It’s the end of the semester which could only mean one thing: finals season has finally come. I’ve been stuck at home for the past week studying for this killer final today and the only time I got to leave my house was to go to the gym. It’s been so long, I’ve forgotten what the outside world is like.

But last night, I told myself enough was enough and I set out to the kitchen for a tiny little break.

I decided to make this simple almond poppy seed bread so I could use up the sour cream and buttermilk that was going to expire soon. But as I began to prep my ingredients, I noticed that the buttermilk had already expired the day before! Fortunate for me, I came across The Best Buttermilk Substitutions from Joy the Baker. Did you know that if you top 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice with skim, low-fat, or whole milk, your milk becomes acidic and curdled in just 2 minutes? It’s amazing, really.

So once my milk was curdled, I lugged out the mixer and got to work. It’s a quick and simple batter that takes less than 20 minutes to whip up and then bakes in the oven for about an hour so, making the house smell so wonderfully almond-y. You should let it cool a bit to make uniform, slices without it crumbling down on you but I had no patience and grabbed a piece like there was no tomorrow. Am I sorry that I couldn’t wait? Absolutely not. The bread was wonderfully light and airy and just melt-in-your-mouth delicious without too much sweetness. I also loved the almond flavor but next time, I might just add a bit of orange zest for some extra flavor. Yum!

Almond Poppy Seed Bread (adapted from The Kitchen Sink):

Yields 1 9-inch loaf

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 egg whites, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon almond extract
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1/4 sliced almonds, optional


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Beat in egg whites, buttermilk, sour cream and almond extract until well combined.

Gradually add flour mixture to the sugar mixture at low speed, beating just until incorporated.


Add the poppy seeds and gently toss to combine.


Pour the batter into the loaf pan; use a rubber spatula to smooth the top.

Sprinkle with sliced almonds, if using, using your fingertips to gently press the almonds into the batter.

Place into the oven and bake for 60 minutes, or until a tester comes out of the center clean.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.