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Lemon Blueberry Bread Recipe:
Grated zest from one lemon
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (4 grams) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) salt
1 cup (150 grams) fresh blueberries
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs (100 grams out of shell), at room temperature
1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120 ml/grams) whole or reduced fat milk, at room temperature
Lemon Glaze:
2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
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Lemon Blueberry Bread: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter (or spray with a non stick vegetable spray) the bottom and sides of a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 3 inch (21.5 x 11.5 x 8 cm) loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Remove 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture.
Place the blueberries in a separate bowl and toss the berries with the 1 tablespoon flour (this will help prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the pan during baking).
In the bowl of your electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter until softened (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture (in three additions) and milk (in two additions) alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Mix only until combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.
Spread the batter into your loaf pan and bake for about 55 to 65 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out just clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Pierce the top of the hot loaf with a wooden skewer or toothpick and then brush with the hot lemon glaze. Cool the bread in the pan for about 30 minutes then remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack. The bread can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for several days or it can be frozen.
Lemon Glaze: While the bread is baking, in a small microwaveable bowl, stir the sugar with the lemon juice. Place in the microwave for about 20 seconds or just until sugar has dissolved. Or you can place the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and, over medium heat, cook until the sugar dissolves.
Makes one loaf.
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This rich and buttery Lemon Blueberry Bread is bursting with juicy sweet blueberries and brushing the top of the just baked bread (cake) with a hot lemony glaze, not only infuses the bread with a nice citrus flavor but it also makes the bread wonderfully tender and moist.
Lemons have the ability to bring out the best in any fruit they are paired with. This batter calls for lemon zest (the outer yellow skin) as this is where the lemon hides most of its flavor. For this very reason I try to buy organic lemons for some commercially grown lemons are sprayed with insecticides. But, either way, it is good practice to always wash your lemons thoroughly, that means with soap and water, before using.
Wild blueberries are excellent in this quick bread as are their cultivated cousins. Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, high in fiber, high in potassium, and low in sodium. Because blueberries are often sold in plastic containers, check the underside of the container for any wet spots or staining. I usually open the container to make sure that the blueberries are a nice dark blue color with a dusty white bloom, and that they are firm, plump, and fragrant. The white bloom is the blueberry's natural protection against the sun and is a sign of freshness. When folding fresh blueberries into any batter use a light hand so they don't crush and stain the whole batter blue. Tossing the blueberries in a little flour helps to prevent them from falling to the bottom of the bread during baking. You can use frozen blueberries. Do not defrost the berries before adding them to the batter. The bread may take several minutes longer to bake.