Orange Poppy Seed Bread with Vanilla Bean Glaze

Orange Poppy Seed Bread with Vanilla Bean Glaze is a new favorite in our house! It’s tender, flavorful, and comes together fast (in one bowl). Let’s face it, at the beginning of quarantine I was excited for extra time at home to make complicated meals or desserts I didn’t normally have time for, but now I’m all about simplicity. I want quick and easy food because everything else just seems so hard!!

This recipe is adapted from a recipe in the book Snacking Cakes (affl. link) by Yossy Arefi. This book was named 2020 cookbook of the year by Bon Appetit, New York Times, and others. I know we’ve loved everything we’ve tried from it. I highly recommend Orange Poppy Seed Bread with Vanilla Bean Glaze and this book!!

One Bowl

As I mentioned earlier, this bread can be made with just a whisk and a bowl. No sifting ingredients or complicated procedures, just pour and whisk!

Orange Zest

Another thing (besides the amazing flavor and texture) I love about Orange Poppy Seed Bread is there are no artificial flavors or colors. The orange flavor and color come from one orange, zested and juiced.

Whenever I’m using the peel of a citrus fruit, I like to try to use organic fruit if possible. If organic isn’t available, that’s totally fine one too. I’m a child of the 80’s and survived eating a lot of pesticides through the years – haha.

My favorite way to remove the zest of a citrus fruit (like an orange, lime, or lemon) is by using a microplane zester (affl. link). I’ve had this zester for about 10 years, it’s one of the best kitchen investments I’ve ever made. Zest can also be removed with the fine side of a cheese grater, with extra care to only remove the flavorful, orange part of the peel and to leave the bitter white part behind.

To the zest, add 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed juice.

The Batter

To the orange juice and zest, add the eggs and sugar and whisk until frothy.

Next add, the yogurt and oil and whisk until smooth. I haven’t mentioned yet how moist and tender yogurt makes this bread. I promise you’re going to love it!

Lastly, add the dry ingredients and whisk just until no lumps remain. No need to sift the dry ingredients first, jump dump them in. This bread is all about simplicity!

Bake until golden brown and cooked through.

Let cool thoroughly and pour with vanilla glaze.

I think this cake will become a new favorite of yours too!!

Orange Poppy Seed Bread with Vanilla Bean Glaze

*Adapted from a recipe in “Snacking Cakes” (affl. link) by Yossy Arefi*

Orange Poppy Seed Cake:
1 orange, zested and juiced (organic if possible)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

Vanilla Bean Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 350 and spray an 8 x 8” baking pan with cooking oil.

2) Zest the orange into a large bowl and measure 1/4 cup of juice.

3) Add the sugar and eggs to the zest and juice and whisk until foamy (about 1 minute). Add the yogurt and oil and whisk until smooth.

4) Add the dry ingredients (poppy seeds, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and flour) and whisk until well combined and completely smooth.

5) Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden brown and cooked through, 30-35 minutes.

6) Let the bread cool completely on a baking rack.

7) While the bread cools, make the vanilla bean glaze by combining the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla bean paste (or extract) until smooth. Spread the cooled bread with the glaze.

8) Let the glaze set up on the bread (about 10 minutes) and serve!

9) This bread stores covered, at room temperature, for up to 3 days.