This Lemon Blueberry Explosion Loaf is actually a home-made Copycat Starbuck’s Lemon Loaf except this lemony loaf has an explosion of robust blueberries inside that will absolutely tantalize your taste buds!
It's superbly finished off with a simple old-fashioned powdered sugar glaze and now we're off totally off to the races!
I am certainly hoping this race ends with kicking Spring into action. I'm ready!
Coming with? You won't be able to resist!!
The lemon & blueberry combination is just so invigorating and bursting with so much flavor, I can hardly stand how perfect the balances of contrasting flavors all come together.
Lemon Extract Tips!
So, last month I was thinking about spring and lemon recipes, and happened to wander on this Pure Lemon Extract on Amazon.
I love trying extracts, especially from Nielsen-Massey. This one is an organic extract, which is produced from lemon oil, drawn from the natural essence of the highest quality California lemons.
Lemon extract is not overwhelming, until you add more than the recipe calls for, which is not a good thing.
DON'T ADD MORE for extra lemon flavor, because the measurement in the recipe is the perfect mix of tartness needed. The extract boasts a convenient and tasty alternative to having to zest or juice lemons.
Like most extracts, you add too much for extra punch and it can affect the whole outcome of something that could have been wonderful, except for vanilla. Although, I always add a little extra vanilla when I bake, do you? It's the one extract you can get away with without disastrous results.
As far as lemons flavor goes, I did add zest to this loaf, because that's what the Copycat Starbuck's recipe calls for. So, lucky you! You get a triple dose of lemon, and no one's complaining, right?
Between the lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon extract, this bread will be escalated highly on the lemon 'yum' scale!
I am loving these new 9x5 baking pans I got from Kohl's. I used them making this Awesome Country Apple Fritter Bread a few weeks ago and they baked wonderfully! Looking forward to making this Country Blueberry Fritter Loaf in them and more!
More lemony desserts? Who can blame you?
Super Soft Lemon Glazed Sugar Cookies
Lemon-Cream Cheese Crescent Ring
Kick-Ass Lemon Cream Cheese Blondies
Keto Fluffy Lemon Burst Mousse
Lemon Blueberry Explosion Loaf
Ingredients
Lemon Blueberry Explosion Loaf
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar I use a little over ¾ cup
- 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ½ cup oil - I used canola
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 to 2 tablespoon pure lemon extract I used Nielsen-Massey
- 1 ½ cups blueberries, fresh or frozen I used fresh
- 1 tablespoon flour to toss and coat with blueberries before adding to loaf
Old Fashioned Powdered Sugar Glaze:
- ¾ cup to 1 cup powder sugar
- 1 tablespoon or more as needed lemon juice, almond milk or whatever milk you want
Instructions
Lemon Blueberry Explosion Loaf
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Lining with parchment paper makes it super easy to get out of loaf pan. Spray with non stick spray.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar, sour cream/yogurt and oil and quickly whisk together until smooth and combined.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon extract, and whisk together well.
- Add dry ingredients and whisk or stir until just combined and do not over-mix. Very little lumps are ok.
- Put blueberries in a container and add 3 teaspoons flour and shake. Add to mixture and fold blueberries in.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 52-57 minutes.
- The last 10 minutes of baking, tent pan with foil by loosely draping a sheet of foil over bread to prevent excessive browning on the top and sides of bread before center cooks through.
- Allow loaf to cool in pan on top of a baking wire rack for at least 30 minutes before before glazing.
- For the glaze, in a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice or milk until smooth and combined.
- Drizzle glaze over bread before slicing and serving.
Matteo says
Made a double loaf today, very delicious and easy recipe. I used frozen wild blueberries and as always increased the amount of blueberries by 8 oz, I also for the first time didn’t put flour on blueberries, it didn’t make a difference, the fruit was all over inside the loaf, they didn’t sink to the bottom. Very moist and flavorful witch the addition of the lemon extract.
Kim Lange says
Sorry about that Jordy, it's in the glaze on top, if you choose to use it. Hope you enjoy!!
Jordy says
Hi - I was making the recipe but didn’t see when the third hit of lemon comes in! In the text above the recipe it mentions lemon juice, extract and zest. The recipe below calls for extract and zest…where does the lemon juice come in? Thanks!
Kim Lange says
I don't see why not? Sounds yummy! Hope you enjoy!!
Susan says
Can we substitute cranberries instead the blueberries?
Kim Lange says
So exciting to hear Judy! So happy to hear your comment, it makes my day! Thank you so much! xo
Judy says
Super delicious. I’ve had several comments on it when I have served it to friends. This is my first time to use lemon extract. It’s awesome!
