We tested this blueberry bread recipe so many times to get it just right. The crumb is tender, perfectly sweet, and since we toss the blueberries with flour before stirring them into the batter, they should be scattered throughout the loaf (not just on the bottom). Add 10 extra blueberries to the top of the loaf before baking. Frozen berries are fine here, but keep them in the freezer until you plan to add them to the batter (so they don’t begin to thaw and tint your batter purple).
2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon for tossing with blueberries, spooned and leveled
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil, such as safflower or vegetable oil
¾ cup (150 g) dark brown sugar, packed
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (240 g) full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (8 ounces / 226 g) fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw), plus 10 more for the top
1 cup (113 g) confectioners’ sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 tablespoon whole milk, or more as needed
1Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
2In a large bowl, whisk the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until well blended.
3In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in the yogurt and vanilla until combined.
4Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Using a flexible spatula, fold the mixture until only a few streaks of flour remain.
5In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of flour until coated. Stir into the batter.
6Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter 10 more blueberries on top (they do not need to be floured). Bake until the loaf is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, 55 to 70 minutes. (If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.)
7Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift it onto a wire rack. Let cool completely before icing.
8Make the icing: In a medium bowl, stir the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, yogurt, and a tablespoon of milk until smooth. When you lift your spoon, it should fall slowly back as a ribbon. If it is too thick, add a teaspoon of extra milk to achieve the desired consistency.
9Spread the icing over the cooled bread, allowing some to drip down the sides. Slice and serve.