Lemon Blueberry Bread

It really feels good to have found my baking mojo again and hubby is certainly one happy chappy. Although I did quite a bit of baking over xmas, I have not done much since then. I bought some blueberries the other day that were half price and I’d forgotten all about them until this morning. Thankfully they were still edible so I decided to search out a recipe to make use of them.

I came across this Lemon Blueberry Bread online and decided it was the one! This bread is bursting with big juicy blueberries and the lemon infused sponge is light yet moist. The hot lemony glaze applied on removal from the oven adds an extra citrus layer to complete the flavour experience.

Lemon Blueberry Bread

Ingredients
1 ½ cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (outer yellow skin of the lemon)
½ cup (120 ml) milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

Lemon Glaze:

¼ cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the centre of the oven. Butter (or spray with a non stick vegetable spray) the bottom and sides of a loaf pan (9 x 5 x 3 inch) (23 x 13 x 8 cm).

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until softened (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest. With the mixer on low, 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.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 55 to 65 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the 1/4 cup (50 grams) of sugar and the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

When the bread is done, remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Pierce the hot loaf all over with a wooden skewer or toothpick and then brush the top of the loaf with the hot lemon glaze. Cool the loaf in the pan for about 30 minutes then remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack. This bread is best served on the day it is made.

Makes 1 loaf.