberry Lemon Scones
- Lemon Cream Cheese Cookie Bars
Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
Ingredients
BREAD:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon extract
- grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
GLAZE:
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (to remove lumps)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
MAKE THE BREAD:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray an 8x5 or 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the milk, eggs, lemon extract and lemon zest; beat well. Mix in the dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Stir in the poppy seeds.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool for about 1/2 hour before removing it to a wire rack to cool completely.
ADD THE GLAZE:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and enough lemon juice to create a thick glaze. Place the bread on a wire rack with a piece of wax paper underneath. Pour the glaze over the top of the bread and let it run down the sides of the loaf. Let it sit until the glaze firms up. Slice and enjoy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
