Lemon Poppy Seed Quick Bread

This glazed lemon poppy seed quick bread is quick indeed. Its yummy flavors come from a combination of lemon zest, lemon juice, poppy seeds, and buttermilk, creating an irresistible bread that will leave you wanting more.

What makes this bread so quick?

Traditional bread recipes typically call for yeast. Even with fast-acting yeast, there is still the process of adding it to warm water and letting it sit for up to 15 minutes. With this bread recipe, you will use baking powder, which also has the ability to make baked goods rise rapidly.

And because we are skipping the yeast, this recipe also calls for a bit of baking soda to help with adding a bit more leavening.

4 Reasons to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Quick Bread

1. Flavor

If you are looking for a citrusy flavored snack, this is the bread to try. Although it has the zest and juice of the lemon, it’s still not over-powering or overly tart. The lemon flavor is perfectly balanced with the lemon glaze topping.

2. Perfect Texture

The overall texture of this bread can be found between the denseness of a pound cake and the fluffiness of a regular cake. There may be a little crumble to it, but it is compacted, soft, and moist.

3. Easy to Make

This recipe has a bit of everything – mixing, whisking, and combining but is much easier than most traditional bread recipes. Not to mention, you may already have the majority of the ingredients on hand so you can make it on the spur of the moment when that craving for lemon hits you.

4. Good Timing

Although this bread will cook for at least 45 minutes, there are other variations to help cut that down. You can make mini loaves and/or muffins for an even shorter cooking time.

Ingredients

Quick breads, like muffins and biscuits, require few ingredients. Similarly, this one only calls for a few pantry classics:

• Dry Ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.
• Wet Ingredients: buttermilk, lemon juice, and olive oil.
• Seasonings: sea salt, poppy seeds, and lemon zest.
• Other: large eggs.

Making the glaze only takes two ingredients: confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice.

How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Quick Bread

1. After preheating the oven and placing a piece of parchment paper into the loaf pan, combine the lemon zest and sugar in a small bowl. Spend a little time smashing the zest into the sugar both for releasing the lemon oils and to create a sand-like texture.
2. Whisk in the remaining wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients including the poppy seeds, then combine.
3. Pour the batter into the pan and bake.
4. Make the glaze topping and drizzle on top.

What to Serve with this Bread

Desserts like this poppy seed bread can be served with a variety of things. Most people opt in for a cup of coffee or tea, but you could also enjoy it with a nice cold glass of milk.

If you have leftover lemons, consider serving a piece with a fresh slice of lemon or two on the top (or side). Also, don’t hesitate to sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar on top.

It’s also the perfect treat for breakfast or in-between meal snack. To make it a full meal, serve with a scoop of Greek yogurt topped with granola.

LOOKING FOR MORE EASY BREAKFAST/BRUNCH IDEAS?

1. Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes – simply the best
2. Homemade Granola – a staple in my house!
3. Banana Bread – gluten free and better than the regular version

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