Can You Improve this Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf?

[Shel_B]

Below is the first recipe I ever made, back in 1967. Over the years I've substituted buttermilk for regular milk, increased the lemon extract somewhat, and added the lemon and orange zest. I'd like improve this a bit ... perhaps make it a bit richer and maybe a little lighter, and possibly with a little more lemon punch. I do not want it sweeter, nor do I want a glaze.

How might an extra egg yolk work out? What about using some fresh lemon juice? Changing the flour to another type, like cake flour?

Shel’s Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf

(Makes one 4x7-inch loaf)

3/4 Cup Sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

½ cup buttermilk

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted & cooled

1½ TBS lemon extract (or more to taste)

1 Tbs lemon zest

1 Tbs orange zest

1½ cups all purpose flour (Or 1 cup AP & ½ cup whole wheat)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

3 TBS poppy seeds (more optional)

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Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease & flour 4x7-inch loaf pan. Combine sugar and eggs in a large bowl and beat until very light and fluffy. Slowly beat in milk. Add butter and lemon extract and blend well.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to sugar mixture with poppy seed and stir to blend. Turn batter into prepared pan. Bake until bread is golden and tester comes out clean, about 50 - 60 minutes.

[HungryC]

If you want lighter, then don't use whole wheat. But I do have additional suggestions:

--to get max flavor out of the zest, rub it into the sugar with a spoon until you can really smell the citrus oils.

--change the order of mixing (treat it like a pound cake): cream the (softened, not melted) butter and sugar together first, as with a pound cake. Beat the hell out of it--use a stand mixer and let it roll until the sugar is well on its way to dissolving and the butter noticeably lightens, then beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in part of the flour mixture and liquid in two or three alternating increments.

--make sure your eggs are at room temperature when added

--ditch the lemon extract and use a food-grade lemon oil like LorAnn and add a little vanilla extract, too

--in lieu of a glaze, but how about a lemon-juice soak? Brush the still-warm baked loaf with lemon juice; it will soften the upper crust and add a little zing.

This is one of those "plain" cakes where quality ingredients shine. Farm eggs, a flavorful butter, etc.

To take it into a different texture & flavor direction, substitute 1/2 cup almond flour for part of the wheat flour.

[Shel_B]

If you want lighter, then don't use whole wheat. But I do have additional suggestions:

--to get max flavor out of the zest, rub it into the sugar with a spoon until you can really smell the citrus oils.

--change the order of mixing (treat it like a pound cake): cream the (softened, not melted) butter and sugar together first, as with a pound cake. Beat the hell out of it--use a stand mixer and let it roll until the sugar is well on its way to dissolving and the butter noticeably lightens, then beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in part of the flour mixture and liquid in two or three alternating increments.

--make sure your eggs are at room temperature when added

--ditch the lemon extract and use a food-grade lemon oil like LorAnn and add a little vanilla extract, too

--in lieu of a glaze, but how about a lemon-juice soak? Brush the still-warm baked loaf with lemon juice; it will soften the upper crust and add a little zing.

This is one of those "plain" cakes where quality ingredients shine. Farm eggs, a flavorful butter, etc.

To take it into a different texture & flavor direction, substitute 1/2 cup almond flour for part of the wheat flour.

Never done some of these things before - not very experienced at baking.

So, how do I rub the zest into the sugar - just pile up some sugar in a bowl and mash in the zest with the back of a spoon?

The web site says the LorAnn oil is 3 - 4 times more intense than regular lemon extract. So, would I use 1/3 - 1/4 the amount of the LorAnn for approximately the same flavor, a little more for more intense flavor?

I like the idea of a lemon juice soak ... don't know why I never thought of it. Well, actually I do - I don't know squat about baking <LOL>

I was thinking about upping the butter quality from the usual "supermarket" butter to one of the premium butters - I like Kerrygold and it's easy to come by at TJ's.

Would an electric hand mixer work as well as a stand mixer? I don't have a stand mixer, although I could us my GF's if necessary.

Thanks so much for your suggestions!

Edited April 8, 2013 by Shel_B (log)

[HungryC]

RE: zest, yes, just use the back of a spoon to mash the zest into the sugar, over and over, until it becomes very fragrant.

RE: lemon oil, definitely reduce the amount. I just noticed that your original recipe calls for 1 1/2 T...that would be WAY too much oil. Try 1/8 tsp to start, or even less. Lemon oil is assertive and using too much can make things taste like cleaning products.

A hand mixer will work, it will just take longer. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go.

Other substitutions to consider: if you like tangy, then plain yogurt in place of the buttermilk will up the "tart" quotient, and sour cream will give you a richer, denser crumb.

