Poppy Seed Loaf with Dried Cranberries

My Dad and his lovely girlfriend treated me to a visit recently to celebrate my birthday last month. I am a bit late posting this recipe but certainly this loaf is worth waiting for. They stayed for a few days and the first day I prepared a vegetarian feast. Along with this bread, I made Nigerian Baked Beans, my famous Caesar Salad, baked potatoes served with sour cream and chives, and Jasmine rice with butter and fresh cracked black pepper. I like to cook and I love to treat my friends and family to my dishes. There is just no comparison between home-cooked meals and restaurant meals. When my family and friends are visiting or live in London, they are always invited to visit my vegetarian kitchen.

Moist, with a tart lemon flavor and a hint of sweetness, this easy-to-prepare poppy seed loaf will go well with most meals, or can be enjoyed for brunch, lunch, or as a late night snack.

Poppy Seed Loaf with Dried Cranberries

Recipe by Lisa Turner
Published on April 13, 2012

Moist with a tart lemon flavor and a hint of sweetness, this easy-to-prepare poppy seed loaf goes well with all kinds of meals

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Ingredients:

1/4 cup poppy seeds
3/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
juice of 1/2 lemon

2 cups spelt or unbleached white flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries

Instructions:

Combine the poppy seeds and milk in a small bowl and soak for 30 minutes.
Preheat an oven to 350° and grease a 9 × 5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar and 1 egg. Beat well with an electric hand mixture. Now add the other egg and lemon juice and beat until smooth. Stir in the poppy seeds and milk.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and dried berries and stir until combined. Transfer to the wet ingredients and stir until just moistened. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for ten minutes and remove from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 1 9-inch loaf