For the bread:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) Nellie’s Free Range Unsalted Butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large Nellie’s Free Range Eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Juice from 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
• Zest from 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 3/4 cup buttermilk (see notes)

For the icing:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 teaspoons milk
• Sliced lemons for garnish, optional

To make the bread:

• Preheat oven to 300F. Grease a 9” x 5” loaf pan with oil and line with a strip of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to lift out the bread.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together for 3 minutes, until it turns light yellow in color.
• Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Add the vanilla extract, lemon juice, lemon zest, sour cream and poppy seeds, and mix until thoroughly combined for about 1 minute.
• Keeping the mixer on low, blend in the buttermilk and flour mixture just until combined.
• Transfer batter to the prepared pan and bake for 70-80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

To make the icing:

• When the bread is cooled, combine confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a small mixing bowl.
• Slowly stir in the milk until you reach the desired consistency. The icing should be thick and not too runny.
• Spread icing over the cooled bread and let harden before serving.

Nellie’s Notes:

If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute 3/4 cup milk combined with 3/4 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice.