These Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Loaves are light, moist, and full of lemon flavor. Perfect for the summer and to give as a home-made gift for that special someone!
**July 2017 Update!** This recipe was originally posted in June 2014. I decided that the photos desperately needed updating, so I reshot the recipe (but still kept the ingredient list and directions the same). I also kept the original post/story below that I wrote three summers ago!**
I have a confession to make. I have never been a fan of lemon recipes. Ever. Cakes, pies, cookies, you name it…lemon just wasn’t appealing to me.
Especially lemon meringue pies. Something about the texture of the actual pie and the meringue on top makes me recoil in disgust! Sorry to all you lemon meringue fans out there! I’m probably in the minority here. And you’re probably thinking two things right now: how in the world can you not like lemon? And why are you posting a lemon recipe?! Am I right?
Ok let me make a slight adjustment to what I just stated. I do enjoy lemon poppy seed muffins and more cakey-not-too-lemony type treats, but that’s about the extent of it. Make sense?
Anyways, I’ve been keeping this Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Loaves recipe from you for several weeks now. The reason? These loaves were just too good to part with!
Only kidding (but these are out-of-this-world delicious)! I actually made these Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Loaves for Mother’s Day, as a little treat for the hubster’s mom, my mom, and step-mom. I knew that my step-mom loved lemon, and figured that everyone else in the world (besides me) does too, so why not make something that both the moms and I would enjoy? Thus, enter these delicious bite-sized, mini loaves of lemon perfection!
And guess what? I actually devoured these Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Loaves! Well, the ones that the mothers’ didn’t receive, anyways. And the hubster adored these beauties, too. I mean, how could you not?
I love foods in mini form. There’s just something so eye appealing to me about mini desserts that make me want to snap pictures of them all day! And, now you’re thinking, weird Gayle, just weird! These mini loaves are full of lemon flavor, but not too-overpowering for those that don’t adore lemons. They also work perfectly as a home-made gift for that special someone.
The ingredients in these Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Loaves are fairly simple. In fact, you probably have most ingredients in your kitchen already (which is a huge bonus in my book). And to make these mini loaves on the lighter side, I used Greek yogurt in place of the oil in this recipe. So you can feel good about eating these.
If you don’t have a mini loaf pan, feel free to use a regular loaf pan, or even a muffin tin. But since I just bought a mini loaf pan a few weeks ago, I was eager to test mine out. Didn’t these mini loves turn out so cute? Ok back to the recipe! To start, you first want to mix your dry ingredients together. So into a bowl goes the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds and lemon zest. In another bowl, you’ll cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Then add the eggs, vanilla, yogurt and lemon juice. I used the juice of one lemon, which resulted in a mild lemon flavor. But if you want your loaves to have a more prominent lemon taste, feel free to add more.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix until just combined. Be careful not to over mix, otherwise your batter will become tough. And we want to be sure these mini loaves come out light and moist! Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan (or muffin tin), bake until golden brown on the edges, and let cool. While the loaves are cooling, prepare the glaze. Simply mix together the juice of one or two lemons and powdered sugar. Simple, right?
These Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Loaves turned out light, moist and delicious! I knew the moms would adore their mini cuteness and love the mild lemon flavor. I wrapped the loaves in decorative cellophane bags and delivered them on Mother’s Day. And guess what? They were a hit! The moms enjoyed the lemon flavor, enveloped in a moist and airy mini loaf.
So the next time you want to make something to give away, why not try these Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Loaves? I guarantee you’ll love the lemon flavor and will make them again and again!
Looking for more lemon dishes? I’ve got you covered!
- Roasted Asparagus and Peas with Lemon
- Frozen Strawberry Lemonade
- Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Blueberry Lemon French Toast Bake
Mini Lemon Poppy Seed Loaves
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- Zest 1 lemon
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- Juice of one lemon
Glaze:
- Juice of two lemons
- 5 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray mini loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds, and lemon zest. Stir thoroughly. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla, yogurt, and lemon juice. Mix until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.
- Pour batter into mini loaves, filling about ¾ full. Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes in loaf pan. Then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the glaze, stir together the lemon and powdered sugar until reaches desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled loaves.
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