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Poppy Seed Bread is a recipe I received from my Aunt Ruth. It’s a super moist bread to share with your loved ones and friends at Christmas and one of our favorites. And while it’s perfect to give as a Christmas food gift, you’ll want to save back a few loaves for your own enjoyment.
(Post modified on 11/30/23.)
We’ve been making this holiday quick bread for so many years I’ve lost count. Our holiday season would be missing something without this delicious bread. It makes several loaves, so you can give some away to family or friends, or freeze it tightly wrapped, to serve when you have last-minute company come to visit.
We love to serve it for a holiday tea party. It’s pretty with it’s sugared sprinkles and candied cherries. Flavored with orange, almond, and poppy seeds, it’s lovely with a pot of tea, perhaps Apricot Brandy, Margaret’s Hope First Flush Darjeeling, or Yunnan Golden Monkey Imperial.
More Holiday Quick Bread to Try
Ingredients to Make Poppy Seed Bread
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- poppy seed
- salt
- baking powder
- whole milk
- vegetable oil
- large eggs
- vanilla extract
- butter flavoring
- almond extract
Orange Glaze
- powdered sugar
- orange juice
- vanilla extract
- almond extract
- candied cherries
- red and green sugar sprinkles
Instructions to Make This Recipe
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand. Coat inside of baking pans with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, sugar, poppy seed, baking powder, and salt. Add in whole milk, vegetable oil, large eggs, vanilla extract, butter flavoring, and almond extract. Mix together until incorporated.
Pour into two prepared regular loaf pans or 4-6 mini loaf pans.
Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes until tops turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaves comes out clean.
To Make the Glaze
Using a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, orange juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Whisk together until smooth.
Drizzle glaze over the tops of loaves while warm. If the loaves are small enough, you might also dip the tops into the glaze, which is a bit faster to do.
I like to garnish the small loaves with halved candied cherries and sugar sprinkles. It just makes them seem more festive.
This recipe will make 2-6 loaves, depending on how big your loaf pans are. Enjoy this bread with a cup of hot tea for an enjoyable morning or afternoon snack. It works great for tea parties, too!
See more Quick Bread Recipes Here. View more Holiday Baking Ideas Here.
Poppy Seed Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/8 cups vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons butter flavoring
- 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
Glaze:
- 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- candied cherries halved
- red and green sugar sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand. Coat inside of baking pans with cooking spray.
Prepare the Bread Batter
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, sugar, poppy seed, baking powder, and salt. Add in whole milk, vegetable oil, large eggs, vanilla extract, butter flavoring, and almond extract. Mix together until incorporated.
- Pour into 2 prepared regular loaf pans or 4-6 mini loaf pans. Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes until tops turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaves comes out clean.
Make the Glaze
- Using a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, orange juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Whisk together until smooth.
- Drizzle glaze over the tops of loaves while warm. Garnish with halved candied cherries and sugar sprinkles. Makes 2 regular loaves or 6 mini loaves.
