Friday, January 29, 2010

Lemon Poppyseed Bread


From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Every generation develops recipes that catch the fancy of young women when they first begin to cook. Toll House cookies have been around for decades and they're as popular today as they were when I was 18. Other recipes have shorter life spans. Even the good ones can fall to the wayside because of sea changes in the way we live or what we think to be important. There was a time when tea breads enjoyed the same popularity as cookies, and young women strove to master their making. We have, however, become a nation of multi-taskers and afternoon tea, for most anyway, has become a quaint remembrance of a ritual now past. While recipes for quick breads abound, tea breads are becoming less common. I want to pass mine on to my daughters, and, so, I record it here. The one I finally settled on is at least 2 decades old and it was developed in the test kitchen that serves Land O' Lakes Creamery. The combination of lemon and poppyseed is one of those lovely marriages that sometimes occurs in the food world. I love this recipe because it keeps the poppyseeds under control. An awful lot of recipes overdo their use and the finished bread or cake ends up looking like it has a disease. Not so here. This is a lemon bread that happens to use poppyseeds in the batter. The use of a glaze is optional with this bread. I prefer to brush the warm bread with limoncello, but I've included instructions for a glaze should you want to use one. Here's the recipe for a mild and altogether lovely lemon tea bread. I hope you enjoy it.


Lemon Poppyseed Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons poppy seed
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup lemon yogurt
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
Optional glaze: 2 tablespoons limoncello or 3 tablespoons granulated sugar mixed with 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom only of 8x4-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
2) Combine flour, poppy seed, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
3) Combine sugar and butter in bowl of a stand mixer. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add yogurt, eggs, lemon peel and vanilla; mix well. Reduce speed to low. Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beating well after each addition, just until moistened.
4) Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove pan to a cooling rack. If desired, brush top of loaf with limoncello or lemon glaze. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely before serving. Bread ages well and benefits from overnight storage. Yield: 1 loaf or 12 servings.

This recipe is being linked to:
Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

48 comments :

The Muse said...

I am enchanted with your tender steps into history...your care and thought for the next generation...and the continuation of life's projects...to keep things alive...for those who come after us!

Mary Bergfeld said...

Muse, thank you for your kind words. They are appreciated.

DailyChef said...

Wow, this looks amazing. Poppyseed and lemon bread go so well together!

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Mary, this looks so good, and I think it is wonderful that you are passing on this special history and lovely bread to your daughters, recording it for posterity and for us as well. Thank you for always sharing, not only your recipes, but your wonderful stories with us as well. It's always a treat.

Happy Foodie Friday...

XO,

Sheila :-)

Tony said...

I loved your intro to this recipe. It seems that a lot of recipes just get dumped into the trash can and forgotten eventually due to changes in the way people go about their daily lives.

BTW, I absolutely love everything poppyseed. Great and extremely unique recipe as always.

Coleens Recipes said...

That is a PERFECT photo!! This looks moist and delicious. I think I'll try this over the weekend!!

Alessandra said...

Mary, you are unstoppable!

Zurin said...

Tq for the story n history...lovely ~ n the cake looks absolutely delicious!

Martha said...

Oh, yes, we don't do tea breads anymore do we? It is interesting how things come and go and your right -- tea breads no longer have the spotlight!

I love lemon and I love poppy seed -- in fact I used my lemon poppyseed muffin recipe to make madelines for lunch this week.

I will have to try your bread . . .

KathyB. said...

I love lemon-poppy-seed breads and muffins and this is a 'must-bake'!

♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ said...

Oh Mary,this is my must bake recipe....i love how u went regalling us about the afternoon tea-i love all my moms recipes so muc too and she's hanwriting a book for me muc to my excitement....i love to bake with her too and i would love to bake this with mom....
Ur a wonderful gal Mary and really love ya.....

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I have always had a soft spot for this loa. I like the addition of the lemon yogurt.

The Blonde Duck said...

That's so sweet. I wish we still had tea!

Allie and Pattie said...

Oh, how true. Another blogger and I were "talking" yesterday and lamenting the fact that today's young brides seem to be moving away from fine china, crystal, silver and other traditions and niceties that we grew up with-tea breads are surely among them. I love lemon poppyseed and will definitely try your version. Thank you for helping to pass down the niceties..
xoxo Pattie

Joan said...

Lovely recipe! I can't wait to try this one, too!

Schnitzel and the Trout said...

Mary, I remember this bread so well. It might have had sour cream instead of the lemon yogurt in it, but I will definitely try this. Love poppyseeds in anything. Lovely history to go along with it.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

I'm not much of a sweets eater but this cake is one of my favorites. How nice that you are passing on the history and this lovely bread. Your family is blessed to have you and I hope they know and appreciate it.

I hope your shoulder is getting better everyday. I'm thinking of you my friend.
Sam

pam said...

I love lemon poppyseed muffins, so this bread is a no-brainer!

Cathy said...

What a lovely tea bread, Mary, and brushing the baked bread with limoncello sounds delicious.

Wobegon Cottage said...

