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A bright, tender lemon poppy seed quick-bread with a soft cake-like texture, crunchy poppy seeds, and a tangy lemon glaze.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (200 grams) sugar
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1/2 cup (113 grams, 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (120 grams) buttermilk
  • 3 tablespoons (45 grams) lemon juice
  • 1 3/4 cups (220 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons (22 grams) poppy seeds
  • For the glaze:
  • 1/2 cup (50 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (15 grams) lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9″x5″ loaf pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
  2. Grate lemon zest directly into sugar in a small bowl, mixing thoroughly to release oils.
  3. In a stand mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment, cream lemon-infused sugar and softened butter until pale and fluffy.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on medium-high speed after each addition until combined.
  5. Pour in buttermilk and lemon juice, mix just until blended.
  6. In a separate large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  7. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds until just combined, scraping the bowl to incorporate any flour pockets.
  8. Fold poppy seeds into batter with a spatula evenly.
  9. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  10. While baking, whisk confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice together until smooth for glaze; set aside.
  11. Let loaf cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
  12. Brush warm loaf with lemon glaze, coating top and sides. Let cool completely before slicing and serving.

Notes

Grate lemon zest into sugar to release oils, enhancing lemon flavor., Creaming butter and sugar properly creates a lighter crumb., Use room-temperature ingredients., Do not overmix after adding flour to avoid tough texture., Check doneness by toothpick or internal temperature (200-205°F/93-96°C)., Spray pan well or line with parchment to prevent sticking., Brush glaze onto warm loaf for moisture and shine., Gluten-free, blueberry, almond, streusel topping, and yogurt substitutions possible., Store at room temperature for 2 days, refrigerated 4-5 days, or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://gingerbaking.com/lemon-poppy-seed-loaf-cake/