Delish Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

If sunshine had a loaf form and a lemon grove went through a phase, you’d get this: Delish Lemon Poppy Seed Bread. It’s bright, tender, and so lemony it politely slaps you awake. We’re talking a moist, velvety crumb from sour cream or yogurt, crunchy poppy bits that make your teeth do jazz hands, and a glossy lemon glaze that drips like it was staged for a rom-com montage. Why make it? Because it’s the loaf you bring to brunch when you want everyone to think you’re the chill person who “just whipped something up” and absolutely didn’t zest your fingertips in the process.

The first time I made this, my husband asked if it was a “muffin in a trench coat.” Then the loaf pan overflowed like a citrus volcano because yes, I used the cute pan—too small, obviously. The kids ate the caramelized edges like they were a new food group, and our dog stole an entire slice during a family debate about whether poppy seeds count as protein (they do not). Also, pro tip from me to me: zest the lemons before you juice them. Otherwise you’ll be scraping slippery lemon corpses across a microplane and questioning your life choices.

Time-Saving Hacks

– Line the pan with a parchment sling. Then you can yank the loaf out like a magician and pretend you didn’t butter anything.
– Melt the butter right in the loaf pan while the oven preheats. Pour it into the bowl, and hey, pan’s already greased. Morally gray? Absolutely.
– Use bottled lemon juice if you must—but add extra zest so your conscience can sleep at night.
– Microplane the zest straight over the sugar and rub it in with your fingers. Fancy people call it “infusing.” I call it aromatherapy.
– Measure dry ingredients right into the wet bowl. Dishes avoided: 2. Regrets: none.
– Bake as muffins if you’re impatient. 18–22 minutes and you feel like a productivity icon.

Serving Ideas

– With hot coffee: the adulting combo platter.
– With tea: for when you want to feel like a cozy British novel with fewer plot twists.
– With berries and yogurt: look at you, brunch influencer.
– With Prosecco: serve with wine if the kids drove you nuts. That’s just self-care with bubbles.
– Or slice straight from the loaf pan while standing at the counter. Plate optional, crumbs inevitable.

What to Serve It With

– Crispy bacon or sausage, because balance.
– Soft scrambled eggs with chives. Sounds fancy, takes five minutes, impresses in-laws.
– Fruit salad you “accidentally” doused in lemon syrup.
– A salty cheese board—brie, sharp cheddar, prosciutto. Sweet + salty = success.
– Afternoon pick-me-up with iced coffee and your inbox you will not open.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Do: Use room-temp eggs and dairy. The batter behaves; the loaf thanks you.
– Don’t: Overmix. Stir until flour streaks vanish, then drop the whisk and walk away.
– Do: Zest only the yellow; the white pith is bitter, like me before coffee.
– Don’t: Overfill the pan. Leave at least 3/4 inch at the top unless you enjoy lemon lava.
– Do: Check doneness at 45–50 minutes. A few moist crumbs on a tester is perfect.
– Don’t: Glaze on a blazing-hot loaf unless you want it to slide off like a tiny citrus landslide. Warm is fine; scorching is chaos.
– Pro move: If it’s browning too fast, tent with foil for the last 10–15 minutes.

✔Storage Tips

Store it in the fridge… if there’s any left. Cold midnight leftovers? Sometimes better than fresh.
– Airtight container: up to 5 days.
– Freeze slices wrapped in plastic then bagged: up to 2 months. To reheat, toast lightly or microwave 10–15 seconds.
– Glaze after thawing for the prettiest finish, or don’t and call it rustic. We love a personality loaf.

✔Variations and Substitutions

Swap whatever you want—sugar ↔ honey, soy sauce ↔ tamari, or skip steps and call it “deconstructed.” It still counts.
– Sour cream ↔ Greek yogurt: both make it plush.
– Butter ↔ neutral oil: butter = flavor, oil = extra moist. Choose your adventure.
– Almond extract: a tiny splash for bakery vibes.
– Lemon blueberry: fold in 1 cup berries tossed in a little flour.
– Orange poppy seed: swap lemon for orange and pretend it’s sunshine in loaf form.
– Gluten-free 1:1 flour works—add an extra tablespoon of milk if the batter looks thick.
– Dairy-free: use plant yogurt and oil; still dreamy.
– Extra crunch: sprinkle turbinado sugar on top before baking. Consider yourself fancy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Delish Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

Bright, tender lemon poppy seed bread with a zesty citrus glaze. Moist crumb, crunchy poppy seeds, and big lemon flavor in every slice.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 0.5 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ 2 tbsp poppy seeds
• ▢ 2 tbsp lemon zest from about 2 lemons
• ▢ 0.25 cup fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 0.5 cup unsalted butter, melted slightly cooled
• ▢ 0.5 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• ▢ 0.5 cup whole milk
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 0.25 tsp almond extract optional
• ▢ 1 cup powdered sugar for glaze
• ▢ 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice for glaze
• ▢ 1 tbsp milk for glaze, adjust as needed
• ▢ 0.5 tsp lemon zest for glaze, optional

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and line with a parchment sling for easy removal.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and granulated sugar until slightly frothy. Whisk in melted butter, sour cream, milk, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth.
• Add the lemon zest to the wet mixture and stir to combine.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently until just combined and no dry pockets remain. Do not overmix.
• Transfer batter to the prepared pan, smooth the top, and tap the pan once to release air bubbles.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Tent loosely with foil if browning too quickly.
• Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a wire rack.
• For the glaze: whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice and milk until smooth and pourable. Adjust with a few drops more milk if needed. Stir in lemon zest if using.
• Drizzle glaze over the cooled loaf. Let set for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

Notes

For extra lemon flavor, brush the warm loaf with 1.0 tbsp lemon juice mixed with 1.0 tbsp sugar before glazing. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week. Freezes well (without glaze) for up to 2 months.