Lemon Poppyseed Quick Bread

I love the simplicity of quick breads.  No rising time, no kneading, just mix all ingredients together and bake.  Simplicity at its best.  The fact that it is supposed to be 85 degrees here in Phoenix this weekend is both exciting and dreadful.  Exciting so I can actually wear my open toe shoes again but dreadful because it is only February which means our summer could be a total scorcher.  Anyway, the warmer temperatures just bring out the itch to bake!

With the spring temperatures and citrus trees in full bloom here, I wanted to fully utilize all of the delicious lemons that have been flooding the office breakroom.  Literally bowls overflowing with these gigantic beautiful lemons.  So many options, lemon bars, lemon chicken, lemon macarons (mmm that might have to be next!) but my husband loves lemon poppyseed bread so I knew I had to bake this for him.  He deserves it after all!

This bread is full of vibrant lemon flavor without any extracts or oils.  Fresh ingredients make a world of difference, especially when you are using citrus zest.  The sweet drippy glaze makes this bread irresistible.  While this was baking, my husband was patiently checking the baking time left and hovering over the loaf as it cooled.  It was a delicious accompaniment to our morning coffee and enjoying those quiet moments together before the kids woke up.

Take an hour this weekend to make this super simple and delicious quick bread.  I can guarantee you will not be disappointed!

Enjoy!

Quick Bread Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 Cup sugar
• 1/2 Cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 Cup buttermilk
• 1/4 Cup lemon juice
• Zest of 2 large lemons
• 2 Cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

 Glaze Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 °F.  Grease an 8×5-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil, and buttermilk until well combined.  Add in the lemon zest and lemon juice.

Add in the dry ingredients, whisking until just moistened.  Stir in the vanilla and poppy seeds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out with a moist crumb.

Check halfway through the baking process, if the top is browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil.

Remove from oven, cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out to a wire rack to cool completely.  Cooling for 10 minutes before trying to remove the bread from the pan is imperative so it does not fall apart in a crumbly mess.

For the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice.  Drizzle the glaze over the cooled quick bread before slicing.