Lemon Blueberry Bread Cinnamon (Printable)
A moist quick bread bursting with blueberries and lemon, finished with a buttery cinnamon streusel topping.
# What You Need:
→ Lemon Blueberry Bread
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk
09 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
10 - 2 tablespoons lemon zest
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
→ Cinnamon Streusel Topping
13 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
16 - 1/8 teaspoon salt
17 - 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
# How To Cook:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Add cold butter and blend with a pastry cutter or fingers until crumbly. Refrigerate until needed.
03 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl; set aside.
04 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Incorporate eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then mix in milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until combined.
06 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until incorporated to avoid overmixing.
07 - Gently fold fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter with a spatula.
08 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the surface. Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon streusel topping over the batter.
09 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
10 - Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The streusel topping adds this perfect buttery crunch that contrasts with the soft, tender crumb inside.
- Fresh lemon juice and zest make it taste homemade in the best way, never artificial or overpowering.
- You can whip it together in under 20 minutes of actual work, then let the oven do the rest.
02 -
- Don't thaw frozen blueberries. Thawed ones release juice and make the batter purple with uneven color throughout.
- Overmixing the batter after adding flour is the number one mistake. Stir until just combined, even if a few flour streaks remain.
- A toothpick test isn't foolproof with blueberries because the fruit can feel soft. Look for the cake around it to be set.
03 -
- Toss frozen blueberries in 1 tbsp of flour before folding them in. This prevents them from sinking to the bottom and keeps color bleed minimal.
- Add 1/2 tsp of lemon extract if you want to push the lemon flavor even further without making it taste artificial.
- Don't skip the parchment paper. It saves you from frustrated scraping and a pan that's hard to clean.