This poppy seed bread is the best ever, completely mouthwatering! An easy quick bread that bakes up melt-in-your-mouth tender, with the most amazing sweet citrus glaze!
This is my mom’s recipe for poppy seed bread and it is truly a family staple! I originally posted this on my site back in December of 2016, and have just updated the post and instructions slightly, and if you follow us on Facebook you will see our video for this recipe too!
I happen to love to eat this year round, but, we always have it at every family gathering during the holidays. It’s THE bread and everyone would complain if it didn’t appear at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and even New Year’s Eve! It is so soft and tender, with a decadent orange glaze. Truly, to die for!
How to Make Poppy Seed Bread:
- Start by preheating your oven and greasing two loaf pans. Note that if your loaf pans are non-stick you do not need to grease them.
- For this recipe, you will start by adding all of your dry ingredients to one large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer. Whisk the dry ingredients together for just about 30 seconds to combine.
- Next, you simply need to add your oil, eggs, milk, sugar, and extracts to the dry ingredients and mix together on low speed for 2 minutes until combined.
- You will use a spatula to fold the poppy seeds right in.
- Pour the batter evenly between the pans and bake for 1 hour in your preheated oven.
- Once the bread comes out of the oven, go ahead and mix up the glaze and pour over the warm bread.
- Allow the glazed bread to cool for at least 30 minutes before removing from the pan.
- You will want to allow this to cool completely before serving.
- IMPORTANT NOTE: This poppy seed bread has the best flavor when it is made ahead and then frozen! Once the bread is cooled, you may serve it right away. However, we wrap it in foil and freeze for 24 hours, then allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
If you absolutely love quick bread, be sure to try my Chocolate Chip Banana Bread too!
Best Ever Poppy Seed Bread
Ingredients
FOR THE BREAD:
- 3 Cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons baking powder
- 3 Large eggs
- 1 1/2 Cups milk
- 1 1/8 Cups vegetable oil
- 2 1/4 Cups sugar
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons almond extract
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons butter extract/flavoring
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
FOR THE GLAZE:
- 3/4 Cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 Cup orange juice
- 1/2 Teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 Teaspoon butter extract/flavoring
Instructions
FOR THE BREAD:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans with butter, or non-stick cooking spray.
- In bowl of stand mixer, or large bowl if using hand mixer, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. To the mixer/bowl add all of the rest of the ingredients, except poppy seeds. Mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Fold in poppy seeds.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pans and bake in preheated oven for one hour.
FOR THE GLAZE:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, sugar, almond, vanilla, and butter extracts.
- Pour glaze evenly over warm bread.
- Allow the bread to cool for at least 30 minutes before removing from the pan.
- Optional but for best flavor, wrap the cooled glazed bread in foil and freeze for 24 hours. Then, allow the bread to come to room temperature before serving. Bread can also be served immediately after cooling.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you’re looking for other tasty desserts try my Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins or Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake!
I am going to make this however I am going to freeze the other one and save for the holidays. Your comments said freeze 24 hours but I believe this can freeze for a few months. Take out night before to thaw.
I love this recipe! And so does everyone I give it to…I love to watch their eyes light up when they take their first bite💕 it is truly one of my Go-To recipes. Thank you for sharing this wonderful treat!
Do you put the glaze on before freezing or make fresh before you serve it?
Add the glaze before freezing
Can you freeze this for more than 24 hours. I would assume this is possible since when it’s frozen it’s frozen.
Yes, you can freeze it for several months 🙂
How is best to defrost this after it has been frozen for a length of time?
You can defrost on the counter or in the fridge, either works fine 🙂
A friend gave me this recipe over 30 years ago. It is delicious! I usually make it in smaller loaves to give as gifts. Give it a try. Very easy to make.
Yup! I’ve had this recipe for 30 years as well. My mom would make poppyseed cake when I was a child from a cooking show in TV. It is a takeoff from that around 65 years ago for me. It’s a classic that every good cook should make! ❤️
Bread was fantastic!!
I made this bread twice in one week….that would be four loaves…haha so yummy! And you are right, it is better after its been frozen and thawed….why is that? Would love to know the science behind it or is it just voodoo magic? Haha thanks for the recipe! It is a KEEPER
Live the name on your site. Very clever.
Just like my mom’s! Thank you!