Lemon Blueberry Bread
- PREP 15min
- COOK 65min
- TOTAL 1hrs 20min
This lemon blueberry bread is a reader request! It turns out rich, lemony, perfectly sweet, with lots of blueberries scattered throughout the loaf. Since we toss the blueberries with flour before stirring them into the batter, they should not all fall to 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).
You Will Need
- For the Lemon Blueberry Loaf
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 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
2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (240 g) full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (8 ounces / 226 g) fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw), plus 10 more for the top
- For the Lemon Icing
1 cup (113 g) confectioners’ sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more as needed
Directions
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, and salt until well blended.
3In a medium bowl, rub the lemon zest into the brown sugar and granulated sugar until fragrant. Whisk in the melted butter and oil 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 together the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, yogurt, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice 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 lemon juice to achieve the desired consistency.
9Spread the icing over the cooled bread, allowing some to drip down the sides. Slice and serve.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- This lasts for up to 3 days in an airtight container on the counter, or up to 1 week in the fridge. To freeze, double-wrap it in one layer of plastic wrap and one layer of aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 6 months.
- To measure flour, either weigh it or use the “spoon and level” method. Fluff the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level off the top with a flat edge.
- To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, add the cold eggs to a bowl of lukewarm water for a few minutes.
- The nutrition facts provided are estimates.