Blueberry and Lemon Loaf
This juicy Blueberry and Lemon Loaf is packed with blueberries, zesty lemon, a crunchy topping, and a tangy glaze. It has a soft, moist texture and is ideal for brunch, dessert, or cozy treats.
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This Lemon and Blueberry Loaf will be a new favorite. Sweet blueberries, tangy lemon drizzle, and a tender yet resilient crumb make this loaf a comfort treat bursting with flavor. Finished with a golden crumble and a glossy lemon glaze, it's the kind of bake that's a crowd pleaser and great for any occasion.
What makes this loaf special? It's moist but not heavy, zesty yet not sour, and sweet without being overpowering. With the added richness of sour cream, the lift of fresh lemon juice and zest, and the crunch of a simple crumble topping for texture, this blueberry and lemon bread is a keeper.
Serve the blueberry and lemon loaf with brunch, pack it in a basket for a picnic, or enjoy a slice with your breakfast coffee; you can't go wrong. You may also enjoy these Easy Blueberry Pancakes and Lemon Layer Cake.
Why This Recipe Works
- This recipe includes lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice, along with lemon extract, optionally, to bring that citrus sparkle to the forefront.
- Sour cream is the secret ingredient. It maintains the loaf's softness and richness while cutting the lemon's acidity.
- Tossing the blueberries in flour ensures they are evenly distributed, allowing for a consistent fruity pop in every mouthful.
- The streusel topping adds texture and a hint of caramelized sweetness, while the lemon glaze adds a final zing.
Blueberry and Lemon Loaf Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Fresh lemon zest and juice: Don't omit the zest; it's full of essential oils with the most intense lemon flavor.
- Sour cream: Prevents the loaf from drying out and provides richness without making it overly dense.
- Milk: Use full-fat milk for this recipe. You can also replace it with plant-based milk.
- Blueberries: Fresh or frozen are fine. If using frozen, don't thaw-simply toss them in flour directly from the freezer.
- Oil: Use flavorless oil like vegetable or sunflower.
- Lemon glaze: A quick combination of lemon juice, melted butter, and powdered sugar is a tart, sweet glaze that seeps into the top of the loaf.
Tips and Substitutions
- Substitute the sour cream: If sour cream is unavailable, substitute it with plain full-fat Greek yogurt. Alternatively, if sour cream is unavailable, substitute it with plain full-fat Greek yogurt or buttermilk. You want to keep the batter as tangy and moist as possible.
- Add the blueberries: Flouring and tossing is not recommended, as it prevents them from falling to the bottom of the loaf.
- Allow the loaf to cool completely before glazing: As tempting as it may be, let it cool so the glaze doesn't melt and disappear.
- Add texture to the crumble: Need a little extra crunch? Experiment with adding chopped nuts such as almonds or pecans to the streusel.
- Topping: This loaf is topped with a crumble and lemon glaze but you can also top it with Creamy Lemon Ganache, Easy White Chocolate Ganache or Creamy White Chocolate Sauce.
How to Make Blueberry and Lemon Loaf
Step 1: Mix flour, sugar, and melted butter in a small bowl. Use your fingertips to rub all the ingredients together until they form a crumbly mixture. Set the mixture aside as you prepare the rest.
Step 2: Preheat your oven to 350°F (160°C) and grease a 9-inch loaf pan. You can also grease it or line it with parchment for easy removal.
Step 3: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. That's your starting dry mix done.
Step 4: Toss the blueberries in the flour until they are lightly coated. This will help prevent them from sinking.
Step 5: In a large mixing bowl, add sugar, lemon zest, oil and lemon extract and stir.
Step 6: Then mix in the egg.
Step 7: Squeeze in the lemon juice. Stir until smooth.
Step 8: Add the dry ingredients to the wet in three additions, folding gently after each one.
Step 9: Fold in the milk and sour cream just until the batter is well combined. Don't overmix.
Step 10: Add the blueberries and gently fold them into the batter.
