With a zesty lemon flavor and just the right amount of sweetness, this Lemon Poppy Seed Bread is perfect for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon snack.
This Lemon Poppy Seed Bread is a bright, tender loaf bursting with fresh citrus flavor and a subtle nutty crunch from poppy seeds. The soft, moist loaf is infused with lemon zest and juice, creating a perfectly balanced sweetness with a hint of tang.
For more tart and tangy favorites, you have to check out my Classic Lemon Bars, Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, and Heavenly Lemon Cream Pie.
Table of Contents
Recipe Ingredients
Sour Cream – The sour cream makes the bread moist and delicious. You can use full-fat plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a similar texture.
Poppy Seeds – Adds in that classic speckled look and a subtle crunch.
Milk – I use 2%, but you can use any type of dairy milk.
For a full list of ingredients and amounts, see the recipe card below.
Variations
Whole Wheat Flour for Added Heft – Swap half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour to add a hint of nuttiness and extra fiber.
Honey for Extra Moistness – You can substitute part of the sugar with honey, which adds a floral sweetness and extra moisture. Use three-quarters of the sugar amount in honey and adjust the flour slightly.
How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Lightly spray (or butter and flour) an 8×4-inch loaf pan; set aside.
Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated.
Step 3: In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 4: In a small mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, milk, and lemon juice, mixing until smooth.
Step 5: With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients in three separate additions. Mix until a smooth batter forms.
Step 6: Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with sliced almonds (if desired). Place in the oven to bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Tent with foil halfway through to prevent over-browning. The loaf may look slightly moist in the center, especially in the crack, but as long as it’s mostly set (not runny), remove it and allow it to cool in the pan for 30 minutes before removing it from the pan and transferring to a wire rack. Poke holes all over the top of the bread using a cake tester or toothpick.
Step 7: To prepare the glaze, combine ingredients in a small saucepan set over medium heat. When the sugar has completely dissolved, pour over the cooled loaf, allowing it to drip over the edges and sides. Let it sit for 20 minutes to harden before serving.
FAQs
Yes, a hand mixer works well. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, then proceed with the recipe as usual.
Insert a toothpick into the center; if it comes out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs, it’s ready.
Storage Information
STORE Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Wrap slices individually in plastic wrap to FREEZE for up to 3 months.
Wrap in foil, place in a Ziploc bag, and thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before serving.
Lemon Poppy Seed Bread Recipe
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter - room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
For Lemon Glaze
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Lightly spray (or butter and flour) an 8×4-inch loaf pan; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated.
- In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, milk, and lemon juice, mixing until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients in three separate additions. Mix until a smooth batter forms.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with sliced almonds (if desired). Place in the oven to bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Tent with foil halfway through to prevent over-browning. The loaf may look slightly moist in the center, especially in the crack, but as long as it's mostly set (not runny), remove it and allow it to cool in the pan for 30 minutes before removing it from the pan and transferring to a wire rack. Poke holes all over the top of the bread using a cake tester or toothpick.
- To prepare the glaze, combine ingredients in a small saucepan set over medium heat. When the sugar has completely dissolved, pour over the cooled loaf, allowing it to drip over the edges and sides. Let it sit for 20 minutes to harden before serving.
I made this even though I was slightly skeptical as not many reviews.This is the best lemon poppyseed bread hands down!!!My kids finished it in one day!!!Those who haven’t tried this should definitely make this-Thankyou for giving me a delicious heavenly recipe ?
Has anyone tried to triple this recipe? Also, I’d prefer not to put the glaze on it. How does it taste without the glaze?
I don’t usually comment but this recipe is top hold. I followed it as written (even used 3 bowls and lived to tell the tale!) and didn’t need to tent. Made a brown butter and lemon simple syrup to drizzle onto/into the bread… which will probably taste more like cake just based on the delicious smell of my house. Nicely written, easy to follow, simple to produce and no doubt scrummy. Thanks for this. Cheers.
As a rule, I only try out recipes with a lot of ratings so I was a little skeptical about about trying out this recipe. But, it came out PERFECT. The lemon flavor was adequate and not too overpowering and overall the bread was springy and soft. I used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream but the results were still really good. Thanks for sharing!
Ummm, this recipe should be on a website called lifemadeunnecessarilycomplicated.com
Three bowls? Tent it halfway through baking? Come on people. I’ve been baking for 35 years and this recipe is unnecessarily complicated to the point of being silly.
You can definitely consolidate when it comes to the bowls, but tenting is necessary to prevent it from being overly brown on top. Sometimes new techniques yield better results. I’m all about being simple, but I also think that the method is important and I try to help my readers as much as possible so that the results are always perfect 🙂