Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
Late winter, just before spring arrives, Myer lemons arrive in our stores. Myer lemons are a unique variety of citrus that are thought to be a cross between lemons and mandarin oranges. Myer lemons are smoother than regular lemons with a deep yellow skin and pulp.
Although Myer lemons are slightly acidic, they do not have the same tartness of regular lemons. I am a sucker for anything lemon flavored, and when I saw my first bag of Myer lemons in the store this year, I had to buy them.
Lemon loaf is one of my favorite sweets, so I decided to use my Myer lemons to bake a lemon poppy seed quick bread. Yogurt and oil are used in this recipe creating a very moist bread. Although I do not normally glaze my cakes or loaves, I thought a bright citrus flavored glaze would bring this dessert to a new level.
When baking anything lemon flavored, I like to use Fiori di Sicilia from King Arthur Flour. This extract is a flowery blend of lemon and vanilla. If you do not choose to use Fiori di Sicilia you can use half a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and half of a teaspoon of lemon extract.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cups All-purpose Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 1/2 Cup Sugar
- 1 Cup Greek Yogurt
- 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia (See Notes Above)
- 3 Large Eggs At Room Temperature
- 1 Large Myer Lemon, Zested And Juiced
- 2 Tablespoons Poppy Seeds
- 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with baking spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a second bowl, use an electric hand mixer to blend the sugar, yogurt, oil, extract, and eggs.
- Add half the lemon juice along with the zest and mix until blended.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir together with a wooden spoon until the flour mixture has been incorporated.
- Stir in the poppy seeds.
- Bake the loaf for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out cleanly.
- Cool for 10 minutes then remove from the pan and cool completely.
- To make the glaze, place the powdered sugar in a small bowl, and drizzle in the remaining lemon juice, whisking continuously until you reach your desired thickness.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaf and let sit until set.