Step 11: Pour the batter into the prepared tin, then evenly sprinkle the crumble over the top. Bake for 60-80 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 12: Allow the loaf to cool completely. Then, whisk together lemon juice, melted butter, and powdered sugar to create the glaze. Drizzle over the top, slice, and serve.
Step 13: Drizzle the lemon glaze evenly over the top of the loaf.
Serve this bright, buttery blueberry and lemon loaf for a weekend brunch or a cozy afternoon snack. You may also enjoy these delicious Lemon Meringue Bars and No-Bake Mixed Berry Cheesecake Tart.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can replace the flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking mix. Just be sure it contains xanthan gum for texture.
Definitely, just add them straight from the freezer and coat them in flour first to help prevent the color from spreading too much into the batter.
No problem, it's not necessary! The lemon juice and zest will still provide you with plenty of flavor.
Wrap it tightly in plastic or foil and store at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week. You can also freeze slices for up to 2 months.
More Delicious Sweet Treat Recipes
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Blueberry and Lemon Loaf
Equipment
- 9" loaf tin
- Parchment paper
- Whisk
- Measuring cups
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 lemon zest
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon of lemon extract optional
- 1 whole lemon juice
- ½ cup of sour cream
- 1 egg
- 1.5 cups of all-purpose flour sifted
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup of milk
- 2 cups of blueberries tossed in flour
Crumble
- ½ cup of flour
- ¼ cup of brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 3 tablespoons of melted butter
Glaze
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup of powdered sugar
Instructions
- First, prepare the crumble topping. Rub the flour, butter and sugar together in a bowl with your fingertips until the mixture is crumbly and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 160C fan/175C/350F and line and grease a 9" loaf tin.
- Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Whisk well and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, toss the blueberries in ¼ cup of flour, make sure they are fully coated and set aside.
- Add sugar, lemon zest, oil and lemon extract to a large bowl and stir until combined.
- Next, add the egg to the mixture, along with the lemon juice, and stir until well combined.
- Add ⅓ of the dry mixture to the egg mixture and stir until just combined. Repeat this step with the remaining dry ingredients.
- Next, add the milk and sour cream to the mixture and gently fold until well combined.
- Then, add the flour-coated blueberries to the mix.
- Pour the mixture into a lined loaf tin and sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 60-80 minutes.
- Once done, remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
- As it cools, combine the lemon juice, butter, and icing sugar in a bowl and stir until combined. Then, drizzle the glaze on top and serve.
Video
Notes
- Blueberries: Toss the blueberries in flour. This step may prevent them from sinking to the bottom when baking.
- Glaze: Allow the loaf to cool completely before pouring the glaze on top.
- Topping Ideas: The loaf is traditionally topped with a crumble and lemon glaze, but you can switch it up by using Creamy Lemon Ganache, Easy White Chocolate Ganache, or Creamy White Chocolate Sauce instead.
This is the best breakfast bread I have ever made. Thanks
Are the blueberries frozen??
Hi Ashlyn, The blueberries are fresh but you can also use frozen blueberries.
Sooo good!
Thanks, Amy!
So delicious! I accidentally put in too many blueberries but it’s so good. My son loves the icing.
Hi, I used the recommended substitution for sour cream with full fat greek yoghurt - as I am from the UK. My cake rose but then flattened, and the texture was incredibly dense. Do you have any recommendations to stop this from happening? Everything else in terms of flavour, and blueberry distribution were great though!
Hi Paige, You should be able to find sour cream in most UK supermarkets like Sainsbury’s and Tesco, I’m based in the UK as well. Greek yogurt can sometimes behave a little differently from sour cream, depending on the brand and thickness, which may lead to a denser texture. A cake that rises and then sinks slightly can also happen from overmixing the batter, opening the oven door too early, or if the cake was slightly underbaked in the center. For the best texture, I’d recommend using a thick full-fat Greek yogurt, making sure your ingredients are at room temperature, and mixing the batter just until combined.