Lemon Blueberry Bread Recipe

My Summer Sunshine Bread

Hello, my dear. Come sit. Let’s talk about my lemon blueberry bread. It tastes like a sunny summer morning. I bake it when I miss my grandma’s kitchen. She taught me this recipe on a hot July day.

I still laugh at that. I was ten. I spilled a whole cup of blueberries. They rolled everywhere! We picked them up, washed them, and used them anyway. The bread was still perfect. This matters because cooking is about joy, not perfection.

Why The Little Steps Count

First, cream the butter and sugar well. This makes the bread light. Doesn’t that smell amazing? It smells like sweet promises. Then add the eggs one by one. This helps them mix in smoothly.

Always toss your blueberries in flour. Just a spoonful! This little trick stops them from sinking to the bottom. They will stay put, dotted all through the loaf. *Fun fact: The flour gives the berries a tiny coat to hold onto the batter.*

A Zest for Life

The lemon zest is the magic. It’s the bright yellow part of the peel. Use a small grater. Be careful of your knuckles! The zest holds the strongest lemon flavor. It makes the whole kitchen smell fresh.

Why does this matter? Fresh zest makes food sing. It’s better than any bottle of flavor. I think of my lemon tree when I zest. What smell always reminds you of a happy memory? Tell me, I’d love to know.

The Waiting Game

Now, the hard part. You must let the bread cool. I know, it’s tempting to cut it warm. But patience makes a cleaner slice. The flavors also settle and become friends. Wait for the glaze.

The glaze is just sugar and lemon juice. Stir until it’s smooth. Drizzle it slowly over the cool loaf. It will drip down the sides. It makes the bread look so pretty. Do you prefer your sweet breads plain or with a glaze?

Share a Slice

This bread is for sharing. Wrap a piece for a neighbor. Take it to a friend who feels sad. Food made with care is a warm hug. That’s the real lesson in my bowl.

Baking connects us. To our past, and to each other. What’s the first thing you ever learned to bake? Was it cookies? Maybe brownies? I read every story you share. Now, go make some sunshine.

Ingredients:

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
all-purpose flour	1 ½ cups	plus 1 tbsp for tossing blueberries
baking powder	1 teaspoon
baking soda	½ teaspoon
salt	¼ teaspoon
unsalted butter, softened	½ cup
granulated sugar	¾ cup
large eggs	2
lemon zest	1 tablespoon
fresh lemon juice	2 tablespoons	for the bread
sour cream or Greek yogurt	½ cup
vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
fresh or frozen blueberries	1 cup	tossed in 1 tablespoon flour
powdered sugar	½ cup	for optional glaze
lemon juice	1–2 tablespoons	for optional glaze

My Sunshine Lemon Blueberry Bread

Hello, my dear. Come sit with me. I want to share my favorite spring recipe. It’s my Lemon Blueberry Bread. This bread tastes like a sunny morning. It is sweet, tangy, and so soft. I make it when my grandchildren visit. The whole house smells like happiness. Doesn’t that smell amazing? Let’s bake it together.

First, we gather our happy ingredients. You need flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. The stars are fresh lemon and blueberries. The sour cream makes it extra tender. I still laugh at that. My grandson once used a whole lemon, peel and all! We will zest it gently. Ready? Here are the steps.

Step 1: Turn your oven to 350°F. Grease your loaf pan well. I use butter and a sprinkle of flour. This stops the bread from sticking. It’s a simple but important start.

Step 2: Mix your dry things in a bowl. That’s flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Whisk them to become friends. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar. Beat until it looks fluffy and light. This makes the bread soft.

Step 3: Now add the eggs, one by one. Then add the lemon zest and juice. The vanilla and sour cream go in too. Mix it all until smooth. (My hard-learned tip: use room-temperature eggs. They mix in much better!).

Step 4: Slowly add the dry mix to the wet mix. Stir gently, just until combined. Overmixing makes tough bread. Now, toss your blueberries in a spoon of flour. This little coat keeps them from sinking. Fold them in gently.

Step 5: Pour your batter into the pan. Smooth the top with a spoon. Bake it for about 50 minutes. How do we know it’s done? Share below! A toothpick should come out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Step 6: For the glaze, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle it over the cooled bread. It adds a sweet, tangy finish. I love watching it drip down the sides. Then, the hardest part: waiting to slice it!

Cook Time: 50–60 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf
Category: Baking, Breakfast

Three Fun Twists to Try

This recipe is like a favorite story. You can tell it a little differently each time. Here are three ways I like to change it up. They are all simple and fun.

Lemon Lavender: Add one teaspoon of dried lavender to the flour. It feels so fancy and pretty. It smells like a garden.

Almond Berry: Use half almond flour. Replace vanilla with almond extract. Top with sliced almonds before baking. So nutty and nice.

Citrus Mix-Up: Try lime zest and juice instead of lemon. Use raspberries instead of blueberries. It’s a whole new flavor party!

Which one would you try first? Comment below!

Serving It With Style

A warm slice is perfect alone. But let’s make it special. For breakfast, spread a little honey butter on top. For dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The contrast is wonderful. You could also toast a slice the next day. It tastes just as good.

What to drink with it? For a cozy afternoon, I love a hot cup of Earl Grey tea. The bergamot flavor dances with the lemon. For a festive brunch, a glass of sparkling rosé is lovely. The bubbles cut through the sweetness nicely.

Which would you choose tonight?

Keeping Your Lemon Blueberry Bread Fresh

This bread stays lovely on the counter for two days. Just wrap it tightly. For longer storage, the freezer is your friend.

Let the loaf cool completely first. Wrap it well in plastic, then foil. It will keep for three months. Thaw it on the counter when you are ready.

I once froze a warm loaf. The steam made the top icy. I learned my lesson about cooling. Storing food well means less waste. It also means a sweet treat is always ready.

You can bake two loaves at once. Eat one now, freeze one for later. Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!

Simple Fixes for Common Baking Hiccups

Sometimes blueberries sink to the bottom. Tossing them in flour first helps. This little coat makes them float in the batter.

The bread might be dense or gummy. This often comes from overmixing. Stir the wet and dry ingredients just until combined. I remember when my grandson mixed it for five minutes. We got a very heavy bread!

The top can brown too fast. If this happens, lay a piece of foil loosely over the pan. This matters because gentle baking gives you a tender crumb. Fixing small problems builds your kitchen confidence. Which of these problems have you run into before?

Your Quick Questions, Answered

Q: Can I make this gluten-free? A: Yes. Use a good gluten-free flour blend. The results are great.

Q: Can I make it ahead? A: Absolutely. Bake it the night before. Glaze it in the morning.

Q: No sour cream? A: Plain Greek yogurt works perfectly. It adds the same nice moisture.

Q: Can I double the recipe? A: You can. Just use two loaf pans. *Fun fact: Doubling is called “scaling” in baking.*

Q: Is the glaze needed? A: No, but it’s a sweet, tangy bonus. The bread is delicious either way. Which tip will you try first?

Bake a Little Sunshine

I hope this bread brightens your kitchen. It always reminds me of sunny summer mornings. Baking is about sharing simple joys.

I would love to see your creation. Have you tried this recipe? Tag us on Pinterest! You can find me at @AnnaWhitmoreKitchen. I always look at your photos.

Happy cooking!

—Anna Whitmore.