What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Here Come the Holidays: Double Lemon Poppyseed Bread! Everyone has their favorite flavors and foods that remind them of happier times. A good friend of mine recently lost her husband, after challenging years with a slow-progressing disease. When I stopped by to visit her with a gift of food, it created an unexpected see-saw of emotion. At first, she was happy and delighted because it brought back memories of early morning get-togethers for Bible study at a local coffee shop. We’d laugh, chat, share, or reflect on scripture over coffee and pastries before heading off to work. It was a wonderful way to begin the day, often shifting gears from a trying mindset to a positive outlook. The emotional see-saw tipped from high to low that day when she realized how uncertain her future has become in consequence of widowhood magnified by isolation during a pandemic. Let us strive to remember the Golden Rule: “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.”
DOUBLE LEMON POPPYSEED BREAD
Ingredients for Bread:
16.25-ounce box white cake mix
3.5-ounce vanilla flavored instant pudding, powdered
4 eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup hot water
1 tablespoon lemon citrus peel
2 tablespoons poppyseeds
Ingredients for Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 teaspoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons light cream, slightly warmed
Lemon zest, for garnish
White nonpareil sprinkles, for garnish
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Line two loaf pans with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine white cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, eggs, lemon juice, vegetable oil, and hot water. Beat on Low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl. Increase speed to Medium setting; beat 2 minutes longer. Fold in lemon citrus peel and poppyseeds. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans. Bake 35-40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool loaves in pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. To glaze, combine powdered sugar, softened butter, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Stir to blend. Slowly add the warmed cream, stirring constantly for a smooth consistency. Drizzle over Lemon Poppyseed Loaves. Garnish with lemon zest and nonpareil sprinkles.