Lemon Poppy Seed Bread is a delicious easy quick bread recipe with a lemon cream cheese frosting! Every slice of this moist loaf delivers tangy lemon flavor and the perfect amount of sweetness.
Love lemon desserts? Try our lemon meringue pie for a classic slice of sweetness. Or give our lemon curd recipe a try, so easy and delicious!
Why this Lemon Bread is Best
I’m obsessed with Lemon right now. It all started with this copycat Starbuck’s Lemon bread recipe! Then came these lemon poppy seed muffins. Put them together and that’s how today’s Lemon Poppy Seed Bread recipe was born!
You’ll love this bread for it’s bursting citrus flavor. We used SEVEN lemons!
- Incredibly moist. Simple syrup is drizzled over the top of the baked bread!
- Fresh lemon glaze. Rich, tangy and sweet.
- Two loaves of freezer friendly bread. Eat one now, save one for later.
Zucchini also pairs nicely with lemon! Try our Lemon Zucchini Muffins or lemon zucchini bread.
Ingredient Notes
Lemon Poppy Seed Bread includes the usual quick bread ingredients like flour, sugar, butter and eggs. These other additions give it its unique flavor and consistency.
- Lemon. You will the zest for the bread batter and the juice for the syrup and glaze. Zest lemons before juicing to get the most juice! Grab some extra lemons to make our easy Lemon Chiffon Pie.
- Greek Yogurt. This adds tons of moisture to the bread that keeps it soft and springy! In testing, we found that vanilla Greek yogurt tasted best but you can use any kind of vanilla or plain yogurt with good results.
- Vanilla extract. Fragrant vanilla elevates the lemon flavor in this bread perfectly. We love using our homemade vanilla extract in this recipe.
- Poppy seeds. These tiny black seeds look so perfect speckled in the pale yellow bread!
- Cream cheese. Combined with powdered sugar and lemon juice, it creates a thick icing that makes the Lemon Poppy Seed Bread even better.
Easy Instructions
This Lemon Poppy Seed Bread recipe starts by mixing together a simple batter. The batter is divided into two loaf pans before baking to create a pair of perfect lemon loaves.
When the loaves come out of the oven, it’s time to make a lemon simple syrup. Poke holes all over the warm bread and pour the lemon syrup on top.
Let the bread cool while you beat together the ingredients for the lemon cream cheese frosting. Spread frosting over the cooled bread and let it set for a few minutes before slicing!
Tips and Tricks
- Frosting consistency. The thickness of the cream cheese glaze is determined by the amount of lemon juice you add. For a more pourable glaze, add more juice. If you prefer a spreadable consistency, use less.
- Cover with foil. Loosely cover the lemon poppy seed bread with foil during the last 20 – 30 minutes of baking. This keeps the top of the loaves from getting overdone while the center is still baking.
- Storing. Lemon Poppy Seed Bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. We like to store it in the refrigerator and enjoy it chilled!
- Freezing. Wrap up your second loaf in foil then slide it into a zip top bag to store in the freezer. Frozen Lemon Poppy Seed Bread stays good for up to 3 months.
- Cake. Try our Lemon Poppy Seed Cake next! Or give these easy lemon poppy seed scones a try soon. Of course you can never go wrong with lemon whoopie pies!
Recipe FAQs
You will need about 1 cup of lemon juice for this recipe. We needed to juice a full 7 lemons to get the right amount.
This guide to zesting and juicing lemons shows you our favorite ways to zest lemons for all kinds of lemon recipes, including this lemon poppyseed bread.
Yes, this recipe can be used to make muffins too. Read my Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins post to see how I make the muffin version of this moist lemon quick bread.
Remember to spray your loaf pans with baking spray before adding the batter. If you don’t have baking spray, use the inside of your butter wrapper to lightly grease the bottom and sides of the loaf pans.
More Easy Recipes
- This Lemon Crumb Cake is one of my favorite breakfast pastries! Have you tried it yet?
- Lemon Cheesecake: delicious cheesecake recipe with a homemade lemon curd on top!
- Strawberry Bread
- Lemon Biscotti: a sweet breakfast that is perfect dunked in your morning coffee!
