Marry This Lemon Blueberry Bread is a moist and zesty recipe, which is made with fresh blueberries and a bright lemon glaze. It’s the perfect quick bread for breakfast or a teatime treat, ready in about an hour and a half, plus cooling time.
Jump to RecipeLemon Blueberry Bread Recipe Ingredients
For the Bread:
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more for the pan
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 3 lemons
- 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (about 8 ounces)
- Optional: 4 drops yellow liquid food coloring
For the Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp. salted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Water, as needed
How To Make Lemon Blueberry Bread
- Prep Oven and Infuse Sugar: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with oil and line it with a parchment paper sling. In a large bowl, add the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Use your clean hands to rub the zest into the sugar until it is fragrant and resembles wet sand.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: Whisk the sour cream, eggs, ½ cup of oil, and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice into the lemon sugar until smooth. If using, add the food coloring.
- Combine the Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of the flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour.
- Finish the Batter and Bake: Gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture until just combined. Fold in the flour-coated blueberries.
- Bake the Loaf: Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, covering the loaf loosely with foil after 40 minutes to prevent excess browning. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Completely: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before using the parchment sling to lift it out onto a wire rack to cool completely, for at least 1 hour.
- Make the Glaze and Serve: In a medium bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, melted butter, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until a thick but pourable consistency is achieved. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaf and let it set for about 30 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Tips
- How to get the most intense lemon flavor? The most important secret is to rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar with your fingertips. This releases the fragrant oils from the zest and infuses the entire loaf with a bright, citrusy flavor.
- How to keep the blueberries from sinking? Tossing the fresh blueberries in a tablespoon of the dry flour mixture before folding them into the batter is a classic baker’s trick. The light flour coating helps them “grip” the batter and stay suspended instead of sinking to the bottom.
- How do I prevent a dry bread? The combination of oil and sour cream is the key to an incredibly moist and tender quick bread that stays fresh for days. Also, be careful not to overbake it; pull it from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean.
- How do I keep the top from getting too dark? This is a very moist, dense bread that needs a long time to bake. The recipe’s tip to loosely tent the pan with a piece of aluminum foil after about 40 minutes is the perfect way to protect the top from browning too much while the center finishes cooking.
What To Serve With Lemon Blueberry Bread
This is a classic quick bread that is delicious on its own, especially for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. It is also wonderful served:
- With a thick smear of salted butter or cream cheese.
- Alongside a hot cup of tea or a light coffee.
- Lightly toasted the next day.
How To Store Lemon Blueberry Bread
- Room Temperature: Store the completely cooled and glazed loaf, well-wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container, at room temperature. It will stay fresh and very moist for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: For the best result, freeze the unglazed loaf. Let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of foil. It will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before glazing and slicing.
Lemon Blueberry Bread Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1 slice (1/12th of loaf)
- Calories: 390 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Protein: 4g
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Sugar: 45g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
A sunken center in a quick bread is usually a sign that it was under-baked. Ovens can vary, so always rely on the toothpick test. A toothpick inserted into the very center of the loaf should come out clean, with no wet batter attached.
Yes. If you use frozen blueberries, do not thaw them first. Toss them in the flour while they are still frozen and fold them into the batter at the very end. This helps prevent their color from bleeding and turning the entire batter purple.
Yes, this recipe works beautifully for muffins. Simply divide the batter among greased or lined muffin tins, filling them about two-thirds full. The baking time will be much shorter, around 20-25 minutes at 350°F.
Try More Recipes:
Lemon Blueberry Bread Recipe
Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy12
servings20
minutes1
hour10
minutes390
kcalAn incredibly moist and zesty quick bread packed with fresh blueberries, with a bright lemon flavor infused throughout the loaf and a sweet lemon glaze on top.
Ingredients
Bread: 2 cups + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup sugar, 3 large eggs, 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup sour cream, Zest of 3 lemons, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries.
Glaze: 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp melted butter, 3 Tbsp lemon juice.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, rub the lemon zest into the granulated sugar. Whisk in the sour cream, eggs, oil, and lemon juice.
- In a separate bowl, whisk 2 cups of the flour with the baking powder, soda, and salt. Toss the blueberries with the remaining 1 tbsp of flour.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined, then gently fold in the flour-coated blueberries.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, tenting with foil after 40 minutes.
- Let the loaf cool completely on a wire rack.
- Whisk the glaze ingredients together and drizzle over the cooled loaf.
Notes
- Rub the Zest: The most important tip for this recipe is to rub the lemon zest into the sugar; this is the secret to an intense, fragrant lemon flavor throughout the bread.
- Don’t Overmix: Do not overmix the batter after adding the flour; stir only until the ingredients are just combined for the most tender, not tough, quick bread.
- Flour the Berries: Tossing the blueberries in a spoonful of flour is a key step that prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf.
- Cool Completely: You must let the loaf cool completely before adding the glaze, otherwise the glaze will melt and become transparent instead of opaque.
