• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
TikTok

Jo Cooks

Simple - Easy - Comfort

  • All Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast
      • Appetizers
      • Lunch
      • Dinner
      • Desserts
      • Side Dishes
      • Soups
      • Salads
      • Sandwiches
      • Drinks/Cocktails
      • Sauces & Dressings
    • Method
      • Crockpot
      • Instant Pot
      • One Pot
      • Air Fryer
      • Casseroles
    • Season
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
    • Cuisine
      • Asian
      • Italian
      • Mexican
      • European
      • Indian
      • Romanian
      • Mediterranean
      • Middle Eastern
      • American
    • Ingredient
      • Chicken
      • Pork
      • Beef
      • Seafood
      • Lamb
      • Vegetarian
      • Pasta
      • Spices
    • Holiday
      • Christmas
      • Easter
      • Thanksgiving
      • Game Day
      • Valentine's Day
      • St. Patrick's Day
      • Cinco de Mayo
      • Mother's Day
      • Memorial Day
      • Father's Day
      • 4th Of July
      • Labor Day
      • Halloween
    • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
    • The Big Book of Jo’s Quick and Easy Meals
    • 30-Minute One-Pot Meals
  • Shop
  • About Jo
FREE recipe eBook!
Display Search Bar Search...
All Recipes
Instant Pot
30 Minute
One Pot Meals
Soups
Dips & Dressings
Baking
Pasta
Sandwiches
Sides
Breakfast Desserts Cakes Breads Quick Breads
4.4 from 57 votes

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

Jump to RecipePrintRate
By: Joanna Cismaru 73 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This delicious Lemon Poppy Seed Bread with Lemon Icing is incredibly moist and simple to make. All it takes is a few minutes to put together and in the oven it goes!

slices of lemon poppy seed loaf on a cooling rack

You guys, I promise you will love this amazing lemon poppy seed bread. I told you before I don’t usually like Starbucks, but when I do go there, there are 2 things I always get. It’s either a non-fat latte or my favorite, their lemon poppy seed bread.

But I guarantee you that my lemon poppy seed bread is way better and way cheaper than anything you can buy in a coffee shop! The best part? It’s so easy to whip together.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

We all love some Lemon Poppy Seed Bread not only for how insanely moist and tender it is, but also for that sweet citrusy note. We’re going to carry all that lemony goodness through to the icing dripping down the sides. I recommend making two pans of this treat, one for yourself, and another for everyone else because believe me you’ll be reluctant to share.

overhead shot of ingredients needed to make lemon poppy seed bread

Ingredients In Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
  • Flour – Just all purpose is all we need for this bread.
  • Poppy seeds – These little seeds are a source of antioxidants, fiber, and folic acid. I’ve added lots to this recipe so have fun with it!
  • Baking powder – The leavening agent we’re using in this bread to be sure it’s full of volume and tender.
  • Eggs – 3 entire eggs, lightly beaten.
  • Sugar – I used just white sugar for this dish as we want the flavor to be light and clean.
  • Vegetable oil – One of our key ingredients to achieve that moist tender texture.
  • Yogurt –  I decided to use Greek today, it gives the whole dish a delicious tang that lends itself well to the acidity of the lemon.
  • Lemon – Both the juice and the zest, this will ensure we can taste every ounce of that citrus.
  • Salt – Don’t let me catch you forgetting salt in your baking.
  • Milk – We want a batter that isn’t too thick. Feel free to use whichever kind of milk you please.
  • Vanilla – Vanilla is such a secret flavor booster in breads, cakes, and loaves.
Lemon Icing
  • Lemon – Freshly squeezed juice, believe me you won’t want to use the stuff in a bottle.
  • Sugar – Trust me powdered sugar is what you’ll want to use for this icing, otherwise you’ll find it grainy.
process shots showing how to make lemon poppy seed bread

How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Bread With Lemon Icing

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

  • Preheat your oven: Set it to 375 F degrees. Grease a bread pan in the meantime.
  • Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl mix the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt together.
  • Mix the wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk the rest of the bread ingredients together. Add the wet ingredients into the flour bowl and slowly stir just until fully incorporated.
  • Bake the Lemon Poppy Seed Bread: Pour the mixture into the prepared bread pan and bake for 45 min to 1 hour or until you insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.
  • Prepare the Lemon Icing: Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together, add more lemon juice or powdered sugar as necessary until you get the consistency you want.
  • Finish the dish: Wait for the bread to be completely cooled before drizzling liberally with icing. Slice up and enjoy!
icing a lemon poppy seed bread with lemon icing

