Cooking Lesson #365: Orange-Poppy Seed Quick Bread with Orange-Vanilla Glaze

…from the California Kitchen

How you doin’? I love Quick Breads—don’t you? They certainly live up to their name. They're so quick and easy because they don't require yeast, kneading or extra time to proof. Instead of yeast, quick breads use instant leavenings like baking powder or baking soda (or both) to create the bubbles in the batter that makes the bread rise as it bakes. Muffins, pancakes, waffles, scones and biscuits are also considered quick-style breads.
 
Quick Breads are far more versatile than most other baked goods. They allow you greater freedom to add ingredients (like nuts and dried fruit) and make ingredient substitutions.
 
One of the great things about quick breads is that you can use the same batter to make all kind of things—loaves, muffins, coffeecakes, corn bread and Bundt cakes, however each size requires different baking times—and some may require different baking temperatures as well. The larger and thicker the loaf, the longer it's going to take to bake. So, if you're using a different size baking pan than your recipe calls for be sure to adjust the baking times accordingly.
 
This recipe comes from the brunch menu of the Palm Grill Restaurant in Burlingame, California. It was so popular we baked an additional 100 loaves each weekend to sell to be enjoyed outside the restaurant. The quick bread is tender, sweet and delicious every time!
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Bake time:  1 hour
Additional:  5 minutes for cooling
Yield:  2 9-inch loaves / about 24 slices
 
Ingredients
For the quick bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoons poppy seeds
1-1/2 teaspoons Fiori di Sicilia (see ChefSecret below)
 
1-1/3 cups vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1-1/2 cups whole milk
2-1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
 
For the glaze
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 cups confectioners' sugar
 
Directions
To make the cake

1. Preheat oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Spray or butter bottoms of two 9-inch loaf pans.
3. Line the bottom of the loaf pans with parchment.
4. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, poppy seeds, Fiori di Sicilia, oil, eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, almond extract and orange zest.
5. Pour into prepared pans.
6. Bake for one hour, until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
7. Cool for 5 minutes.

To make glaze

1. Mix orange juice, extracts, orange zest and poppy seeds.
2. Add enough confectioners' sugar to make glaze.
3. Poke holes in top of Quick Bread loaves and pour the glaze over.

ChefSecret:  If you don’t have Fiori di Sicilia, a fragrant citrus extract, you can make your own using 2 parts vanilla extract, 1 part lemon extract and 1 part orange extract.

Quip of the Day: “Be decisive! Right or wrong, make a decision. The road of life is paved with flat squirrels who couldn’t make a decision.”
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