Blueberry Lemon Loaf Cake
blueberries, lemons, cakes
Updated 28th February 2024
This Blueberry Lemon Loaf Cake is bursting with blueberries and lemon flavour. It is super moist, and soooo easy to make, and topped with a delicious lemon glaze. Did I mention how easy this lemon blueberry loaf is to make? No need to pull out your stand mixer for this recipe - it’s a simple bowl whisk and spatula kind of recipe. My personal favourite when it comes to a lemon blueberry loaf, bread or cake with the classic combination of tart, sweet, and bright flavors. Perfect for breakfast or dessert or a snack with your afternoon or evening coffee or tea.
Baking up a quick bread recipe or loaf cake recipe is always one of my favourite things to do when I want a quick and easy baking project. This blueberry lemon bread is really easy to make and doesn’t require you even pulling out the mixer. It’s an easy bowl and whisk recipe that I make often, especially when berries are on sale or in season and plentiful. You guys really love all my my lemony desserts on the blog like my lemon bundt cake and my lemon olive oil cake so I wanted to share a simple version of this classic blueberry loaf cake infused with lemon zest and lemon juice with a nice lemon flavor and bursting with blueberries.
Blueberry Lemon Loaf Cake Ingredients:
This tasty lemon loaf cake with blueberries is made with very basic ingredients but there are a few that can be easily substituted so I thought this recipe warranted a list of them so here are the basic components of this loaf cake with variations & substitutions:
- BLUEBERRIES: You can use fresh or frozen blueberries. I have used frozen blueberries in this bread many time. Frozen ones do not need to be thawed before adding them to the batter. Feel free to use another berry variety if you prefer - like chopped strawberries, or raspberries or blackberries.
- ALL PURPOSE FLOUR: feel free to use a really good quality 1-1 gluten free all purpose flour in place of it if you are making this recipe a gluten free one
- SALT & BAKING POWDER: Salt always balances the flavours and baking powder is for lift and leavening
- SUGAR: I use granulated sugar in this recipe and it adds just enough sweetness and moisture to the loaf
- EGGS: 3 large eggs is what you will need for this recipe and room temperature
- VANILLA EXTRACT: Add just a hint of warm flavour to every baked good
- GREEK YOGURT: You can replace this with regular yogurt or sour cream - ensure to take it out a few minutes before making cake so that it is room temperature
- VEGETABLE OIL: I love the flavour olive oil gives this cake. If you would like to use a milder flavoured oil you can replace it with a neutral vegetable oil you like if I’m out of olive oil I always use canola oil.
- LEMON ZEST & LEMON JUICE: Necessary ingredients when making a lemon blueberry loaf. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is always best for the best flavours.
How to make blueberry Lemon loaf cake
This truly is an easy lemon blueberry loaf cake recipe. All you need is a rectangular 9 x 5 loaf pan, a whisk, mixing bowl, a lemon zester and a metal sieve to help sift the dry ingredients (which is optional but recommended). Here are the simple steps involved in making this easy lemon blueberry cake:
- Infuse the sugar with lemon zest by RUBBING into the SUGAR with your fingers
- WHISK together the sugar zest mixture with the eggs and oil in a large mixing bowl until well combined - then whisk in the yoghurt, lemon juice and vanilla
- SIFT the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and then whisk until just incorporated.
- FOLD in the berries and then pour batter or spoon into prepared pan
- BAKE until golden and baked through
- Allow loaf cake to COOL then make glaze of using and pour or drizzle over cake.
- Slice and ENJOY!
Tips For Making The Best Lemon Blueberry Bread Recipe
- Toss your berries with a little flour as this helps them from sinking to the bottom of the batter.
- Ensure the oven is preheated to the right temperature before placing loaf in the oven. This will ensure that it bakes evenly.
- An average size lemon will provide you with about 3 tablespoons of lemon juice - you will need it for this this recipe for the cake and glaze.
- Do not over-mix the batter - a few streaks of flour remaining in batter if fine. Over mixing can effect the texture of cake.
- Be careful not to over bake. I tend to check my cakes 5-8 minutes before they are supposed to be done as listed in any recipe as oven temperatures vary and naturally that would mean so do baking times. When testing with toothpick or tester should be mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Sift the dry ingredients into the batter. This makes the dry ingredients easier to mix into other ingredients when forming a cake batter. It’s optional but recommended.
Lemon Blueberry Loaf Make Ahead, Storage & Freezing Instructions:
- MAKE AHEAD: This cake keeps exceptionally really well Store it well wrapped on the counter for up to 3-5 days. The yogurt and oil provide lots of moisture, so it can sit on your counter for a few days without any fear of it drying out. In fact, I actually prefer it on day two, once the texture softens even more.
- STORAGE: Once cooled store bread in sealed container. Loaf can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- FREEZING: To freeze loaf cake: Let the bread cool completely first. Then wrap in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil and then place in a freezer safe airtight container or ziploc bag for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator then allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
If you enjoyed this tasty blueberry Lemon loaf recipe, you will love these:
Recipe
Ingredients
For the loaf
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 medium size lemon)
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup vegetable oil (canola oil, olive oil or any neural vegetable oil)
- 1½ cup blueberries washed and dried
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour (for tossing berries in)
For the glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cream or milk
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease 9x5 inch loaf pan with baking spray or line with parchment paper and set aside.
- Toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of flour and set aside.
- In small bowl combine the lemon zest and sugar. Mix together with your fingers until zest is coated with sugar and sugar is infused.
- In large bowl add the sugar zest mixture and whisk in the eggs and the oil until well combined.
- Then whisk in the yoghurt, lemon juice and the vanilla.
- Sift the flour, salt and baking powder right into the wet ingredients then whisk until just combined. Do not overmix. It’s ok if there are still a few streaks of flour in the batter.
- Fold or gently stir in the blueberries until combined.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top of batter.
- Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until top is golden brown and tester comes out clean or with just a couple moist crumbs. Allow loaf to cool in pan for about 10 minutes then remove the bread from the pan and allow it to cool completely on rack.
- While bread is cooling make the glaze: In small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice and the cream until smooth. Add more sugar or more juice to obtain desired consistency.
- Drizzle glaze over the cooled loaf. Serve immediately or store bread in sealed container.
Recipe Notes
- Loaf can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- To freeze loaf cake: Let the bread cool completely first. Then wrap in plastic wrap, followed by foil and then place in a freezer safe airtight container or ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
