Orange Poppy Seed Yogurt Loaf

Orange poppy seed yogurt loaf is light, perfectly moist, and loaded with zesty flavors. Quick and easy to make, it’s the perfect loaf for an afternoon tea!

This loaf recipe is the combination of my lemon poppy seed loaf and my French yogurt cake, two of my favorite cakes. On a busy weekday, I told my husband right after lunch that I was craving for some dessert. So we decided to take on a challenge: timing my husband making my yogurt cake recipe, aka the easiest cake on earth! I also filmed him, and along the way, we decided to add a few tweaks to the recipe. This orange poppy seed yogurt loaf was born!

To be honest, I was not even planning on sharing the recipe with you until I tried it. So moist, zesty and flavorful… I had to write down the proportions somewhere for next time! So then I thought: I might as well share it with you, so you too can bake this simple coffee cake!

Orange poppy seed yogurt loaf is…

• Super easy to make ✔
• Subtle and fragrant ✔
• Light and moist in texture ✔
• Butter-free (yogurt is lighter) ✔
• Great for breakfast or an afternoon tea ✔

The recipe ingredients

• Yogurt. I recommend plain, full-fat yogurt for this recipe. Greek yogurt works fine too.
• Sugar. The recipe is very lightly sweetened, to gently enhance the citrus flavors.
• All-purpose flour + baking powder. They act together to help the loaf rise.
• Vegetable oil. I recommend canola oil or rapeseed oil, because they have a neutral flavor.
• Orange. You will need the juice of approximately ½ orange (50-60 ml) and the zest of one whole orange.
• Poppy seed. Do not use more than indicated in the recipe instructions, it would make your loaf dense.

With or without glaze?

If you ask me, I think the loaf is just perfect as it is, plain, with a slightly crispy top that contrasts beautifully with the moist crumb. But there is no harm in adding an orange icing on top, as long as you let your loaf cool completely before glazing.

To make orange icing, whisk together 1 cup (120g) sifted confectioners’ sugar, 1 Tablespoon orange juice and 2 Tablespoons milk. If too thick, add 1 Tablespoon milk.

Recipe tips

• Prefer organic oranges. Because the recipe calls for the juice and the zest of an orange, try to use organic oranges, free from growth hormones, chemical herbicides and fungicides.
• Use a micro-plane zester to grate the peel off the orange.
• Use parchment paper. Let it overhang on both sides of the loaf pan. This will let you lift the cake out of the pan more easily.
• Check your loaf at ¾ the baking time. Last thing you want is having your loaf under-baked (with a runny center) or overbaked (and dry). Each oven is different, so keep an eye on it and do the toothpick test to check when your cake is done.
• Let cool completely. It might be tempting to slice and eat the loaf right away (trust me, I’ve been there!), but try to resist. A cool loaf yields neat slices and a perfect tender and moist crumb.

Storage instructions

Orange poppy seed yogurt loaf keeps best at room temperature, wrapped in plastic film. You can also slice it, and place the slices in the large ziploc bag. The loaf will keep up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature or 50 seconds in the microwave.

My favorite loaves include:

• Buttermilk Banana Bread
• Best Ever Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
• Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
• Orange Cranberry Pound Cake
• Lemon Olive Oil Loaf
• Lime Matcha Marble Pound Cake

Orange Poppy Seed Yogurt Loaf

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• Author: Delphine Fortin
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
• Category: Desserts

Orange poppy seed yogurt loaf is light, perfectly moist, and loaded with zesty flavors. Quick and easy to make, it’s the perfect loaf for an afternoon tea!

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Ingredients

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• ¾ cup (150g) sugar
• Zest of one orange
• ½ cup (120g) plain yogurt, full fat
• 3 large eggs
• ½ orange juice (¼ cup / 60 ml), freshly squeezed*
• ⅔ cup (150 ml) canola oil
• 1 ½ cup (210g) all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a loaf tin with parchment paper. Lightly oil the sides of the loaf pan, using a pastry brush.
2. In a large mixing bowl, rub sugar and orange zest, using a wooden spatula or your finger tips, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the yogurt, eggs, orange juice and canola oil. Whisk until combined.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder, then add to the large mixing bowl. Add the poppy seeds, and stir until well spread through and just combined.
4. Pour onto the loaf pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until baked through. When a toothpick inserted in its center comes out clean, the cake is ready. Let cool for a few minutes in the tin, then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely**.

Notes

* Make yourself a favor and use real orange in this recipe (not store-bought orange juice). The result is completely different!

** Optional icing. You can enjoy this loaf plain, or drizzle with an icing consisting of 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar, 1 Tablespoon orange juice and 2 Tablespoons milk. Whisk and drizzle over the loaf, making sure it is completely cooled first.

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Did you make this recipe?

Lastly, if you make this Orange Poppy Seed Yogurt Loaf, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!