- Our Lemon Cake is absolutely the best! Topped with lemon buttercream frosting and you’ll fall in love.
- Lemon Bars
Easy Bread Recipes
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Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 7 lemons zested and juiced (save the juice)
- 2 cups vanilla greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
For the Syrup
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup reserved lemon juice from your fresh lemons above
For the Glaze
- 4 ounce cream cheese softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ reserved lemon juice from your fresh lemons above
Instructions
- Zest and juice all the lemons first. You should have approximately 1 cup juice from your lemons. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine your flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl beat butter with sugar until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating until fully incorporated. Beat in lemon zest, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, vanilla extract, and poppy seeds.
- Beat in flour mixture and yogurt alternatively until fully combined (in about 3 additions).
- Pour batter into TWO 9×5-inch loaf pans that have been greased with baking spray. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 40 minutes. Cover loosely with foil and bake an additional 20-30 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven. In a small saucepan, whisk together the simple syrup ingredients over low heat. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Poke holes in lemon loaf using a toothpick. Pour syrup over loaves. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
- For the glaze, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and lemon juice. Add more or less lemon juice to get desired consistency. Pour over cooled bread. Allow to set (about 15 minutes). Slice and enjoy. Store in airtight container for up to 5 days. ENJOY!
Notes
- Frosting consistency. The thickness of the cream cheese glaze is determined by the amount of lemon juice you add. For a more pourable glaze, add more juice. If you prefer a spreadable consistency, use less.
- Cover with foil. Loosely cover the lemon poppy seed bread with foil during the last 20 – 30 minutes of baking. This keeps the top of the loaves from getting overdone while the center is still baking.
- Storing. Lemon Poppy Seed Bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. We like to store it in the refrigerator and enjoy it chilled!
- Freezing. Wrap up your second loaf in foil then slide it into a zip top bag to store in the freezer. Frozen Lemon Poppy Seed Bread stays good for up to 3 months.
Could You make this recipe in a Bundt pan?
Can I make this a gluten free bread ?
I have been using your recipts for loaf zuchinni loaf-lemon poppy seed loaf -double choc zuchinni loaf – blueberry strudel loaf – all have turned out the best and was able to share with my family who cant wait till next weeks suprise Thank you for the great recipes
You are my “go to person” for wonderful recipes. I love to cook, I love baking more, I’m baking today your Sour Cream Banana Bread. It’s a birthday gift to my brother-in-law tomorrow. And also a gift for us, I can’t wait! Just wanted to say Thank You, for all that you do. I appreciate you.
Thank you so much Peggy 🙂 Happy Birthday to your brother in law!
How much zest do you grate
Just made this.. it’s so good! Thanks for the recipe. Just wondering, should it be stored on the fridge, as it has cream cheese in the frosting?
I don’t, but I suppose maybe you should, haha!
Made these loaves for a pot luck tomorrow. I am hoping the glaze is okay. The above recipe says 1/4 reserved lemon juice. I assumed it meant 1/4 cup, so I am hoping it sets well.
Aren’t seven lemons a bit too much? If I don’t want the bread to be very sour, can I use less lemons for the recipe?
I guarantee this bread is not sour 🙂
I love lemon poppy seed. It would be dangerous to have this in the house. I want it though. Looks so delicious.
You can slice it up and freeze individual slices. Just sayin 🙂
Lemon desserts make me think of spring and I love that you glazed this! And that it makes two loaves, bake once, eat twice 🙂 Or more than twice…ha!
I think lemon desserts might just be the best thing ever. And what a sweet bread with no glaze?? 🙂
Poppy seeds is the best way to add texture to anything. And a lemon glaze? Delish. This sounds incredible!
Whenever I’m in a chocolate rut, I too always reach for lemons. In the springtime, lemony desserts are really on my mind 🙂 This bread looks delicious!
This is such a beautiful bread!! Especially loving that glaze on top 🙂
I think I’ve been on a PB and chocolate baking rut for, oh, 15 years now. 🙂 But I hear ya. This past week I bought a ton of limes and just baked them all into something or other. It was fun!
And this bread is great. Two loaves is better than one! Especially with thick happy glaze on top.
only 15 years? LOL!!! I have something with limes in my oven right now 🙂