Diners at Boulder’s hillside Flagstaff House Restaurant are sent home with a quickbread loaf for the next morning including Blueberry-Poppy Seed Loaves. The recipe comes from Chef Mark Monette’s mom, Carole Monette, who had it handed down from her mom.
Flagstaff House Blueberry-Poppy Seed Loaves
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
2 ½ cups sugar
Pinch of salt
1½ cups whole milk
3 large eggs
1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds
1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush four mini loaf pans (about 5 by 3 inches each) with vegetable oil. Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Beat the milk, 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil, the eggs, poppy seeds, and almond and vanilla extracts in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until combined. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until well combined. Fold the blueberries into the batter with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes. Transfer the pans to a rack and let cool about 10 minutes, then remove the cakes to the rack to cool completely. Makes four mini-loaves.