Favorite Sourdough Lemon Poppyseed Bread

Treat yourself to a slice of heaven with this incredible sourdough lemon poppyseed bread! This quick bread recipe strikes the perfect balance of tangy and sweet notes, with flavors that are accompanied by a soft, crumbly texture and moist interior.

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The bread so delicious I made it twice in one week.

Easy to make and so darn good, this bread has quickly made its way onto my list of favorite recipes!

It’s beautiful golden color has helped brighten up all these dreary winter days, and it definitely hits the spot, especially with a hot cup of tea.

Let’s make it!

Quick Recipe Snapshot

TOTAL TIME: About one hour, start to finish.
YIELD: One loaf will serve around 6-8, depending on the size of your slice.
STORAGE: If there are any leftovers hanging around (unlikely) store them in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
BEST SERVED: We love this bread the most when it’s still slightly warm from the oven. An extra drizzle or two of vanilla icing also never hurts 😉

Step by Step Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a loaf pan by spraying with nonstick spray (I like to use avocado oil spray).
2. Whisk the flour, poppy seeds, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light, about 2 minutes.
4. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Add the eggs, sourdough discard, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract, and beat on medium-high speed until combined.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined. Gently fold in the sour cream until just combined, being careful not to overmix. 
6. Pour/spread the batter evenly into prepared loaf pan. Bake the bread for 50 minutes to 1 hour, covering loosely with foil about halfway through to help the loaf bake evenly. Poke the center of the bread with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the bread is done. Keep in mind baking times will vary between ovens!
7. Cool bread completely in the pan set on a wire cooling rack. Drizzle with vanilla icing (next step) while the bread is still warm. The glaze seeps down into the warm bread this way, adding extra moisture. I highly recommend it!

How to Make Quick Vanilla Icing

Just like this recipe for sourdough discard coffee cake and cinnamon swirl banana bread, this lemon poppyseed sourdough loaf gets topped with a generous drizzle of vanilla icing (except we’ll substitute lemon juice for milk). It’s quick, easy to make, and makes the bread over the top delicious.

1. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2-3 tbsp lemon juice, and a small splash of vanilla extract.
2. Using a whisk, whisk together until smooth. The icing should be thick but pourable.
3. Drizzle over the bread while it’s still warm.

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Sourdough Lemon Poppyseed Bread

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 7 reviews

• Author: Rachael
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 8 people 1x

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Description

This sourdough lemon poppyseed bread is perfectly tangy and sweet, with flavors that are accompanied by a soft texture and moist interior.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Bread

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick softened butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup sourdough discard
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 3 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 whole lemon)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2–3 tbsp lemon juice
• Splash vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a loaf pan by spraying with nonstick spray (I like to use avocado oil spray).
2. Whisk the flour, poppy seeds, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light, about 2 minutes.
4. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Add the eggs, sourdough discard, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract, and beat on medium-high speed until combined.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined. Gently fold in the sour cream until just combined, being careful not to overmix. 
6. Pour/spread the batter evenly into prepared loaf pan. Bake the bread for 50 minutes to 1 hour, covering loosely with foil about halfway through to help the loaf bake evenly. Poke the center of the bread with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the bread is done. Keep in mind baking times will vary between ovens!
7. Cool bread completely in the pan set on a wire cooling rack. Drizzle with vanilla icing (next step) while the bread is still warm. The glaze seeps down into the warm bread this way, adding extra moisture. I highly recommend it!

Notes

Room temperature ingredients work best for the batter. To create a light and fluffy batter that mixes together well, I recommend using all room temperature ingredients.

I recommend using full fat sour cream in this recipe. You can substitute for plain Greek yogurt if needed, but the bread won't be as rich.

If you find the bread is browning too quickly in the oven, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil to prevent it from over browning.

Storage: This bread stores well at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to a week. Make sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for best results.

Freezing Instructions: Once baked, allow the bread to cool completely. Store in an airtight and freezer safe container to store for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving and top with vanilla icing, if desired.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Category: Bread Recipes, Breakfast Recipes
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Calories: 312
• Sugar: 41
• Sodium: 342
• Fat: 5
• Saturated Fat: 2
• Carbohydrates: 63
• Protein: 5
• Cholesterol: 50

If you loved this recipe for sourdough lemon poppyseed bread, make sure to come back and leave a comment and a 5 star rating! I would love to hear how this recipe turned out for you.

Rachael