Moist Lemon Blueberry Bread

If you love lemon, then you are really going to enjoy this Lemon Blueberry Bread! It is so soft and moist with a delicate crumb texture. It's full of lemon flavour and just enough sweet juicy blueberries to balance it out. The tangy lemon glaze is a MUST! The cake itself isn't too sweet, so the glaze is literally "the icing on the cake!".

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Easy to make - this recipe is super simple to make with minimal steps.

• Fresh lemon - you'll need one or two lemons to make this recipe. The zest and some of the juice goes into the bread, and more juice is used for the glaze.

• Soft lemon loaf - this loaf has such a soft texture and even crumb.

• Tangy lemon glaze - the glaze is made from just lemon juice, icing sugar and a bit of milk for opacity. It is the perfect accent to this loaf!

• Blueberry bread - you can make this recipe with fresh or frozen blueberries, but check the tips below to make sure your frozen berries don't bleed into the batter.

INGREDIENTS

• All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour works great in this recipe, but if you have cake flour on hand, you can replace half all-purpose flour with cake flour and it will make an even more tender loaf. Adding too much flour is the most common mistake and leads to dry cake, so be sure to measure accurately using a scale or the spoon and sweep method.

• Unsalted butter - butter adds incredible flavour and helps build some structure during the creaming step for a fine crumb texture. Pull it out 2 hours before baking so it is softened to room temperature.

• Oil - this recipe has butter AND oil. Although I love all-butter cakes, oil makes this bread ultra moist since it is liquid at room temperature. Plus, with this intense lemon flavour, you won't miss the butter.

• Lemon zest - This recipe requires 1 large lemon or 2 small ones. The lemon juice goes in the loaf and in the glaze. The lemon zest provides majority of the wonderful lemon flavour in the batter itself.

• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will elevate and complement the lemon flavour. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.

• Sour cream - Use full fat sour cream or full fat plain yogurt to add tanginess to this recipe.

• Eggs - Two large eggs will add nice structure and help with the soft crumb in this lemon bread recipe.

• Blueberries - You can use fresh or frozen blueberries in this recipe, but beware that frozen berries tend to bleed too much into the batter. However, you can use them with a simple trick. Read below in the FAQ section to learn more.

• Icing sugar - You can sift it before making the glaze to ensure you have no lumps.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

This recipe is simple to prepare and you can make it with an electric hand mixer, although using a whisk with some vigorous beating will work too!

• STEP 1). Combine dry ingredients. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.

• STEP 2). Combine wet ingredients. Stir together sour cream, milk and lemon juice in a small bowl or jug until smooth.

• STEP 3). Beat butter and sugar. Place the soft butter, oil, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla in a large bowl and beat for about 3 minutes using an electric hand mixer until pale and creamy.

• STEP 4). Beat in eggs. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed..

• STEP 5). Add dry ingredients with liquid ingredients. Add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk mixture.

• STEP 6). Add blueberries. Very gently fold in blueberries with just 3 or 4 folds. Do not over-mix or the whole batter will turn blue if you are using frozen berries.

• STEP 7). BAKE. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and jiggle the pan to even it out instead of spreading. Poke a few extra blueberries on top into the batter. Bake for 45-55 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Transfer pan to a rack to cool 10 minutes. Lift the loaf from the pan and cool completely on the rack. This loaf can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

BAKING TIPS FOR MAKING LEMON BLUEBERRY BREAD

• Infuse the sugar with lemon flavour - to get the most out of your lemons, you can rub the sugar with the lemon zest first before beating with the butter and oil. The essential oils in the yellow zest will coat sugar crystals and carry all of that wonderful flavour through the batter!

• Do not reduce the sugar - the right amount of sugar will keep this lemon blueberry bread soft. It is already slightly less than most recipes which call for 1 cup.

• Sift the dry ingredients! In order to get a smooth batter and soft, light texture, it is important to break up any lumps in the flour.

• Do not over-mix. Just fold in the flour gently until well combined, but no need to mix vigorously. Just mix until no streaks of dry flour remain. Also, be gentle folding in the blueberries so that they don't bleed into the batter and turn it blue.

• Do not over-bake. This cake is ready when a skewer comes out clean and the crust is nicely golden.

RECIPE FAQ

Can I freeze this lemon blueberry bread?

Yes! I would recommend slicing it first, then place the slices in a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

How do I store this lemon blueberry bread?

Store this bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge to keep it for longer. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

What can I use as a substitute for sour cream?

If you don't have sour cream, you can make this lemon bread with full fat yogurt.

Can I use frozen blueberries in the batter?

Yes, you can use frozen berries! If you do, I’d recommend leaving them out at room temperature for 15 minutes in a strainer over a bowl. This will serve 2 purposes: it takes the icy chill off of the berries so the batter doesn't cool down so much that it affects the baking time, and it also will let go of some of the excess moisture.

If you love lemon, check out my other lemon recipes:

Moist Lemon Blueberry Bread

Christina Marsigliese

A soft and tender Lemon Blueberry Bread that's so moist with bold zesty lemon flavour and juicy blueberries.

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

  

Lemon batter:

• 1 ⅔ cups 235g all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup 75g unsalted butter softened
• ¼ cup 60ml sunflower oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• ¾ cup 150g granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon 5ml pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• ⅓ cup 80ml sour cream or yogurt
• ⅓ cup 80ml milk, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon 15ml lemon juice
• 1 cup 120g fresh or frozen blueberries plus extra for topping

Glaze:

• 1 cup 120g icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon 15ml lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon 15ml milk
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter the short sides of a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and line it with a piece of parchment paper, letting it hang over the long side.
• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.
• Stir together sour cream, milk and lemon juice in a small bowl or jug until smooth.
• Place the soft butter, oil, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla in a large bowl and beat for about 3 minutes using an electric hand mixer until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk mixture. Very gently fold in blueberries with just 3 or 4 folds. Do not over-mix or the whole batter will turn blue if you are using frozen berries.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and jiggle the pan to even it out instead of spreading. Poke a few extra blueberries on top into the batter. Bake for 45-55 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Transfer pan to a rack to cool 10 minutes. Lift the loaf from the pan and cool completely on the rack.
• To make the glaze, combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth. Spread over cooled cake and enjoy. This loaf can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.