Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

top-down view of lemon poppy seed cake with two slices cut off on a white ceramic cutting board, garnished with lemons next to a glass bowl with poppy seeds

4.94 from 33 votes

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread is studded with poppy seeds and topped with a lemon glaze! This easy lemon loaf cake recipe is so moist and tender and makes a great breakfast or dessert.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Baking

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Julia Foerster

Ingredients

For the Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsalted butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup lemon juice
¾ cup buttermilk see tips for substitution
2 tablespoon poppy seeds

For the Lemon Syrup:

¼ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoon powdered sugar

For the Lemon Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar sifted
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 teaspoon milk

Cups - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9x5-inch (or 8x4-inch) loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to lift out the cake.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, lemon zest, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using an electric mixer) cream the softened butter and sugar together at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
With the mixer running on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla extract and lemon juice. Beat on medium-high speed until combined.
With the mixer on low, add about one-third of the flour mixture and mix until almost combined, then add half the buttermilk and mix until just combined. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture and then the last half of the buttermilk, ending with the last third of the flour. Beat until just incorporated. Add poppy seeds and fold in with a spatula.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45–50 minutes until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out mostly clean with only a couple of moist crumbs. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours.
Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes in the pan. Stir together the lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar for the lemon syrup. Carefully transfer the cake to a cooling rack, then brush the syrup all over the cake while it’s still warm. Allow the cake to cool completely.
When the cake is cooled, make the icing. Start with adding 1 Tbsp lemon juice to the powdered sugar, then add as much milk as needed. The icing should be thick and not too runny. Spoon icing over cake and let harden before serving.

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