Almond Poppyseed Bread

How has your summer been? Hot? Sunny? Full of trips to the lake or pool? Lots of eating ice cream out of the tub while no one's looking?
I hope so!

I've had a great summer. Super-duper-uber busy (which is why I haven't blogged in awhile...) and full of successes and fails, but great all the same.

Successes include learning how to say "go to the fingerprinting window" in Chinese, biking an hour to work in Taiwan's intense heat a few times, and surviving my trip to Japan (which was my first trip abroad in which only my sister--no grown ups--accompanied me, and which we planned ourselves).

Fails include making frosting with cornstarch instead of powdered sugar (sooo not tasty), milk not curdling during an attempt at homemade ricotta, going waaay past our bus stop resulting in a taxi ride, aaaand not writing any blogs.

All in all, it could have been worse.

But what's always a success is this poppyseed bread. It's a family recipe--we've been making it for years. Last summer I made it for dessert when some guests came over, and they were just amazed that 1) we served bread for dessert and 2) that it tasted so freaking fantastic!

I think what makes this poppyseed bread stand out is the combination of the almond extract in the bread and the orange juice in the glaze. It makes for such a surprising but tasty combo!

So, without further ado, here is the recipe for what is definitely one of the best poppyseed-filled foods I have ever eaten.

Almond Poppyseed Bread
Makes: 2 loaves

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup + 2 Tbs. canola oil
1 1/2 Tbs. poppy seeds

Glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tsp. melted butter

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and beat with an electric mixer on medium for 2 minutes, or until combined.
Pour into 2 greased small loaf pans.
Bake 1 hour at 350ºF.
Cool for 10 minutes in pans while making glaze.
Remove loaves to wire rack and pour glaze over loaves while still warm.