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Lemon Blueberry Loaf Cake ready to serve.
Sophie Bennett

Lemon Blueberry Loaf Cake

A tender lemon-scented crumb dotted with juicy blueberries and a tangy glaze.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Cooling/chilling/resting 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Course: Cake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

Loaf
  • 1 3/4 cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (150 g) blueberries
  • 1 tablespoon flour, for berries
Glaze
  • 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
  • 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice

Equipment

  • 9 x 5-inch loaf pan
  • Digital Kitchen Scale
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Electric Hand Mixer
  • Silicone Spatula
  • Wire Cooling Rack

Method
 

  1. Prepare the loaf pan. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the pan and add a parchment sling extending over the long sides.
  2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Rub lemon zest into granulated sugar until fragrant, then beat with butter for 3 minutes.
  3. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla, scraping the bowl to combine everything evenly.
  4. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until combined. Toss blueberries with their tablespoon of flour and fold gently into the batter.
  5. Scrape into the pan and level the surface. Bake 50–60 minutes; tent loosely with foil if darkening before the middle is cooked.
  6. Check the center with a skewer, avoiding a blueberry. A few moist crumbs are fine, but there should be no raw batter.
  7. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift onto a rack and cool fully. Whisk powdered sugar with enough lemon juice for a thick drizzle.
  8. Spoon glaze over the cooled loaf. Allow it to settle before slicing, wiping the knife between cuts for a tidy presentation.

Notes

  • Yield: 10 slices
  • Oven/heat: 350°F (175°C)
  • Pan/container: 9 x 5-inch loaf pan
  • Includes staged baking or stovetop work where applicable; use the texture cues in the method.
  • Times are approximate: cook/bake 55 minutes (approximate); cooling/chilling/resting 1 hour 15 minutes (approximate; see method); total 2 hours 30 minutes (approximate).
  • Use frozen blueberries straight from the freezer; thawed berries release more juice and can streak the batter.
  • Replace blueberries with the same weight of raspberries, folding carefully to avoid crushing them.
  • Keep covered at cool room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze unglazed slices for up to 2 months.
  • Nutrition values are not provided; no calculated nutrition data is included.