This blueberry lemon loaf cake is perfectly moist, bursting with sweet berry flavor, and drenched in a tart lemon glaze you'll want to slurp up with a spoon! Let me show you how easy it is to make in your own kitchen at home.
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my poppy seed lemon blueberry muffins, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Simple to Make - You won't need any kitchen appliances besides the oven for this moist blueberry loaf cake with lemony flavor. It's definitely beginner-friendly. Follow my pro tips below to get great results on your first try!
Delicious Flavor - It's like blueberry pie and lemon drizzle cake had a baby. You'll taste bright, tart citrus flavor and fruity blueberries that get a jam-like consistency in the oven. This blueberry lemon drizzle cake has a soft, dense texture and tastes sweet but not too sweet, so you can enjoy it as a light dessert or with a balanced breakfast.
I love loaf cakes and quick breads because they come together so simply, and the flavor combinations are endless. Check out my apple pie monkey bread, chai banana nut bread, applesauce bread with streusel topping, praline carrot cake loaf, and apple carrot banana bread next!
What You'll Need for this Recipe
Blueberries for bursts of fruity flavor! You can use fresh or frozen blueberries in this recipe, just make sure to thaw and drain any excess moisture from the frozen ones.
Fresh Lemons add a fragrant citrusy aroma and pucker-inducing taste. We're using fresh lemons for the juice and the zest, and feel free to use Meyer lemons when they're in season.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Size - You can divide the batter into smaller pans to make mini loaves or use a muffin tin to make blueberry lemon muffins.
Vegan - Use dairy-free milk and plant-based butter and egg alternatives to make this loaf vegan-friendly.
How to Make Blueberry Lemon Loaf Cake from Scratch
- Step One: Grate lemon zest into the granulated sugar and mix them together, pressing the zest into the sugar. (Photo One)
- Step Two: Mix in the wet ingredients until combined. (Photo Two)
- Step Three: Whisk the dry ingredients together, and toss the blueberries in this mix, then combine with the wet mixture. (Photo Three and Four)
Pro Tip #1
Pressing the sugar and lemon zest together first helps infuse the lemon oils into the sugar, which makes for a more robustly lemony-flavored loaf!
Pro Tip #2
Dredging the blueberries in the flour mixture helps them float evenly throughout the batter instead of clustering together randomly or sinking to the bottom of the pan and burning. The result is blueberry in every bite!
- Step Four: Transfer the batter to a lined loaf pan, then bake until golden brown and cooked through. (Photos Five and Six)
- Step Five: Mix up the glaze ingredients, then drizzle over the loaf once cooled. (Photos Seven and Eight)
Frequently Asked Questions
This cake keeps well at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator. In either case, keep it in an airtight container with a couple of paper towel sheets to absorb extra moisture.
Yes! To freeze, cool the loaf to room temperature, and do not glaze it. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place into an airtight, freezer-safe container. Once frozen, it keeps for up to six months. Thaw completely before adding glaze.
How to Serve
Serve your blueberry lemon zest loaf warmed for the best taste. And this bread is already soft and buttery, but if you want, add a smear of salted butter for extra razzle dazzle.
For a blueberry lemon breakfast loaf, pair with eggs and sausage, or add a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream for your nightly sweet treat. The combination of citrus and berries screams spring, but you can enjoy it year-round.
More Favorite Sweet Loaf Ideas
Looking for more like this? Try these:
I hope you'll enjoy this lemon and blueberry drizzle loaf cake soon and very soon. And sharing is caring, so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Moist Lemon Blueberry Loaf Cake
Equipment
- 1 loaf pan
- 1 microplane or grater
- 1 silicone spatula or kitchen spoon
- 1 whisk
- 1 wire cooling rack optional
Ingredients
For the Lemon and Blueberry Loaf
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus one rounded teaspoon, sifted or fluffed (see notes)
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ¾ cup blueberries fresh or frozen, thawed, and drained
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 lemons
- ¾ cup milk plus two teaspoons
- ¾ cup butter melted
- ¼ cup oil
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Lemon Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons milk optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the Loaf Batter: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then toss the berries* in this mixture until coated.*Don't skip this step as it will help the blueberries disperse throughout the batter and give you berries in each bite!2 cups all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 ¾ cup blueberries
- In another bowl, mix the sugar and lemon zest together, pressing the zest into the sugar with your spoon to infuse the lemon oil into the sugar for stronger flavor. Mix in the milk, butter, oil, egg, and vanilla extract until combined.1 cup granulated sugar, 2 lemons, ¾ cup milk, ¾ cup butter, ¼ cup oil, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir just combined with no dry pockets. Do not over mix the batter. (Batter will be thick.)
- Bake the Loaf: Transfer the batter to prepared loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Carefully remove loaf from pan and cool to room temperature.
- Finish and Serve: While the loaf cools, mix the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk until it has a syrup-like consistency. Add the milk one spoon at a time until you get your desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over the loaf once cooled and serve.2 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons milk
Joann says
A few questions:
1. The recipe calls for two lemons. Do you mean the zest from two lemons? Is any of the juice needed as well in the batter?
2. Other recipes for similar types of loafs use both baking powder and baking soda. Have you made this with both? If so, how much baking powder?
3. The glaze recipe does not list any lemon juice -- only lists powdered sugar and milk (which is optional). How much lemon juice is needed for the glaze?
Thanks.
Jazzmine Woodard says
Hi, Joann! Thank you for your questions. I'm sorry if the recipe card structure isn't clear, but there is lemon juice in the icing. The zest of both lemons goes into the cake batter and the juice goes into the icing. If you decide to use baking powder, you 1 1/2 teaspoon. I hope this helps you and that you enjoy the loaf!
Sheila Echols-Echoks says
This looks delightful! And I want to eat the whole thing with a bottle of prosecco.
Jazz says
That sounds delicious and terrible for my waistline lol 🙂 Thanks for reading, Sheila!
Maryal says
This looks SO tasty and it seems like a recipe I could actually tackle - so happy it's slightly simple! Thanks for sharing!
Jenn says
Can’t believe how simple that is... looks so delicious! Need to try!
Julie I Aloha Lovely says
Looks delish! I've never heard of quick bread before, gonna have to try this out!
kara says
You had me at lemon... and bread! lol 🙂 looks delicious!
Kate Andrews says
This looks absolutely delicious. I am always looking for new and interesting recipes so I appreciate you sharing this.
Miranda says
Yum! Two of my favorite flavors, esp. for spring.
Leslie says
Mmmm. I love quick breads made with lemon. And I bet it's so much better since you used fresh berries.
Jessicah says
Can't wait to try this!
Mylo says
This looks delicious!