This tender Almond Poppy Seed Bread is a staple at our house around the holidays, but it’s really great any time of year. Sweet almond bread is dotted with poppy seeds and the loaves are drenched while hot from the oven in a delicious orange-almond glaze that sets into a thin, crackly topping you won’t be able to get enough of! It’s perfect for holiday gift plates, brunch spreads, or Sunday afternoons. You can bake is as full-sized loaves or mini loaves to suit your needs.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Bread
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Table salt
- Canola oil – Or any neutral-flavored oil of your choice.
- Eggs
- Milk or buttermilk
- Poppy seeds
- Vanilla extract
- Butter flavoring – Look for this on the baking aisle near the other extracts and flavorings.
- Almond extract
Glaze
- Granulated sugar – You can also use powdered sugar.
- Orange juice
- Vanilla extract
- Butter flavoring
- Almond flavoring
How to Make Almond Poppyseed Bread
- Grease loaf pans and set aside. Place flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine eggs, extracts, oil, and sugar, and beat for 2 minutes. Alternate adding in flour mixture and milk and then mix until just combined. Add poppyseeds and mix until just combined. Pour into prepared pans. Bake.
- When done, place on a cooling rack. While they are cooling, prepare the glaze. You’ll need some granulated sugar, orange juice, vanilla and almond extracts, and butter flavoring. Whisk together the glaze ingredients. When the loaves are cool, place them on a tray or baking sheet and drizzle the glaze evenly over the loaves. Allow to cool completely; the sugar in the glaze will form a delicious crust on the bread.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store finished bread, tightly covered, at room temperature and enjoy within 3 days for best results.
- If gifting, I would recommend delivering within a day of baking. If possible, try not to package these in cellophane until ready to deliver because after awhile, the moisture will condense in the bag and the glorious sugary crust on the bread will liquify and soak into the bread. Which, don’t get me wrong, tastes great, but the slightly-crispy texture on top of the soft bread may just be the best part.
Full-Sized or Mini Loaves?
- This recipe makes 2 large (8.5″ x 4.5″ or 9″ x 5″) loaves or 5 mini loaves.
- For gifting, I like using disposable bakeware. You can find disposable aluminum pans at any grocery store, or there are lots of cute paper baking pans available online or at craft stores, especially around the holidays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use this batter in other baking pans, like a Bundt pan or as muffins?
Definitely! You’ll just need to watch carefully and test with a toothpick for doneness. You don’t want to over or under bake this bread!
Can I use lemon instead of orange?
Sure. That sounds delicious! Since lemon juice isn’t as sweet as orange juice, you may find your glaze packs more of a punch.
Can I skip the glaze?
You can, but I don’t know why you’d want to. It really is the best part!
Almond Poppy Seed Bread
Tender almond bread is dotted with poppy seeds and covered in a deliciously crunchy orange-almond glaze.
Servings slices (2 standard loaves or 5 mini loaves)
Ingredients
Bread
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (390 g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 3 eggs
- 1 ⅛ cup canola oil
- 2 ½ cups white sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ teaspoon butter flavoring (optional) look for it near the vanilla and almond extracts
- 1 ½ teaspoon almond extract pure or imitation, both work great
- 1 ½ cup milk or buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Glaze
- ¾ cup white granulated sugar or powdered sugar
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon butter flavoring
- ½ teaspoon almond flavoring
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease 2 standard-size bread pans or 5 mini bread pans. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, oil, sugar, and extracts/flavorings and beat for 2 minutes.
- Alternate adding in flour mixture and milk and then mix until just combined. Add poppyseeds and mix until just combined.
- Pour into prepared pans (5 mini pans or 2 standard bread pans) and bake (35-40 minutes for mini pans, 1 hour for large pans; keep an eye on them). When done, place on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
- While cooling, prepare glaze by combining all glaze ingredients. Drizzle over loaves while still warm and allow to cool and harden.
Notes
- Store finished bread, tightly covered, at room temperature and enjoy within 3 days for best results.
- If gifting, I would recommend delivering within a day of baking. If possible, try not to package these in cellophane until ready to deliver because after awhile, the moisture will condense in the bag and the glorious sugary crust on the bread will liquify and soak into the bread. Which, don’t get me wrong, tastes great, but the slightly-crispy texture on top of the soft bread may just be the best part.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice (1/12 large loaf), Calories: 275kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 186mg, Potassium: 56mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 60IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 45mg, Iron: 1mg
Calories: 275kcal
Cost: $12
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Questions & Reviews
I made these yummy little cakes years ago and always had complements. My husband was asking for them and I realized I had lost my recipe. Thank you so much for posting it-I will be making them today!
A great place to get Butter extract is Olive Nation, but be warned, their site is like a candy store for bakers. So many REAL extracts in flavors you thought you’d never see. I found it looking for Butter Extract for this very recipe last fall. Their prices are very reasonable, shipping is quick and Customer Service is AH-mazing.
Oh and I upped the poppy seeds to 2 Tbsp. It’s my most popular holiday gift.
For some reason my bread is always super dark on the sides, but perfect on the top. Any suggestions? It still tastes great, but I wish it looked a little better.
Thanks
This sweet bread is soooooo good! I have made this recipe many, many times and everyone just loves it. I always double it and it freezes great with the glaze on it too!Thank you for a awesome recipe, it is super easy, moist and very tasty, and freezes great!
I’m a novice here, but this is really enticing me. What if I want to make one loaf; how would i split 3 eggs and 1-1/2 c and tsp of ingredients. Many of your recipes yield more than i need! Thanks, in advance, for the help
I agree. . the slightly-crispy texture on top IS the best part. . YUM!!
Made this tonight. Everyone loved it! Seriously, both loaves were gone in less than 20 minutes. Thanks for sharing.
This bread is amazing! Everyone I have given it too has raved about it as well. Thanks for sharing such a delicious recipe.
What are your thoughts on using buttermilk instead of milk?
Never tried it, but my thoughts are good to very good. 🙂
This is my absolute favorite recipe on your whole page.