[Shel_B]

Other substitutions to consider: if you like tangy, then plain yogurt in place of the buttermilk will up the "tart" quotient, and sour cream will give you a richer, denser crumb.

I generally have non-fat Greek yogurt on hand. Would that work alright in this case, or would a full-fat regular yogurt be a better choice? In either case, would I do the substitution measure for measure? Thanks!

[HungryC]

I substitute nonfat Greek for buttermilk and sour cream in baking recipes all the time. It works fine as a 1:1 substitution, though the resulting batters & doughs will be a bit stiffer than those made w/buttermilk. If the batter really feels too thick, add a tablespoon or two of milk.

I like this swap mainly because it reduces the fat of the baked good while introducing more protein. No, it's not a dramatic health makeover, but it's enough to make me feel better about my frequent baking habit.

I bake Dorie Greenspan's french yogurt cake, flavored with lemon zest, over and over again, and it convinced me that you can achieve nice texture with almond flour and yogurt. Here's her recipe: http://doriegreenspan.com/2011/04/o-magazine-bonding-through-baking.html#more but I usually bake the "Riveria" variation, made with almond flour, olive oil, and rosemary or mint: http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/19/the-bakers-apprentice-french-yogurt-cake/

Finally, if you're a curious but beginning baker, the best thing you could ever have is the King Arthur Flour Baker's Hotline telephone number: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/contact/ Real live humans answer the hotline, and they're all proficient bakers and owner/employees of King Arthur. You can ask questions from the downright dumb to the incredibly technical and they'll endeavor to help you out. It's a fantastic service.

[Shel_B]

Super Thanks! for all your help and advice, and the links to the yogurt cake. That looks good ... I'm thinking how I could give it a little "lemony lift." Maybe brushing on some lemon juice, as you suggested earlier. Maybe some more zest, or using a lemon infused oil.

I'll make the lemon poppy seed loaf for an upcoming potluck, and will start assembling the ingredients over the next week or so. How important is the brand of flour? So many people recommend King Arthur ... is it appreciably better than Trader Joe's or other supermarket brands?

[Ttogull]

I know next to nothing about baking, but a relative always added a bit of Bailey's Irish Cream to her lemon poppyseed. It was always a huge hit and the first to disappear at gatherings.

[HungryC]

Super Thanks! for all your help and advice, and the links to the yogurt cake. That looks good ... I'm thinking how I could give it a little "lemony lift." Maybe brushing on some lemon juice, as you suggested earlier. Maybe some more zest, or using a lemon infused oil.

I'll make the lemon poppy seed loaf for an upcoming potluck, and will start assembling the ingredients over the next week or so. How important is the brand of flour? So many people recommend King Arthur ... is it appreciably better than Trader Joe's or other supermarket brands?

KA is consistent, that's why I buy it. If it isn't readily available to you, I'm sure you'll have decent results with a national brand. Cakes are more forgiving than bread--all the eggs, fat, and flavorings make the recipes a bit more forgiving. (as opposed to just flour, water, yeast, salt)

ETA: you said no glaze, but what about a lemon crunch topping? Make flour/butter crumbs, spike with lemon zest and candied ginger, and sprinkle atop the loaf.

Edited April 8, 2013 by HungryC (log)

[Baselerd]

Adding a small amount of pureed preserved lemons might give a little more of a lemon kick.

[sigma]

Try separating the eggs, using the yolks in the first step, beating the whites and folding them into the batter before baking.

For more lemony, use more lemon zest.

[janeer]

Try separating the eggs, using the yolks in the first step, beating the whites and folding them into the batter before baking.

For more lemony, use more lemon zest.

This is my thought. AND get rid of the extract.

[heidih]

My first thought was "Why orange zest?" It seems that would muddle the lemon flavor. I agree with "extracting" the oil via the sugar - just in a little mortar and pestle - the zest & sugar pounded till it smells lovely. My personal preference would be to skip the oil as I think that starts to mask the poppyseed which I find to be a subtle nutty note. If you have the option readily available I would get some backyard or farmers market lemons that are plump & bursting with oils and keep it simple. Good luck!

[judiu]

Meyer lemons and the zest therefrom. Drool!

[Shel_B]

My first thought was "Why orange zest?" It seems that would muddle the lemon flavor. I agree with "extracting" the oil via the sugar - just in a little mortar and pestle - the zest & sugar pounded till it smells lovely. My personal preference would be to skip the oil as I think that starts to mask the poppyseed which I find to be a subtle nutty note. If you have the option readily available I would get some backyard or farmers market lemons that are plump & bursting with oils and keep it simple. Good luck!

