Grab your loaf pan and get ready to bake up some sweet sunshine with this delicious lemon blueberry bread. Packed with zesty citrus, juicy blueberries and crunchy nuts, it’s one of our all-time favorite lemon-blueberry recipes.
The beauty of a quick bread is just that: It’s quick. This lemon blueberry loaf uses basic pantry staples that you probably already have on hand, and it comes together in no time. Use peak-season blueberries or frozen berries—that way you can enjoy it year-round. A zippy, sweet glaze tops the super tender and perfectly moist cake, making it equally food for dessert or breakfast. Like all of our quick bread recipes, it’s a great afternoon pick-me-up with tea, too.
Lemon Blueberry Bread Ingredients
- Butter: Everything is better with butter! Using melted butter creates a tender texture in the loaf, and adds flavor and moisture. Save the butter wrapper: It helps block splatters when you melt butter in the microwave.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness to complement the tart lemon flavor.
- Lemon juice and zest: We go the distance and opt for both lemon juice and zest to really pack in that citrusy flavor in this loaf. You’ll need two large or three to four medium lemons for this lemon blueberry bread. Here’s how to zest a lemon before juicing.
- Eggs: Eggs act as a binding agent in the batter, ensuring that all those yummy ingredients come together to form a smooth, homogenous mixture.
- Flour: We use all-purpose flour to provide just the right amount of structure in our loaf. To ensure your lemon blueberry bread comes out just right, be sure to measure your flour the right way.
- Milk: The fat content in milk adds moisture and creates a velvety crumb. For best results, use either whole or 2% milk. The consistency of nonfat milk is too watery.
- Blueberries: A little sweet, a little tart and delightfully juicy, blueberries are a perfect pairing with lemon. Feel free to use fresh or frozen blueberries for this recipe; if using frozen, don’t thaw them first. When they’re in season, here’s how to pick blueberries and how to wash blueberries.
- Chopped nuts: Chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds will work great for this recipe. Or feel free to omit altogether.
Directions
Step 1: Mix the wet ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, beat together the melted butter, sugar, lemon juice and eggs until smooth.
Editor’s Tip: How you mix the wet ingredients is entirely up to you. An electric hand-mixer, stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or simply whisking by hand all work fine.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Step 3: Alternate the dry ingredients and milk
Starting and ending with the dry ingredients, alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the batter, mixing until just combined after each addition.
Editor’s Tip: Adding ingredients in this pattern and only mixing until the ingredients are just incorporated helps avoid overmixing the batter, which could make your blueberry lemon bread dense or tough. We’re aiming for a soft and tender loaf.
Step 4: Fold in the blueberries, chopped nuts and lemon zest
Add the blueberries, chopped nuts and lemon zest to the batter and gently fold in by hand using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
Editor’s Tip: Using a folding motion prevents overmixing, which isn’t a good thing when it comes to baking quick breads. It can make them tough and gluey.
Step 5: Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing the loaf to a wire rack.
Editor’s Tip: If you notice that the edges of the bread are browning too quickly, simply tent the loaf pan with a piece of aluminum foil.
Step 7: Glaze
While the blueberry lemon bread cools, prepare the glaze by stirring 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice together in a small bowl. Spoon the glaze over the warm bread and allow it to cool completely.
Editor’s Tip: For less mess, place the loaf and wire rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper before glazing. This will catch any glaze drippings and make for easy clean up.
Lemon Blueberry Bread Variations
- Try a different citrus: Instead of lemon juice and zest, try this recipe with navel oranges, tangerines or blood oranges.
- Try a different fruit: For an extra bright loaf, opt for raspberries instead of blueberries to make a beautifully tart and sweet lemon raspberry bread.
- Or do both: Switch things up entirely and go for a classic orange-cranberry combination by using orange zest, orange juice and cranberries.
Can you freeze lemon blueberry bread?
Yes, quick breads are great for stashing in the freezer. To freeze, wrap the completely cooled loaf in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil, then place in an airtight container or freezer-safe zip-top bag. The bread can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then allow to come to room temperature before slicing and serving.
Lemon Blueberry Bread Tips
How do I prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the bread?
If the blueberries you’re using are on the larger side, they might sink to the bottom of the loaf while baking. To reduce the risk of sinking blueberries, simply toss the blueberries (fresh or frozen) in 1/2 teaspoon water and 1 teaspoon flour before folding them into the batter. The extra coating of flour helps the blueberries “grip” the batter and stay in place.
How do I ensure that my lemon blueberry bread is moist?
To achieve the best, most delicious texture in your lemon blueberry loaf, make sure to measure your flour correctly; too much can result in a dry quick bread. Use room-temperature eggs so they mix into the batter better, and milk with higher fat content will produce a moist cake. Don’t forget the glaze—it adds flavor but also locks in moisture.
How do I know when the bread is done baking?
The bread is ready to come out of the oven when a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
