This glazed poppy seed bread is one of the simplest and most satisfying quick bread recipes. Light, tender, and studded with poppy seeds, it finishes with a bright orange-almond glaze that takes each bite over the top.
What Makes a Quick Bread a Quick Bread?
Quick breads use chemical leaveners such as baking powder or baking soda instead of yeast. They are called “quick” because the batter goes straight into the oven or pan after mixing—no rising time required.
I still laugh about the time I tried to squeeze the batter into fewer pans to save disposables—big mistake. The batters overflowed and I returned to find flames at the bottom of the oven. The loaves were ugly but still delicious, and I promptly made another batch the right way.
Can Glazed Poppy Seed Bread Be Frozen?
Yes. Wrap cooled loaves tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before glazing or serving.
The glaze combines butter, sugar, orange juice and a few extracts—almond and vanilla—and a tiny bit of butter flavoring if you like. Each contributes to the overall aroma and flavor, so don’t skip them.
When making the bread, treat the batter like muffin batter: mix until the ingredients are just combined. Overmixing develops gluten and leads to a heavier loaf instead of a light, tender crumb.
Follow the simple steps below to bake six mini loaves (or substitute two standard loaf pans). The recipe makes enough batter that using fewer pans risks overflow—trust the quantities for best results.
Glazed Poppy Seed Bread
The glaze is simple and bright: melted butter, sugar, orange juice and extracts whisked until smooth. Roll the warm loaves in the glaze so the sugar melts into the crust and the bread stays moist for gifting or serving.
Glazed Poppy Seed Bread
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 3 Large eggs
- 2 Cups sugar
- 1 1/4 Cup milk
- 1/4 Cup buttermilk
- 1 1/8 Cup canola oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons butter flavoring
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 Cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons poppy seeds (I often toss in 2)
For the Glaze
- 3/4 Cup sugar
- 1/4 Cup orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon butter flavoring
- 1/4 Cup melted unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Spray and dust with flour six mini loaf pans (add a little flour after spraying, turning the pan to coat sides and bottom).
- In a mixer bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, milk, buttermilk and oil until combined.
- Add the almond, butter and vanilla extracts and mix briefly.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and poppy seeds.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just incorporated—do not overmix.
- Pour evenly into six pans (sometimes I use five, but never four) and bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While the loaves are still warm, roll them in the glaze and return to the pans until ready to deliver or serve.
- Or simply wait until the kids are asleep and enjoy a slice yourself.
Glaze
- In an 8×8″ pan or pie pan, whisk together the sugar, orange juice, extracts and melted butter until smooth.
- Set aside and whisk again just before rolling the warm loaves in the glaze.
Notes
If you prefer not to use mini pans, you may bake this in two standard loaf pans. Adjust baking time as needed and check for doneness with a toothpick.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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