A little orange zest adds quite a nice touch to this, and similar, loaves. Try it some time and see what you think. Mostly I use lemons from local trees - I'll be harvesting a bag of Meyer lemons later this week. My GF's neighbor has a prolific Eureka lemon tree. What I'd like to find is a nice Feminello lemon tree that I can get some fruit from ... have you ever tried Feminellos?

[HungryC]

I've had the feminello sfusato straight from the trees on the Amalfi coast....nothing better! Incredibly fragrant with mineral notes.

I have a big Meyer tree in my yard, and I don't like the zest much at all. The fruit is large and juicy, but the peel isn't esp oil rich. Going to plant a Santa teresita feminello next year.

[Shel_B]

I've had the feminello sfusato straight from the trees on the Amalfi coast....nothing better! Incredibly fragrant with mineral notes.

I have a big Meyer tree in my yard, and I don't like the zest much at all. The fruit is large and juicy, but the peel isn't esp oil rich. Going to plant a Santa teresita feminello next year.

I think we're in agreement here ...I've been disappointed with Meyer lemon zest often enough that I'm very selective about where I use it - likewise for the juice itself. I wish I had a yard where I could grow a feminello - wonder how they do in containers?

[Shel_B]

[...] then stir in part of the flour mixture and liquid in two or three alternating increments.

Hungry ...

When you say that, do you mean that the flour mixture and the milk should be stirred in separately, or that the combined flour mixture and liquid, together, should be added incrementally?

[HungryC]

[...] then stir in part of the flour mixture and liquid in two or three alternating increments.

Hungry ...

When you say that, do you mean that the flour mixture and the milk should be stirred in separately, or that the combined flour mixture and liquid, together, should be added incrementally?

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, stir to combine, add 1/3 of the liquid, stir to combine. Repeat until you've used all the flour and liquid. This keeps the mixture from developing lumps that would require vigorous stirring to mix in, thus keeping the cake tender by limiting gluten formation created through stirring.

[Shel_B]

Thanks for clarifying that.

I started gathering ingredients today and discovered that KA flour is about twice as expensive as the other brands on the shelf. That was an eye opener! Considering how much I bake, and how much flour I use, I'll probably stick with something less expensive. How long does flour stay useful, and what's the best way to store it?

Since I already had some lemon extract in the cupboard, I'll make one loaf using that while waiting for the lemon oil to arrive. Then I compare the results.

Haven't decided if I'll use yogurt or buttermilk ... it may be a last minute decision based on what's on the shelf when I shop for the butter.

Thanks for all your help ...

[HungryC]

I go thru 5 lbs of flour a week for much of the year, and it's all KA. I'll buy no-name-brand butter and yogurt and buttermilk, but I'm sticking with a quality flour. I'd prefer something local and freshly ground, but I'm not exactly in a wheat growing region, LOL.

[&roid]

Have you tried olive oil instead of the butter? I've recently made an orange olive oil cake which has an amazing texture/flavour.

[Shel_B]

Have you tried olive oil instead of the butter? I've recently made an orange olive oil cake which has an amazing texture/flavour.

Some years ago I had an olive oil cookbook, and in it there were recipes for cakes made with olive oil. Never tried making any, but now I might give it a whirl. I gave the book to a friend who still has it - perhaps I can borrow it back. Thanks for the thought. http://www.amazon.com/The-Olive-Cookbook-Louise-Pickford/dp/0831762578

Edited April 16, 2013 by Shel_B (log)

[Shel_B]

The loaf has to be made on Thursday, and it will be served on Saturday. I'm concerned that it might dry out a bit, lose its freshness, if left for two days. Would wrapping it in plastic wrap help, or might the loaf get "soggy" or lose its texture when wrapped in plastic. Any other suggestions for storage? Thanks!

[rlibkind]

Funny, I just made a lemon-poppyseed pound cake last weekend and it turned out great.

Used Cooks Illustrated recipe which calls for cake flour, and since its a pound cake there's no milk, but a half pound of butter. Melted. No lemon extract (but a little vanilla), with a little lemon juice in addition to zest. All ingredients (sugar, zest, juice, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, salt) except flour and poppy seeds mixed in food processor with melted butter drizzled in; flour sifted in traunches after transferring processed ingredients to large bowl, then poppy seeds folded in.

With a lemon juice-sugar glaze poured off baked pricked loaf, tons of lemon flavor. And cake had held up very well, no drying, for last three days wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. I'm no baker, but this was a cinch to make. Almost as easy as a mix. I put half the 5x9 loaf in freezer, and I suspect it should hold up well.