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This is the BEST Lemon Poppy Seed Bread with glaze! It’s soft, moist, and bursting with lemon flavor. I top it with a simple lemon glaze for the perfect finishing touch. It’s great for breakfast, brunch, or as a snack cake, plus it’s freezer-friendly!
Perfect Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
This lemon quick bread with poppyseeds is for you if you’re a lemon fan! It’s so lemony, and the tiny poppy seeds add the best texture and hint of nutty flavor.
Make this beauty for breakfast, brunch, or as a sweet afternoon snack with a cup of coffee. It’s so wonderful and my go-to lemon bread!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Some lemon poppyseed bread recipes are a bit bland because they’re made with lemon juice. I use pure lemon extract and lemon zest for my recipe – they’re like a flavor booster and give the lemon loaf the best lemon flavor.
- I also use evaporated milk to make the batter. It’s like a concentrated version of regular milk that adds richness and moisture, making this a moist lemon poppy seed loaf.
- This bread is delicious plain, but I like to top it with an easy lemon glaze for added sweetness. It dresses it up and is so quick to make. It’s worth trying!
Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: Be sure to measure it correctly.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds a nice touch of sweetness.
- Baking Powder: Helps the bread rise.
- Salt and Large Eggs: Typical in quick bread recipes
- Oil: Vegetable oil is best – I like how oil keeps bread moist.
- Evaporated Milk: This is a concentrated version of regular milk that gives extra moisture to the bread.
- Pure Lemon Extract: Lemon juice alone doesn’t give much flavor, so I add lemon extract. It adds that lemon flavor you expect from a lemon recipe.
- Lemon Zest: The zest has TONS of flavor – don’t skip it! Learn how to zest a lemon.
- Poppy Seeds: Or is it poppyseed? I never know. Adds some nice flavor and texture.
- Powdered Sugar and fresh Lemon Juice: For the glaze, if you want to add some extra sweet and tart flavor.
How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat an 8.5×4.5” loaf pan with nonstick baking spray (I like the kind with flour in it). You can also use an 8×4” loaf pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Whisk the eggs, oil, evaporated milk, extract, and zest in a large measuring cup or small mixing bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until the batter forms. Stir in the poppyseeds.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake it for 35 to 45 minutes. The lemon quick bread is done when a toothpick inserted just off the center comes out mostly clean.
- Cool the bread before adding the glaze.
- To make the glaze, place the powdered sugar in a bowl. Add the lemon juice one tablespoon at a time and whisk until you get consistency for drizzling. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cooled loaf.
Expert Quick Bread Tips
- It’s crucial to measure the flour accurately. The best way is to lightly spoon the flour into your dry measuring cup and level it off with a dinner knife.
- The best way to check if the bread is done is to check with a toothpick. Stick it in the crack on top of the bread. When you pull it out, there should only be a few crumbs.
- You can also use this recipe to make 12 lemon poppyseed muffins. Be sure to use muffin liners in the pan.
- Make Lemon Blueberry Bread by omitting the poppyseeds and adding 1 cup fresh or thawed frosen blueberries.
- You can freeze the lemon bread whole. Just wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and then place it in a large freezer bag. You can also freeze individual slices. I like to wrap them individually and then store them all together in a container or bag.
- The frosting is optional, but it does make the bread sweeter. You can leave it out, and the lemon poppyseed bread will still taste great!
FAQ
If you’re buying them in the baking or spice aisle, no you don’t have to do anything to prep the poppyseeds.
If they are stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, they can last up to three to four years. They do lose their flavor over time, so it’s always good to check how old they are before using them in a recipe.
If your baking powder is expired, your bread will be flat. So always check the date before using it and buy fresh baking powder if it’s passed its date. Your bread could also be flat if you use the wrong-sized loaf pan. The best pan to use is 8.5×4.5″ or 8×4″.
It’s totally normal for a quick bread to crack on top while baking. It happens because the top of the loaf bakes faster than the middle. Once the top starts to firm up, the batter underneath pushes up as it rises, causing the top to crack.
The best way to tell is with a toothpick. Insert it into the crack on top of the bread. There should only be a few moist crumbs sticking to it when you pull it out.
I don’t recommend substituting the evaporated milk for this lemon poppyseed bread. A typical sub is to use eight ounces of milk, but the bread may not be as good if you do this.
Store this covered on the counter for about 3 days, or in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Freeze the quick bread for up to 3 months, tightly wrapped.
I just love the bright flavor in this bread! I’m always a fan of lemon, and this lemon poppyseed bread with glaze is always a favorite at our house. Give it a try – I think you’ll love it!
Lemon Poppy Seed Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (186g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup (79ml) oil
- 5 ounces evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
- Zest of one large or two small lemons
- 2 tablespoons poppyseed
- ½ cup (57g) powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8.5” by 4.5” loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray (use the kind with flour if you have it). You can also use an 8”x4” loaf pan.
- Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Place eggs, oil, evaporated milk, extract, and zest in a large measuring cup or small bowl and whisk. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until the batter forms. Stir in poppyseed.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean just slightly to one side of center. Cool before frosting.
- Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice (1 tablespoon at a time) until desired consistency, drizzle over the bread. The frosting is optional and makes it more sweet, but the bread is good without it as well.
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Other Recipes To Try
Lemon Poppyseed Bread is great for breakfast, brunch or just as a snack anytime you want some cake! Top it with a sweet glaze and it’s dessert-like.
Last Updated on January 17, 2023
Amazing
Hello! I just wanted to add , that i dont see when exactly we add the butter or poppy seed
There is no butter – and poppyseeds are mentioned in step 3.
Dorothy, I am going to make this cake this week. I usually make Ina’s lemon poppyseed Bundt cake, but this recipe looks too good to pass up! The reason I am reaching out is, whenever I bake a vegetable loaf bread I have a problem with the ends of the loaf being done, however, the middle not being fully baked. I am assuming it’s because of the pumpkin or zucchini, etc.
With this being a cake batter, did you have an issue with the middle baking evenly?
I just pre-ordered your cookbook on Barnes and Noble yesterday, anxious to get it. Congrats on the book! jk
Thank you!
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