By Sofia presented the quarterly numbers at a kitchen-table meeting that she calls a "board meeting" and that I call "dinner with a spreadsheet." Revenue is strong. Margins are healthy. The Anapra bakery is growing. The cookbook continues to sell (slowly, steadily, the way all good things sell — not in a rush but in a reliable trickle). The numbers are good. The good is the spreadsheet. The spreadsheet is the love.
When Sofia closed the laptop and the numbers were still good — still quietly, reliably good — I didn’t want to celebrate with something flashy. I wanted to bake. There’s a glazed poppy seed bread I come back to whenever the Anapra bakery feels like it’s doing what it was always supposed to do: grow slowly, steadily, the way all good things do. This loaf is the kitchen version of that spreadsheet — humble ingredients, honest results, and something sweet at the end.
Glazed Poppy Seed Bread
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 55 min | Total Time: 1 hr 10 min | Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- For the glaze:
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and poppy seeds until evenly combined.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, oil, and eggs until smooth and slightly pale, about 2 minutes. Stir in the buttermilk, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir gently until just combined — do not overmix. A few small lumps are fine.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden.
- Make the glaze. While the bread is still warm, whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract until smooth.
- Glaze and cool. Use a skewer or toothpick to poke small holes across the top of the warm loaf. Pour the glaze evenly over the top, letting it soak in slightly. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 215 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 31g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 145mg