One of the most pungent flavors of summer is the sour brightness of a lemon. Not only are lemons reminiscient of the sunshine itself, but they provide such a layer of flavor that it is almost like the sun soaking into your skin on a summer day. I have loved lemons ever since my grandmother introduced them to me as a young girl. You may assume she introduced them to me in the form of a lemon meringue pie or lemonade or even lemon bars, but oh no, she introduced them to me cut up into slices as a snack themselves. That's right. My cousins and I grew up eating lemons for fun. I still love a good bite of a lemon. However, for most, that is a tad much so we stick to infusing delicious meals with the zest and juice of the yellow fruits.
As someone who is gluten-free, it can be a challenge to participate in devouring all the lemon finds in summer. Most lemon pastries, desserts, breadings, and even sauces contain gluten. Therefore, this summer, I have taken it upon myself to re-create as many lemon recipes as I can for my fellow gluten avoiders. However, I've also made sure that these recipes can be made using all-purpose flour, Panko breadcrumbs, and other gluten-y materials that others prefer. What can I say, I'm for the people.
This lemon poppyseed loaf took me a few tries, I must admit. However, once I finally figured it out, oh the joy. The flavor packed inside this loaf of bread is so bright and cheerful. It is somehow and savory all at once, it is warm and bright, and it provides the kind of comfort we all need on mornings when we have a day to face or during an afternoon slump or even toasty warm while we're curled up on the couch at night celebrating another day. This loaf encompasses what I think food should be: bites that take us away for a moment and remind us of slow summer days, full of sunshine, when we flourished.
Note: If you live in Kansas City, you should definitely adventure to Penzey's Spices in Downtown Overland Park and grab their poppyseeds and vanilla sugar for this recipe! The vanilla sugar is also good for almost any other food you consume as well.
Ingredients
- 2 good lemons (I prefer Meyer lemons for their sweetness)
- 2 and 1/3 cups gluten-free flour (Namaste flour is a great 1:1 substitute) or all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup melted and slightly cooled clarified butter or ghee
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1/4 cup soy or regular milk
- 1/4 cup poppyseeds (I prefer Penzey's Dutch Blue)
- 2 tablespoons Turbinado sugar or Penzey's Vanilla Sugar to finish (optional but not really because yum!)
Cooking
How to Prep:
- Set your eggs out because they'll need to come to room temperature
- Melt your clarified butter or ghee so it can cool a bit
How to Do It:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- Spray a loaf pan with nonstick spray or parchment paper
- In a bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt so that it is evenly incorporated
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar, butter, and the zest and juice from both lemons
- Beat in the eggs one at a time until the mixture is light and fluffy, looking almost like a lemon curd
- Add the flour mixture to the mixer, along with the milk and poppyseeds and mix on a low speed until it's all mixed together
- Transfer the batter to your pan and spread it out evenly
- Sprinkle the sugar on top and bake for 45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean (but be careful the top doesn't burn with the sugar!)
- Once the loaf is done baking, let it cool for 10 minutes and then enjoy at least one glorious, fresh, warm bite before wrapping in aluminum foil or putting in a resealable bag and in the fridge for 2 days, or freezer for up to 3 weeks
