Almond Poppyseed Minis

This is a favorite recipe, especially at  Christmas.  I got it from Marsha Cook one year when she and her husband Russell taught a class for Deacons and their wives at our church in Oklahoma City.  Our deacons must've decided to invite the pastor and his wife, cause we were there!  Marsha had a wonderful pink book she taught from and in it were some very special recipes.  I still treasure my pink book.  Now probably 10 years later, Marsha and I live a few miles apart, go to church together, and minister in the same town.  

I love this bread recipe so much.  You could easily make it a lemon poppyseed bread by exchanging the almond extract for lemon extract, but I don't know why anyone would ever want to eliminate almond from anything - it's my favorite flavor - ever. 

A couple of Christmases ago I found this wonderful holly sprinkle mix that makes these little cakey breads perfection.  I make them in a mini loaf pan which to this day is my favorite wedding gift.  I can get 7 which is the only "urgh-ish" part of the recipe, but I can't bring myself to fill them more sparingly to stretch the batter to partly fill all 8.  I like them round and white on top.

These little loaves are wonderful gifts wrapped in cellophane and tied up with a bow and gift tag and they freeze beautifully.

Almond Poppyseed Bread

Marsha Cook

Mix all ingredients with mixer on medium speed until moistened well:

·         3 cups flour

·         2 ¼ cups sugar

·         1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

·         1 ½ teaspoons salt

·         1 Tablespoon (little less) poppy seeds

·         1 ½ teaspoons almond extract

·         1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

·         3 eggs

·         1 ½ cup milk

·         1 ¼ cup oil

Pour into 2 bread loaf pans sprayed with baking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. My mini-loaf pan takes 32 minutes.  Remove from oven and pour glaze over bread while it’s still in the pan.  Let set a few minutes, run a knife around the edges and turn out onto waxed paper to cool.  When I make the mini loaves, I put all 7 out on waxed paper first and then glaze.

Glaze:

·         2 cups powdered sugar (I shake mine through a mesh strainer)

·         1/3 cup milk (my preference) or orange juice (Marsha's original recipe)

·         1 teaspoon almond extract (you may add some vanilla too)