This perfectly moist and fluffy Lemon Poppy Seed Bread is packed with zesty, lemony flavor. So easy to make, it’s the perfect breakfast, dessert, or tea-time treat.
Lemon Poppy Seed Bread Recipe
This lemon poppy seed loaf is one of my favorite quick-bread recipes to bake year-round. Super moist, it has a cake-like texture and is perfectly tangy with just the right amount of sweetness. It’s easy to bake (it takes just over an hour total), so it’s great to whip together and bring to a bake sale or dinner party. No need to hit a coffee shop for your morning pastry when you’ve got some slices of this sweet bread in your fridge!
How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 9×14 inch loaf pan with cooking spray or butter and set it aside.
Mix the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until fully combined, and set the bowl aside.
Add the sugar and lemon zest to an electric mixer and rub them together with your hands until the sugar becomes moist. Using the paddle attachment, mix in the butter on medium speed for approximately two minutes or until the butter is soft and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing between each egg. Then, add the vanilla extract.
Mix together the milk and sour cream in a small bowl.
Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture, alternating with half the milk mixture and one tablespoon of lemon juice, and mix everything until just combined. Repeat this process in three separate batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes. Tent the top of the pan with foil approximately 30 minutes into baking (being careful not to touch the loaf with the foil)–this will prevent the top from burning.
Bake until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the bread. Remove the loaf from the oven to cool for five minutes before inverting the pan onto a wire cooling rack and removing the lemon poppy seed bread. Finally, cut the loaf into slices and store any leftovers in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Serving Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
This lemon poppy seed bread is delicious for breakfast or brunch, as an easy on-the-go snack, or even dessert. Try it warmed in the toaster, oven, or microwave with a little butter or sweet jam.
Storage and Freezing
- Storage: Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- Freezing: To freeze, allow the bread to cool completely before wrapping it in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Transfer to the freezer for up to three months.
More Lemon Recipes to Try Next
- Lemon Raspberry Cookies
- Lemon Blueberry Thumbprint Cookies
- Baked Salmon with Lemon Butter
- Mahi Mahi Recipe with Lemon Garlic Sauce
- Lemon Bars
- Baked Salmon with Lemon Butter (20 minutes!)
If you try making this Lemon Poppy Seed Bread, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to read your thoughts and feedback!
Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
Ingredients
- 1⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest - from approximately 4 small lemons
- ½ cup unsalted butter - at room temperature, softened
- 3 large eggs - at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup sour cream - at room temperature
- ¼ cup milk - at room temperature
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray or butter a 9×4-inch loaf pan and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until fully combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the sugar and lemon zest and rub them together with your fingertips until the sugar becomes moist. Attach the paddle attachment and add the butter to the sugar mixture. Mix on medium until butter is soft and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes. If necessary, occasionally scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Mix in the eggs, one at a time, mixing between each addition. Add the vanilla and mix once more.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the room- temperature milk and sour cream.
- Finally, working in 3 separate batches and beginning and ending with the flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture, alternating with half the milk mixture and 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, mixing until just combined after each addition.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 45-55 minutes. To prevent the top from burning, tent the top with foil approximately 30 minutes into baking, being careful not to touch the loaf with the foil. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow the loaf to cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack and removing it from the pan.
- Cut the loaf into slices and store any remaining pieces in an air-tight container to maintain freshness.
Jessica’s Notes
- For best results, allow time for the wet ingredients (eggs, butter, sour cream, and milk) to come to room temperature before preparing the batter.
- When mixing together the ingredients, only mix until just combined. Over-mixing will heat the ingredients, something we want to avoid to get the fluffiest bread possible.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
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