This tangy Lemon Poppy Seed Bread is perfect for lemon lovers! Every slice is moist and tender thanks to protein-rich Greek yogurt while generous amounts of fresh lemon juice and zest make this loaf extra lemony. Plus it's easily made by hand - no mixer required!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch loaf pan.
Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
Place lemon zest, yogurt, sugar, eggs, poppy seeds, oil, lemon juice, milk and vanilla extract in a large bowl and whisk until combined. Gently fold flour mixture into yogurt mixture until just combined. (Batter will look lumpy.)
Pour batter into pan and bake for 42 - 47 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
To make the syrup:
While the bread is baking, combine lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until sugar has dissolved.
Immediately pour warm syrup over hot bread after it has been removed from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan.
To make the glaze:
Once bread has cooled, whisk together 1 tablespoon of lemon juice with powdered sugar, adding more to achieve a smooth consistency. Drizzle glaze over top of bread. Slice and serve.
Notes
Ingredient tips:
Use whole milk plain Greek yogurt for best flavor.
Fresh lemon juice is a MUST in this recipe. Bottled juice does not have the same flavor.
Not a poppy seed fan? You can easily leave them out and this bread will still taste delicious.
Baking tips:
Metal pans are better for baking than glass pans as they do not retain their heat as long and possibly overbake the bread.
Check your bread five minutes before the recommended minimum baking time as oven temperatures vary. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. If your baked goods are consistently over or undercooked, consider buying an inexpensive oven thermometer to check your oven temperature.
Storage:
Loosely wrap bread and store on the counter for 1-2 days. If the bread is wrapped too tightly, the powdered sugar glaze will be absorbed into the bread. I like to slice my bread using a serrated knife and store it in a larger plastic container with a lidded top that is not completely sealed shut.