Kim Lange says
That's awesome Linda! I'm so happy to hear that your husband loves it! Thank you so much for letting me know and for the awesome rating! xo
Linda Traub says
My husband says this is the best bread I've ever made! When I made it a second time, he cut a piece right out of the pan! He didn't even wait for it to be cooked and fristed!
Kim Lange says
I'm excited to hear you've made it so many times! That's great! Thank you so much for your high rating and feedback. xo
Maralee says
I found this recipe about a month ago and have probably made it a half dozen times. Really good, only addition I make is adding one teaspoon of vanilla into the batter...delicious!!
Anonymous says
cool
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
Lemon and blueberry together is the best!! Pinning this!
Kim Lange says
I'm so glad it turned out for you Sahar! I'm not sure why it took that long to bake! Enjoy and thank you so much for trying it and wanting to make it again! woohoo!
Sahar says
This was delicious! However my bread took an hour and a half in the oven until it was finished from the inside. I also used 1/4 cup of lemon juice instead of lemon extract. I love that the bread was so moist on the inside! For the icing, I will use a hand mixer next time as opposed to whisking it with a regular whisk. It didn't thicken enough to look like icing. Can't wait to make this again soon!
Kim Lange says
Yes you can use lemon juice, anywhere from 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup depending how much lemon taste you want. Thank you for asking Sharon and enjoy!! xo
Sharon gallinger says
Can I use lemon juice instead of the extract?
Kim Lange says
I'm so happy to hear your review! Thank you so much for letting me know, especially since you are a blueberry muffin/bread fanatic. I hear ya! Coconut oil sounds yummy too Patti! xo
Patti says
This is by far the best we have ever had! I’ve been a blueberry muffin, bread fanatic my whole life and have never had a recipe as good as this one. The lemon really compliments the berries and it’s so moist. I used coconut oil with great results but will certainly use olive oil next time . This didn’t last long in my family.
Kim Lange says
I love using olive oil! It always goes very well with citrus fruits. Thank you so much Sandra!
Sandra C Ovalles says
using olive oil make it tastier and give it a better texture.
Kim Lange says
No it's not. Sorry...
susie says
Is this high altitude?
Kim Lange says
Yes you can use lemon juice, anywhere from 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup depending how much lemon taste you want. Hope you enjoy Dorie-Ellen!
Dorie-Ellen says
Can you substitute real lemon juice for the extract? If so, how much juice would you need?
Kim Lange says
Hi Lori, no need to change the temperature, but not sure it will all fit in an 8x4 pan and the time might change as well. Hope that helps some.
Lori Ebert says
only have an 8x4 loaf pan! i have read some info on this and said to lower temp ...
Kim Lange says
Hi Karen! I used 2 tablespoons, but the recipes says 1 to 2 tablespoons, depending how much lemon flavor you want. I hope you enjoyed!
karen calandra says
one to two TABLESPOONS of the extract?! I'm making it now and scared ....
Kim Lange says
I'm so excited you all loved it Laura! Yes, you can use any berries you choose or even a combination of them. Thanks so much for the 5 stars! xo
Laura says
I made this and my family loved it!! I have some real lemon lovers in my family and they gave it two thumbs way up. I added some fresh lemon juice to the glaze. I love that you dont need a mixer. Simple simple! I’m guessing you can use other berries in this, like blackberries?
Thanks for the recipe!!
Valentina says
I just discovered your site and everything looks SO delicious!
This recipes sounds excellent and I love how bright and cheerful it it. Beautiful photos, and Nielsen-Massey is one of my favorites for extracts. 🙂
Suzanne says
This looks so good! I can't get enough lemon and blueberry in the spring!
Kim Lange says
I'm not familiar with high altitude, but I do know baked goods take longer to bake because of the lower air pressure. Either increase the oven temperature and/or increase cooking time. Plus check out Conversion Charts & Kitchen Tips Scroll down the page a bit and you'll see a chart that should help you out with this recipe. Hope that helps! 🙂
Shana says
Do you happen to know the adjustments to this recipe for high altitude?
Kim Lange says
Hi Joanne! You could substitute lemon juice if you wish. I would say about 1/4 or 1/3 cup of lemon juice or the juice of one to 2 lemons? Glad you all loved it, let me know how the lemon juice goes. 🙂
Joanne L Hess says
I made your bread for Fat Tuesday at work and everyone loved it! But some said it needed more lemon , so is it possible to substitute lemon juice for the lemon extract and if so how much lemon juice will I need, I plan to use fresh lemon juice.
