I don’t know if you remember the Starbucks glazed loaf recipe. It was available at Starbucks a long time ago. Now they only sell the regular lemon loaf, at least at the location near me. It’s pretty good but I really miss the poppy seed version! That’s why I love making a Starbucks lemon poppy seed loaf copycat recipe. Now I can enjoy a slice whenever I want! If you are a Starbucks baked goods fan and looking for a Starbucks copycat loaf recipe, this is a great one to test out. You will love this glazed lemon poppy seed bread!
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This Starbucks copycat loaf recipe is great with a mug of coffee, cup of tea or even a glass of iced tea. You can have it for breakfast or brunch, or make it for a special occasion. You could even double the recipe and treat your best friend to a loaf!
Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Bread Ingredients
This loaf is made in two parts. First there is the cake part and then the icing which is drizzled over the cake. The cake ingredients are largely, as you’d expect, flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and eggs. There is both lemon zest and lemon juice for flavour. Buttermilk and vanilla also add flavour to this cake.
Don’t skimp on the baking powder. If you do, the loaf might fall in the middle. For the icing on this glazed loaf recipe, I used powdered sugar, milk and lemon juice. Use fresh lemon juice if you have it.
How to Make this Glazed Loaf Recipe
You don’t need any special equipment to make a Starbucks lemon poppy seed loaf copycat recipe. You will need a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and an electric mixer. If you don’t have an electric mixer you could mix by hand. That would give you a good arm workout!
You need to beat all the ingredients together and then pour the resulting batter into a greased loaf pan. This glazed lemon poppy seed bread takes around an hour to bake. It might take closer to 45 minutes, depending on your oven.
The easiest way to tell whether this Starbucks lemon bread recipe is fully cooked is use a toothpick. Insert the toothpick into the center of the cake after 45 minutes of cooking. If it comes out clean, the cake is cooked through. If not, it needs a bit longer. Check the center of the bread the same way again before removing.
Let the cake cool completely on a wire cooling rack. You can make the icing during this time, but don’t add it until the cake has completely cooled down. The thick icing is drizzled over the cooled cake. Let it drip down the sides and set. This Starbucks lemon poppy seed loaf copycat recipe is then ready for slicing and eating! This is one of my favourite lemon poppy seed loaf recipes!
Tips for a Perfect Glazed Loaf Recipe
When you make this Starbucks lemon poppy seed loaf copycat recipe, you might want to use parchment paper. Let it overhang on both sides of the loaf pan. This will let you lift the cake out of the pan more easily.
Use sweet lemon juice from fresh lemons for the best lemon flavour and use a micro-plane zester to grate the peel off the lemon. Fresh lemon zest adds to the fresh lemon flavor. The butter should be softened. Let it come to room temperature before you start making this lemon cake recipe.
The glaze which is a simple lemon icing should be quite thick. When you make it, be careful not to add too much liquid at once. Else it will be too runny and won’t set nicely on the lemon poppy seed cake. Add about two-thirds of the lemon juice and milk, and mix them in. You can always add more if needed, but you might not need it all. The glaze should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Don’t be afraid to be generous when putting it on the top of the cake.
Although this loaf cake never lasts more than a couple of days in my house (yes it is THAT good!) it will keep for up to four days. Store it covered at room temperature in an airtight container or in plastic wrap. There is no way you will have Starbucks lemon poppy seed loaf copycat recipe leftovers though – it’s far too yummy for that. And I recommend thick slices!
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Variations
Are you making this moist lemon poppy seed bread for a special occasion? This lemon poppy seed loaf is already special, in my opinion, but there is one trick you can try. Swap the buttermilk for eggnog. That will taste amazing and make this the perfect glazed loaf recipe for Christmas or a special occasion. If you want to use buttermilk but don’t have any, mix 2/3 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into the milk and that will work at a pinch.
Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf FAQs
Don’t worry, it is supposed to crack down the center! This is a sign that your loaf cake expanded properly. The top of the loaf cooks and sets quicker than the center of it. As the center of the loaf cooks, air escapes out of the top creating a crack. If yours doesn’t really have a large crack down the center, that is okay too.
Just Like Starbucks Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Recipe
Just Like Starbucks Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
Ingredients
- 2 Cup flour
- 1 Cup sugar
- 3/4 Cup unsalted butter
- 2 Teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon baking soda
- 1/3 Teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 Cup lemon juice
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 3/4 Cup butter milk
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla
- 2 Tablespoon poppy seeds
Icing
- 1 Cup icing sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice fresh
- 2 Tablespoon milk or more if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set these dry ingredients aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together using an electric mixer at medium-high speed. Beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Beat the wet ingredients until incorporated.
- Add one-third of the flour mixture and mix until almost combined, then add half the buttermilk and mix until just combined. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture and then the last half of the buttermilk, ending with the last third of the flour. Beat until just combined.
- Add poppy seeds.
- Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- When the cake is done, let cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Carefully transfer the cake to a cooling rack. Allow cake to cool completely.
- For the icing, whisk the ingredients together until smooth. The icing should be thick and not too runny. Drizzle over cake.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
This Starbucks lemon poppy seed loaf copycat recipe is a real favourite of mine. It’s great knowing how to make it, since I don’t know when or if Starbucks will reintroduce it. It is extra moist and has a tender texture (not like a pound cake), making it perfect for afternoon tea. It also has just right amount of poppy seeds in it.
Let me know if you try to make this Starbucks lemon poppyseed loaf copycat recipe. It is super moist glazed loaf recipe that is VERY addictive! If you are a Starbucks baked goods fan and looking for Starbucks copycat loaf recipes, this is a great one to test out. You will love this glazed lemon poppy seed bread! Grab a cup of tea and happy baking!
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a storyteller, food lover, dog mom and adventure seeker living on the Pacific coast. She shares her passion for food, dogs, fitness, adventures, travel and philanthropy, in hopes of encouraging followers to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places and stand for a cause. Bella lives with Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease.
I remember this loaf and now they only have the unglazed version here too
Ouu, this sounds like such a great version of the Poppyseed loaf! I’ll have to give it a try.
This looks so yummy! I am very fond of any type of loaf, and I really wanted to learn the secret to making the perfect glaze. Thanks for the recipe.
This is one of my favorite treats at Starbucks. I’ll definitely be attempting to make this. 😋
I love Starbuck’s lemon loaf! Yummy!! Looks delicious!
I really love hacks like this coz you can actually feel like you’re in a cafe when in reality you’re just at home.
I really love hacks like this coz you can actually feel like you’re in a cafe when in reality you’re just at home which is great this pandemic.
You don’t have lemon zest on the ingredient list…how much do you need?
hi! I have been changing my recipes over to a different recipe card. This must have been missed. It is 1 Tablespoon and I updated the recipe. 🙂
Delicious! Just like I remember starbucks having 🙂
I doubled the recipe so I could make two minis to give to neighbours. This loaf is delicious. Moist and so lemony, which is what I want when I make a lemon loaf!
So good to hear it doubles. I had not tried for this recipe