Tips For Making The Best Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

  • I’ve found that they key to ensuring this bread stays nice and moist is really giving it some time to cool down on your counter. For the best loaf, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and allow to sit on your counter top overnight before icing and serving, that’s if you can wait that long.
  • Sometimes where you place your loaf pan in the oven can make a difference, some swear by baking their loaves near the top of the oven whereas some prefer the middle. Here’s a handy guide explaining the science behind rack placement. So play around and see what works best with your oven!
  • The best way to avoid a mess when glazing is to place the loaf on a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, clean up time will be cut in half!
overhead shot of lemon poppy seed bread iced with lemon icing on a cooling rack

Storing Leftover Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

Counter top

This lemon poppy seed bread will last about 1 to 2 days at normal room temperature. To maximize its shelf life though, cover it with foil or plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out and store it in the fridge. It should last about 1 week in the fridge when properly stored.

Freezer

If you’d prefer to store in the freezer, wrap the loaf tightly in aluminum foil before placing in a large ziploc bag, be sure to press out as much of the air in the bag as possible before sealing. This method will keep your loaf fresh for up to 4 months. To thaw you’ll want to keep it wrapped in foil as it thaws on your counter for up to 3 hours. Be sure not to glaze your bread before placing it in the freezer as it’ll become runny as it thaws.

overhead shot of slices of lemon poppy seed bread on a cooling rack

Craving More Lemon Cakes? Try These Delicious Recipes:

  • Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Loaf
  • Limoncello Lemon Cake
  • Old Fashioned Lemon Bread
  • Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake
  • Lemon Yogurt Cake
  • Lemon Orange Cake with Lemon Honey Glaze
  • Lemon Chiffon Cake
  • Lemon Magic Cake

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

side view shot of lemon poppy seed bread being drizzled with icing
Print
4.44 from 57 votes

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 50 minutes
Total 1 hour
Rate Recipe
This delicious Lemon Poppy Seed Bread with Lemon Icing is incredibly moist and simple to make. All it takes is a few minutes to put together and in the oven it goes!
12

Ingredients

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs (lightly beaten)
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (plain)
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

Lemon Icing

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed )
  • 2 cups powdered sugar (same as icing sugar or confectioners sugar)

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Grease a bread pan with butter or oil.
  • In a large bowl mix the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt together.
  • In another bowl, whisk the rest of the bread ingredients together. Add the wet ingredients into the flour bowl and slowly stir just until fully incorporated. Do not over mix.
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared bread pan, transfer to the oven and bake for 45 min to 1 hour or until you insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.
  • In the meantime whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together to make the glaze, add more lemon juice or powdered sugar as necessary until you get the consistency you want.
  • Cool the bread in the loaf pan for 5 minutes then remove the bread from the loaf pan and transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely. Let bread cool completely before drizzling with lemon icing.

Equipment

  • Loaf Pan 8.5 x 4.5 x 3 Inch

Notes

How do I store leftover bread: This lemon poppy seed bread will last about 1 to 2 days at normal room temperature. To maximize its shelf life though, cover it with foil or plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out and store it in the fridge. It should last about 1 week in the fridge when properly stored.
Can I freeze this bread: Yes, you can. If you’d prefer to store in the freezer, wrap the loaf tightly in aluminum foil before placing in a large ziploc bag, be sure to press out as much of the air in the bag as possible before sealing. This method will keep your loaf fresh for up to 4 months. To thaw you’ll want to keep it wrapped in foil as it thaws on your counter for up to 3 hours. Be sure not to glaze your bread before placing it in the freezer as it’ll become runny as it thaws.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 314kcal (16%)Carbohydrates: 49g (16%)Protein: 4g (8%)Fat: 11g (17%)Saturated Fat: 7g (44%)Cholesterol: 41mg (14%)Sodium: 120mg (5%)Potassium: 177mg (5%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 31g (34%)Vitamin A: 70IU (1%)Vitamin C: 3.5mg (4%)Calcium: 99mg (10%)Iron: 1.5mg (8%)
© Author Joanna Cismaru

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

side view shot of lemon poppy seed bread being drizzled with icing

Did You Make This?

We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @jocooks or hashtag #jocooks so we can see your creations!