Thank you
Joanne Hess
Kim Lange says
Hi Bev, I'll try to start doing that. Thanks so much for you continued support! xxxo
dalia wells says
Do you bake anything gluten free
Bev says
COULD YOU PUT THE PREP TIM FOR RECIPES AND PERHAPS PUT THE COOK TIM IN THE SAME SPOT IN EACH RECIPE AND NOT NECESSARILY ON THE DIRECTIONS COPY LOST SOMEWHERE. GREAT RECIPES.
Kim Lange says
I haven't, but you could Chelsea. Just decrease the baking time to 15-20 minutes instead. Hope you enjoy!
Chelsea says
Have you ever done this in cupcake size or small loafs? Was there a baking time difference?
Kim Lange says
Agree, updated. Original recipe had 2 teaspoons and I updated it to three, but didn't convert it over. Thanks!
Anonymous says
Btw, 3teaspoons is a tablespoon. I would rather measure once. Just me, I guess.
Goli says
I just made this loaf, didn’t have lemon extract so just used fresh lemon juice. Lao didn’t make the glaze, still it looks beautiful and very tasty. It’s is very moist and delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Kim Lange says
Lemon glaze sounds super yummy. Thanks so much for trying it and I'm sorry, I do not have nutritional information Leslie! xo You are welcome!
Leslie R. says
Made this yesterday. Love it. I did change the glaze to a lemon one. I had to cook It an extra 10 minutes. It is definitely a keeper!
Do you have any nutrition information?
Thanks for a great recipe,
Kim Lange says
Thank you so much Faye. That means a lot! That extract is really amazing, I hope you try it! xoxo
Faye says
It was McCormick's extract. I'll have to look into the organics. Thanks so much for sharing your recipes. They are innovative and great!!
Kim Lange says
Awesome Mary! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Thank you so much!
Kim Lange says
It's not a mistake Faye, but can I ask why kind of extract you were using? I'm glad you enjoyed the Lemon Sugar Cookies though! However, I think I will change it to 1 - 2 tablespoons in the recipe, solely for the reason the extract I used was the organic and some others might be stronger. Thanks for the feedback Faye and I hope you try it again and bump it down. 🙂
mary anderson says
i had those loaf but not the blueberry one i had which has almond in it definitely going to try this one looks so great!
Faye says
I made this loaf yesterday. I was surprised the recipe called for 2 TABLESPOONS lemon extract, but added it anyway. Oh, my! The extract was so overwhelming I couldn't eat it. I love your recipes normally (I made the Lemon Sugar Cookies yesterday, too, and they are AWESOME!!) , but the amount of lemon extract must be a mistake??
Jeff the Chef says
You had me at "copycat Starbucks lemon loaf," but then it was my head that exploded when you mentioned blueberries! Yowza!
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
This is just what we need to kick spring into gear!! So bright and sunny, I'd love a piece to go with my tea right now!!
Laura says
I’m All About lemon and blueberry, and double-dose of lemon is just my speed. This cake looks magnificent, Kim! Pinning!
Kim Lange says
Updated! Thank you for letting me know!
Kim Lange says
Updated! Thank you for letting me know!
Kim Lange says
Updated! Thank you for letting me know! 🙂
Kim Lange says
Updated! Thank you for letting me know! Thank you so much Linda for being so sweet and I hope this helps! You will love it!!
Kim Lange says
Updated! Thank you for letting me know!
Kim Lange says
Updated! Thank you for letting me know!
Kim Lange says
Updated! Thank you for letting me know!
Kim Lange says
OMG! Sorry blueberries add in! Yikes, sorry about that! Thank you for letting me know!
Tommy Connell says
I am sorry if missed something here but as I read this recipe I noticed there's no mention of how much blueberries to put in this loaf.
Can you please advise.
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
This looks so yummy and full of lemon flavor. Love the addition of blueberries and that glaze of course. Perfect for Spring and I am sooooo ready for Spring!!
JaN Klopf says
Where are the blueberries in this recipe? They are named and pictured but not mentioned in the actual recipe!!!
R Charron says
Where are the Blueberries and when are they added to the recipe?
Abbe says
Blueberries were excluded from om recipe completely!
Linda Tanzini says
Will be ting this soon but there isn't any mention of blueberries in ingreient list or direcions. An expsrienced baker can udge it but a newbie might not be able to. Bless you for all your delishious recipes!! Linda
Janice says
I've read the recipe, am anxious to try it today - too much snow to go out - but can't find the amount of blueberries to use. There's no listing of that ingredient even in the copy for printing. Where does the blueberry explosion come from?
Doneida dtr says
There's No Blueberries in your recipe how many do you use?
David Millet says
How many blueberries?
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking says
I love the flavour of lemon and blueberries together! And the blueberries in this loaf look so juicy. Totally feeling the spring vibes Kim! Have a great week!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
I'm so trying this! Lemon and blueberry together are just unbeatable!