Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf (Printable version)

A moist loaf with bright lemon zest, crunchy poppy seeds, and a tangy lemon glaze finish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - ⅔ cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 1 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
09 - ⅓ cup whole milk
10 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
11 - 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Lemon Glaze

13 - ¾ cup powdered sugar
14 - 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
04 - Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
05 - Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined (the mixture may look slightly curdled).
06 - Gradually fold in the dry ingredients until just combined—do not overmix.
07 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
08 - Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
09 - Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - For the glaze, whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the cooled loaf.
11 - Allow glaze to set, then slice and serve.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The crackly glaze sets into the perfect sweet-tart finish that keeps people coming back for slice after slice
  • Everything comes together in one bowl with minimal fuss, but the result looks like you spent all afternoon in the kitchen
02 -
  • The batter will look curdled when you add the lemon juice, and this is completely normal so do not panic
  • Overmixing once the flour is added will make the loaf tough, so stop as soon as you see no dry streaks
03 -
  • Zest your lemons before juicing them, as it's much easier to grate the skin when the fruit is whole
  • Room temperature ingredients blend together more smoothly, creating a more uniform texture in the finished loaf

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