Rate Recipe
Add Your Photo!
  • 397
  • 4
Home Cuisine American
Joanna Cismaru

Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More
iPad showing title of ebook 30 recipes from around the world
Subscribe

Get our FREE recipe eBook + weekly newsletter!

Loading

guest
Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.

guest
Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

73 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Laura MacDonald
Laura MacDonald
Posted: 1 year ago

I found 45 minutes too long, would try 40 next time 🙂 great flavours though! Yum!

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team AMJ
Jo Cooks Team AMJ
Reply to  Laura MacDonald
Posted: 1 year ago

Timing depends on the oven most of the time, so definitely try a shorter time next try and let us know how it turned out!

0
Reply
Rita
Rita
Posted: 2 years ago

5 stars
Delicious and simple to make!!

0
Reply
A VENKATACHALAM
A VENKATACHALAM
Posted: 2 years ago

Hi Jo,
Planning to make your recipe this week. I usually only use 1 egg in other loaf recipes that I make such as Orange Cranberry loaf, with similar proportions. Do you think I could use 1 egg here too and still have a good loaf? Considering that there’s yogurt and milk in the recipe here, getting a moist cake might not be a problem. Please let me know. Thanks.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  A VENKATACHALAM
Posted: 2 years ago

Yes you can do that, but I would skip the milk then since 1 large egg is equivalent to 1/4 cup.

0
Reply
Olivia Yacoub
Olivia Yacoub
Posted: 2 years ago

loved the recipe! So did the rest of my family. I added more zest and lemon juice and it was done baking at 40 mins. i also only made half the icing recipe and it was enough.

0
Reply
michelle
michelle
Posted: 2 years ago

I made this, this afternoon along with your lemon pasta. Guess I was on a lemon kick. Both turned out awesome. I cannot wait to try more of your recipes Jo.

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team
Jo Cooks Team
Reply to  michelle
Posted: 2 years ago

That’s fantastic! Let us know how your other cooking adventures go 🙂

0
Reply
Hannah Smit
Hannah Smit
Posted: 2 years ago

Can I use almond flour for this recipe and Truvia instead of sugar?

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team 2
Jo Cooks Team 2
Reply to  Hannah Smit
Posted: 2 years ago

Give it a try, absolutely!

0
Reply
Eboni
Eboni
Posted: 2 years ago

5 stars
I loved this recipe. It’s super easy and quick to make. I poked holes in my bread with a toothpick before pouring the icing on so a little would get down inside. Came out so well my mom couldn’t believe I made it from scratch.

1
Reply
Molly
Molly
Posted: 3 years ago

5 stars
This is amazing! I’m not even a fan of lemon poppy seed usually. I had poppy seeds from another recipe and decided to give this a try. It will go.into heavy rotation in my kitchen! I love loaves and this was a fantastic surprise! Thanks!

0
Reply
Elaine Sarmiento
Elaine Sarmiento
Posted: 3 years ago

Is the temperature really baked at 375 ?

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team
Jo Cooks Team
Reply to  Elaine Sarmiento
Posted: 3 years ago

Yes, 375F.

0
Reply
michelle
michelle
Reply to  Jo Cooks Team
Posted: 2 years ago

I cooked mine at 350 degrees as my oven runs hot. It turned out perfect.

0
Reply
Dorothy LaRue
Dorothy LaRue
Posted: 4 years ago

5 stars
LOVE it!!! I looked through tons of lemon poppy seed bread recipes before choosing yours. I love that it uses a lot less sugar than most, oil instead of butter, and also includes some yogurt. I made a double batch (4 mini loaves) for sharing this holiday season! I like it without glaze as a brunch/daytime treat, or with the glaze as a dessert. Thanks for sharing!

0
Reply
Daniella Heller
Daniella Heller
Posted: 4 years ago

One of my children is sensitive to dairy. Can i subtitue the yogurt eith something else?

0
Reply
Nicole Beaulieu
Nicole Beaulieu
Reply to  Daniella Heller
Posted: 4 years ago

Check out your local grocery store and see if they carry any dairy free yogurt. If not, you can use some coconut cream with a little bit more lemon juice.

0
Reply
Donnita Ackley
Donnita Ackley
Posted: 4 years ago

Your recipe looks wonderful and I’m looking forward to trying it. Lemon Poppy Seed is one of my favorite quick breads. I have a question regarding the pan size you used. Are they 8.5 X 4.5 or the larger 9 X 5 bread pans? Thank you!

