Orange Poppy Seed Bread

 Bettie’s favorite quick bread has always been Lemon Poppy Seed. Well, she now has a new favorite. This Orange Poppy Seed Bread is really, really good. Easy to make as all quick breads are, it will be one of your new favorites also.

 If you can find them, Valencia Oranges will give you more juice than a Naval Orange. Our local Fareway store has them sometimes. Most are sold to large companies for orange juice. Sure wish I could buy them all year round.

 Do let the bread stand wrapped in plastic wrap overnight and it will be moist and slice neater. All quick breads are better this way. 

We had some sliced with butter, sliced with cream cheese, and just sliced and eaten plain. It was, according to my tasters, good all ways. I will make this many times. Thanks Taste of Home for a great recipe.

Poppy Seed Orange Bread

Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

3 cups all purpose flour

2 ¼ cups granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons poppy seeds

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 ½ cups milk

1 cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons grated orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9x5 loaf pans

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt. Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, orange zest, vanilla extract and almond extract; stir until dry ingredients are moistened.

 Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center come out clean. 

 A good check is to use an instant digital thermometer to test your bread. The temperature of the bread should be 200° when done.

 Cool in pans. In a saucepan bring glaze ingredients to a boil. Pour over bread in pans. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to finish cooling.

Glaze:

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup orange juice

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

½ teaspoon butter flavoring Optional