• Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
• Grease and flour a loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat until blended.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a medium bowl, stir and toss together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Add to the butter mixture, along with the milk and lemon(or orange zest), and beat until blended and smooth.
• Optionally, stir in the pecans or the poppy seeds.
• Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
• Bake until a thin skewer inserted in the loaf center comes out clean, about 40-50 minutes.

Make The Lemon (Orange) Syrup:

• While the bread bakes, make the lemon(or orange) syrup by combining the sugar and lemon/orange juice in a small pan. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
• Remove the bread from the oven and, using a wooden skewer, gently poke it all the way to the bottom in several places. Stir the syrup, then slowly drizzle it over the hot bread.
• Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make The Candied Lemon or Orange Slices:

• Cut the lemon into 12 paper-thin slices using a mandoline or sharp knife. Discard the seeds and ends of the rind.
• Bring a saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and add the lemon slices. Stir until softened, about 1 minute. Drain the slices and immediately place them into an ice-water bath. Drain again and set aside.
• In a medium skillet, bring 1 cup of water and the sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once the liquid is clear and boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low.
• Add the lemon slices to the skillet. Simmer (but do not let it boil) until the rinds are translucent, about 1 hour.
• Transfer the lemon slices to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let them stand until they dry a little, then roll them in granulated sugar to give them a frosting look. Decorate the bread with the slices.