Lemon Blueberry Quick Bread

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 240g (2 cups) All-purpose flour
• 8g (2 tsp) Baking powder
• 3g (½ tsp) Fine sea salt

Wet Ingredients

• 200g (1 cup) Granulated sugar
• 115g (8 tbsp (1 stick)) Unsalted butter
• 2 whole (2 eggs) Large eggs
• 120ml (½ cup) Whole milk
• 15g (from 2 large lemons) Lemon zest
• 30ml (2 tbsp) Fresh lemon juice

Add-Ins

• 150g (1 cup) Fresh blueberries

Equipment

Method

Prep Your Pan and Oven

Getting your oven and pan ready before you start mixing means everything goes smoothly. Quick bread batter shouldn't sit around waiting.

1. Preheat oven. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position a rack in the center.
2. Prepare the loaf pan. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray. Dust lightly with flour, tapping out the excess. Alternatively, line with parchment paper for easy removal.

Tip: A properly greased and floured pan makes all the difference. Nothing worse than a beautiful loaf stuck to the bottom.

Mix the Dry Ingredients

Whisking the dry ingredients together distributes the leavening evenly so you get consistent rise throughout the loaf.

1. Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
2. Reserve flour for blueberries. Remove 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture and set aside for coating the blueberries.

Tip: Use the spoon and level method for measuring flour: fluff the flour with a spoon, spoon it into your measuring cup, then level off with a straight edge. Scooping directly compacts the flour and you'll end up with too much.

Prep the Blueberries

This simple step prevents your blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the loaf during baking.

1. Coat the blueberries. Place the fresh blueberries in a small bowl. Add the reserved tablespoon of flour mixture and toss gently until all berries are lightly coated.
2. Set aside. Keep the coated blueberries ready to fold in at the end.

Tip: If using frozen blueberries, do NOT thaw them first. Add them straight from frozen and coat with flour. Thawed berries release too much liquid and turn your batter purple.

Mix the Wet Ingredients

Beating the wet ingredients together creates a smooth, emulsified base that will incorporate easily into the dry ingredients.

1. Zest the lemons. Using a microplane or fine grater, zest both lemons, being careful to get only the bright yellow outer layer. Avoid the white pith underneath, which is bitter.
2. Juice the lemons. Cut the zested lemons in half and juice them. You need 2 tablespoons (30ml).
3. Combine wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, melted butter, eggs, milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth and well combined.

Tip: Room temperature eggs and milk incorporate better than cold. If you forgot to take them out, place eggs in warm water for 5 minutes.

Combine Wet and Dry

This is where most quick breads go wrong. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the bread tough and dense. Mix just until the flour disappears.

1. Pour wet into dry. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the well.
2. Fold gently. Using a rubber spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry using broad, gentle strokes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
3. Stop when just combined. Mix only until you no longer see streaks of dry flour. Some small lumps are perfectly fine. Do NOT overmix.
4. Fold in blueberries. Gently fold in the flour-coated blueberries with 2-3 more strokes. Distribute them evenly but don't stir aggressively.

Tip: Count your strokes if it helps. You should need no more than 15-20 folds total. The batter should look rough, not smooth.

Bake

Low and slow gives quick bread time to rise and set before the top browns too much. The center takes longest to cook, so test there.

1. Fill the pan. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Use a spatula to spread it evenly and smooth the top.
2. Bake. Place in preheated oven and bake for 55-60 minutes.
3. Check for doneness. The loaf is done when the top is golden brown, the edges pull slightly away from the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
4. Tent if needed. If the top is browning too quickly before the center is done, tent loosely with aluminum foil for the last 15-20 minutes.

Tip: Quick breads often crack on top. This is totally normal and actually a sign of good oven spring. Don't try to prevent it.

Cool and Serve

Patience pays off here. Cutting into a hot quick bread results in a gummy texture and the loaf can fall apart. Let it cool properly.

1. Initial cooling. Let the loaf cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. This allows it to firm up enough to handle.
2. Remove from pan. Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan, then carefully turn the loaf out onto the wire rack.
3. Cool completely. Let the loaf cool completely on the rack, about 30-45 minutes more, before slicing.
4. Slice and serve. Use a serrated knife for clean slices. Serve plain, or with a pat of butter.

Wait: PT40M

Tip: This bread tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld. If you can wait, it's worth it.

Pan Options

This versatile batter works in multiple pan sizes.

Standard Loaf (recommended)

1. Pour batter. Pour batter into greased 9x5 loaf pan. Smooth top with spatula.
2. Bake. Bake 55-60 minutes at 350°F.

Mini Loaves

1. Divide batter. Divide batter among 3-4 mini loaf pans (5x3 inch).
2. Reduce bake time. Reduce baking time to 35-40 minutes. Great for gifting!

Muffins

1. Fill muffin cups. Line standard muffin tin with paper liners. Fill cups ¾ full.
2. Bake. Bake 22-25 minutes at 350°F. Makes about 12 muffins.

Proof test: Insert a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. Wet batter on the toothpick means it needs more time.

Baking Methods

Low and slow ensures even baking for moist quick bread.

Oven: 175°C / 350°F. Internal temperature when done: 93-96°C / 200-205°F.

Standard Oven (recommended)

Equipment: 9x5 loaf pan,Oven rack in center position

1. Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Bake. Bake 55-60 minutes. Tent with foil if browning too fast.
3. Test for doneness. Test with toothpick for doneness.

Convection Oven

Equipment: 9x5 loaf pan

1. Reduce temperature. Reduce temperature to 325°F (convection runs hotter).
2. Bake. Bake 50-55 minutes. Check 5 minutes earlier than standard time.
3. Watch carefully. May brown more evenly but watch carefully.

Storage

• Room temperature: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
• Frozen: Wrap the whole loaf (or individual slices) tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature or toast slices directly from frozen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen blueberries?

Yes! Do NOT thaw them first. Toss frozen berries directly in flour and fold into the batter. They'll release some liquid as they bake but will work fine.

My blueberries all sank to the bottom. What happened?

Either the blueberries weren't coated in flour, or the batter was too thin. Make sure to toss berries in flour before adding, and don't overmix the batter (which can make it thinner).

Can I use bottled lemon juice?

Fresh is always better for zest and juice. Bottled juice lacks the bright, vibrant flavor. If you must, use bottled juice but try to get fresh zest—that's where most of the lemon flavor comes from.

The top cracked while baking. Did I do something wrong?

Nope! Cracking is normal and expected in quick breads. It happens as the top sets before the interior finishes rising. It's actually a sign of good oven spring.

Can I add a lemon glaze?

Absolutely! Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled loaf for extra lemon punch.

Why does the recipe say room temperature eggs and milk?

Room temperature ingredients incorporate more smoothly and help the batter come together evenly. Cold ingredients can cause the melted butter to seize up slightly.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Substitute the milk with oat milk or almond milk, and use melted coconut oil or dairy-free butter in place of regular butter.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 slice (about 80g)): 265 calories, 40g carbohydrates, 4g protein, 10g fat, 1g fiber, 170mg sodium. Makes 12 servings.