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Donnita Ackley
Posted: 4 years ago

Hi Donnita! I have many loaf pans and I use them all. For this recipe though, I used these 12×4.5 inch loaf pans. A 9×5 is fine as well.

0
Reply
Meredith
Meredith
Posted: 4 years ago

5 stars
So I misread this recipe (I really shouldn’t try to bake before my morning coffee) and instead of adding 2 tablespoons of juice from one lemon, I added ALL the juice from TWO lemons. It’s magically delicious. I guess it proves that there is no such thing as too much lemon…😂. Thank; my family loved it.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Meredith
Posted: 4 years ago

There is no such thing as too much lemon, the more lemon the better. Glad you guys loved it!

0
Reply
Nana Toye
Nana Toye
Posted: 4 years ago

Is it okay to use bottled lemon juice and the lemon “zest” that is sold in the herbs/spices section or do you think fresh makes a significant difference?
Thanks.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Nana Toye
Posted: 4 years ago

I mean obviously you can, but personally I don’t prefer it because I always thought it has an artificial flavor so I would always recommend fresh lemon juice but yes you can, of course.

0
Reply
Nana Toye
Nana Toye
Reply to  Nana Toye
Posted: 4 years ago

5 stars
I did as you suggested and used real lemon juice and zest and am now waiting for the bread to cool. The aroma is out of this world, and I could eat the frosting all by itself right now!
Thank you!

0
Reply
Galia
Galia
Posted: 5 years ago

Amazing, incredible, delicious and easy to boot!!! Thank you so much, this is definitely a keeper! I doubled the recipe (knowing that my sister in law would love this) and baked it in 2 9″ loaf pans and they came out perfect!! Didn’t have any Greek yogurt so I substituted with plain yogurt… ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

0
Reply
Galia
Galia
Reply to  Galia
Posted: 5 years ago

4 stars
Also used parchment paper for easy cleanup ?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Galia
Posted: 5 years ago

Thank you! So glad you liked it, plain yogurt is just fine. 🙂

0
Reply

sidebar

Headshot of Joanna Cismaru

Hey there!

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More
Collage of recipe ebooks
Subscribe

Get our FREE recipe eBook + weekly newsletter!

Loading

Pasta Favorites

baked mac and cheese in a black cast iron skillet.
45 mins

Baked Mac And Cheese

freshly made crack chicken penne with a wooden spoon in a skillet.
40 mins

Crack Chicken Penne

chicken pot pie pasta in a white serving bowl with a wooden serving spoon.
50 mins

Chicken Pot Pie Pasta

freshly made one pot pasta in a dutch oven.
20 mins

One Pot Pasta

tomato spinach chicken pasta in a white bowl.
30 mins

Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta

homemade hamburger helper lasagna from scratch in a skillet.
30 mins

One Pot Hamburger Helper Lasagna

baked feta pasta in a white bowl garnished with fresh basil.
50 mins

Baked Feta Pasta (Tik Tok Pasta)

sideview shot of chicken fajita pasta in a white bowl with a fork inside
45 mins

Chicken Fajita Pasta

side close up shot of swedish meatball pasta in a beige braised garnished with parsley
30 mins

Swedish Meatball Pasta

overhead shot of a bowl of haluski
40 mins

Haluski (Cabbage and Noodles)

A stack of cookbooks
Grab a copy!

My Cookbooks

Order Now: Amazon | Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound | Books-A-Million

Dinner Favorites

smothered pork chops in a skillet garnished with parsley.
1 hr 15 mins

Smothered Pork Chops

a wooden spoon lifting a salisbury steak out of the skillet
30 mins

Salisbury Steak

beef lo mein in a black wok.
30 mins

Beef Lo Mein

side shot of beef and broccoli in a skillet
15 mins

Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

shepherd's pie in a skillet with a serving taken out of it.
1 hr 25 mins

Skillet Shepherd’s Pie

a serving spoon inside a skillet with chicken broccoli rice casserole.
30 mins

One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

side view shot of two italian stuffed peppers in a bowl
2 hrs 30 mins

Italian Stuffed Peppers

side view shot of a bowl with a scoop of spaghetti bolognese in it
40 mins

Spaghetti Bolognese

Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
TikTok
Visit our Other Site: Craving Home Cooked

Explore

Recipes
Cookbooks
About Jo
Contact

Legal

Privacy Policy
Accessibility
Disclaimers
© 2023 Jo Cooks
Site Credits
Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top
wpDiscuz