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Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread – a simple quick bread with tons of lemon flavor and a light lemon glaze. A delicious snack with a cup of coffee or an easy breakfast treat.

This post is sponsored by Imperial Sugar. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Lemons are one of the best parts of winter citrus and spring. And I think in my house they are a very under utilized ingredient. Every time I make something with them, like Lemon Bars or this Lemon Cheesecake I think, man I should make more things with lemon. And then I forget.

It is such a super versatile ingredient, it works great in desserts or in savory like my all time favorite Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing or Lemon Garlic Shrimp. Well today we are going sweet with a quick bread that just might make you use lemons on a more regular basis!

sliced lemon poppy seed bread on cutting board

 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Super easy! This recipe doesn’t involve creaming butter, or mashing bananas completely smooth. Just a bowl and a spatula, with very simple ingredients and you can have this ready.
  • The perfect amount of lemon flavor. You have fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon extract. But trust me, it isn’t over powering. You get just the right amount of lemon to come through so you know what you are eating, but aren’t blown away.
  • This quick bread is definitely more of a snack than a dessert with the amount of sweetness in it. Yes, there is a glaze and that is completely optional. But the bread itself is not super sweet, so it is great with a cup of coffee or a quick breakfast treat.
lemon poppy seed bread ingredients

What You’ll Need

Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.

  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Baking Powder
  • Salt
  • Granulated Sugar – I used Imperial Sugar for this recipe
  • Poppy Seeds
  • Eggs
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Milk
  • Lemon Juice
  • Lemon Zest
  • Lemon Extract
  • Powdered Sugar – I used Imperial Sugar for this recipe
baked lemon poppy seed bread in loaf pan

How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

  1. In a small bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds.
  2. In a separate bowl whisk together sugar, milk, eggs, oil, lemon juice, lemon extract and lemon zest until it is really well combined.
  3. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until everything is just combined. Be careful, you do not want to overmix.
  4. Pour into a loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes, until a tester comes out mostly clean. You want it to still have crumbs on the knife or toothpick you use to test with. But not actually have batter on it.
  5. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. Once the bread is cool, you can make the glaze by mixing together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until it is a smooth and drizzle-able consistency.
  7. Pour over the bread and then you can slice to serve.
sliced of lemon bread on a white plate
Can I make this without poppy seeds?

Absolutely! The poppy seeds don’t really affect the recipe that much at all. You will just have a lemon bread then, and it will still be delicious.

Does Lemon Poppy Seed Bread Freeze Well?

Yes, it is really easy to freeze. You can freeze a couple different ways. You can bake the loaf, allow it to cool completely and then wrap in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 3-4 months. Ideally you put the glaze on when you are ready to serve. But the glaze will freeze fine, it will just release some moisture as it thaws.
You can also freeze individual slices, so you can just take out 1 slice at a time to enjoy. Top the bread with the glaze, and then slice. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and then freeze. Once the slices are frozen through, assemble them back into a loaf and store in plastic wrap or an airtight container.

How Long Does It Last?

It should last for about a week if left at room temperature. It will last a couple days longer if you store it in the fridge. Just make sure it is tightly wrapped so it doesn’t dry out. Frozen it will last for 3-4 months.

Can I Leave Off The Glaze?

Of course! If you want just the bread with no glaze, you are welcome to omit it.

looking down on sliced lemon poppy seed bread

How To Serve Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

This bread isn’t a super sweet dessert type loaf, so it can be a great option for a snack with a cup of coffee or tea. You can serve for a quick breakfast along with Berry Fruit Salad or Orange Julius.

I personally like it served just slightly warm. So I will microwave a slice for about 20 seconds before eating. Up to you if you to decide what temperature you like it best.

More Quick Bread Recipes

Yield: 10

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

sliced lemon poppy seed brea close up

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread - a simple quick bread with tons of lemon flavor and a light lemon glaze. A delicious snack with a cup of coffee or an easy breakfast treat.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 whole large eggs
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup milk (any kind)
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest

Lemon Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease or line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl mix, together flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, oil, milk, lemon juice, lemon extract, and lemon zest until it’s well combined.
  4. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
  5. Pour into a loaf pan and bake for about 50-55 minutes, until a tester comes out mostly clean. Look for crumbs, but not batter, on the knife or toothpick you used for testing.
  6. Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Once bread is cool, prepare glaze by mixing powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and easy to drizzle. Add more sugar or lemon juice if necessary to get right consistency.
  8. Pour over bread and slice to serve.

Notes

I used Imperial Sugar in this recipe

Nutrition Information

Yield

10

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 323Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 39mgSodium 179mgCarbohydrates 55gFiber 1gSugar 32gProtein 5g

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a general guideline.

Did you make this recipe?

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Catalina

Monday 20th of February 2023

Love the flavors! This is my new favorite lemon bread!

Sandra

Sunday 19th of February 2023

I tried this bread and everyone enjoyed it!! I will definitely make it again!

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