I do not have this recipe and it looks great so I will try it. I agree with over doing the poppyseeds. I am planning on teaching my grandaughter the art of high tea. She is only 5 months old now. It would be nice to have a collection of recipes to give her also. I might try with my 17-month old grandson but it would be like a bull in a china shop. He is enjoying a bit of baking with me.

Maggie said...

I come from a nation of tea drinkers and afternoon tea is very much a part of daily life for us here in Normandy, even if we just have a biscuit (cookie) with our afternoon cuppa.
I love lemon cakes but DH isn't a big fan, this recipe might be the one to please us both.
I'll try it soon.
Wishing you a wonderful fin de semaine.
~Maggie~

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

Lovely post and delicious bread!

Claudia said...

I love this bread! Only made more special because of its traditionand history.

surfingtheworldcuisine said...

It looks so moist and delicious! Lovely!

Country Wings in Phoenix said...

Oh Mary sweetie...
This looks absolutely devine. I am not a big fan of poppy seeds, however this one I may have to overcome them for. Love it. Love you for sharing it with me. The story is beautiful. I love it when you share.

How is your shoulder sweetie? Are you getting any relief with the Physical Theraphy? I am keeping you in my prayers sweetie.

Thank you for stopping by today, and I am so thrilled that my "Hands" inspired you.

Country hugs sweetie and so much love...Sherry

Karen said...

I haven't made this in years. It looks like the same recipe I have (used to have?) that uses yogurt.

George Gaston said...

Mary, your bread looks so moist and delicious. I have always liked poppyseed and this combination with lemon is perfect.

This is definitely going into my "must-make" file. Many thanks..

honeysuckle said...

I agree with some overdoing the poppy seeds. Just a hint of flavor, not bombarding us with imitation tastes either. This is probably perfectly devine. I will try it! Thanks for sharing it with us today. Loved your insight on it too.

Signing Out said...

Mary, that looks so good! I can almost smell it.

Jane

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

I have some limoncello that I made last year in the freezer. This beautiful bread sounds like a good reason to take it out :)

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

Slowing down for a few weeks? HA!

This recipe looks divine Mary. Wonderful photo!

:)
ButterYum

The Cooking Photographer said...

I love this post Mary. Your intro especially. I completely agree.

Unknown said...

Mary...such a lovely post. I love tea breads and lemon-poppy seed is my all-time favorite ;)

Blessings!
Gail

Shellbelle said...

Well Mary, finally a recipe I already have! When you said it came from Land O' Lakes, I figure I must have copied it from the inside of a butter container or it was in one of those many little cookbooks I used to send my boxtops in for. It has been a family favorite for more years than I can remember and is still requested by many. Yes, it is fabulous!

Joanne said...

Have you ever had Costco's lemon poppyseed muffins? They were my absolute favorite baked good growing up. I can't wait to make this cake to see if I can finally recreate it.

Arlene Delloro said...

I love lemon poppyseed bread. While I am a cookie monster, I do enjoy tea breads, though I know what you mean about their low profile in the food world. The addition of yogurt, plain or flavored, is a great way to increase the moistness of tea breads. I'll bet this one is superb.

Inspired by eRecipeCards said...

Welcome back, and a beautiful bread... hope you are feeling better

pigpigscorner said...

wow the texture looks amazing! Looks super moist!

Kristen said...

This is such a lovely bread. As a mother of mostly boys, I haven't had a tea party in years, but my little girl is almost old enough to appreciate the fun. Perhaps there is hope for the next generation to appreciate these breads yet.

Michele said...

What a fantastic looking bread! I would love to know what the difference is between a quick bread and a tea bread. If you have a chance, please email me. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

very yummy looking bread. i too enjoy the "history" - either general or in terms of your family - that you often post w/ the recipes. and you have me curious - what is the difference between a tea bread and a quick bread?

Mary Bergfeld said...

Anonymous, in point of fact both are quick breads, but a tea bread has a bit more moisture and is more like o muffin in loaf form. A tea bread will usually have a more delicate flavor as well.

Katy ~ said...

Grins...I just bought poppy seeds, not sure what I was going to do with them. Mary, this bread is just perfect. Glad to see these kinds of posts. Perhaps through you the tradition of teas can be brought back. Wouldn't that be lovely?

La Bella Cooks said...

I love the older recipes, even though some of them are so time consuming. I always use my great-great grandmother's recipe for biscotti and wouldn't do it any other way...even though it takes me forever! Your bread looks so moist!

My Slice of Heaven said...

Looks delicious Mary! As always, thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes.

Rattlebridge Farm said...

Lemon poppyseed muffins are a creativity booster around our house--hadn't thought outside the "pan," so to speak. Next time, I'll try a loaf. I loved this post.

~ ~ Ahrisha ~ ~ said...

Mary, You are a wonderful cook and if you post a recipe I can count on it being a winner. This cake looks so tender and moist I can't wait to try it.

Mary Bergfeld said...

Ahrisha, thank you so much for your very kind words. Have a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

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