Grandma Candace's Poppy seed bread

Tips for Success
Mini loaves bake a lot easier and a lot more evenly than traditional big ol’ bread pans.  If you are one of those people who can bake big loaves of bread evenly, well good for you, stop reading this post and go hang out with all those snobby ladies who think their special because they work at Williams and Sonoma.  The rest of us will stick to mini loaves.  Plus, if you eat one mini loaf, well it was mini, so it's not like you really ate anything.  But if you eat one loaf of regular bread, then you are a glutinous fiend and will have to hang your head in shame as you waddle down the street.
Ingredients
​Ingredients for Rolls
  • 2 1/4 cups of sugar
  • 1 1/8 cups of vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups of milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp poppyseed
  • 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp butter extract
  • 3 cups of flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Ingredients for Topping
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract

​    Preheat oven to 350
Directions
  1. Mix the first 7 ingredients.
  2. Add the flour and baking powder.
  3. Set out your 7-8 mini loaf pans, because you will be giving this stuff away.  If you don’t, you will gain about 15 pounds today.  
  4. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 33-35 minutes.
  5. While the bread is baking, mix the ingredients for the
    topping.
  6. Finally, brush the topping on the top of the bread while it is still hot.
Every Christmas, I remember baking poppy seed bread with my mom.  We would then drive around and give it to people as a Christmas gift.  Every time I smell the bread, I am reminded of her compassion, her goodness, and her giving Spirit.