Lemon Blueberry Explosion Loaf

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This easy Lemon Blueberry Explosion Loaf  is actually a homemade Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf except this lemony loaf has an explosion of robust blueberries inside that will absolutely tantalize your taste buds!

I have more Starbucks faves right here! Starbucks Cranberry Bliss BarsStarbucks Banana Bread and “CopyCat” Starbucks Pumpkin Pound Cake!

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 this lemon loaf with berries!!

lemon berry bread

The lemon & blueberry combination is just so invigorating and bursting with so much flavor!  I am delighted how perfect the balances of contrasting flavors all come together. 

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, but I’ve got some extract tips for this recipe specifically.

lemon berry bread

Triple Lemon Flavor in this Lemon Blueberry Bread

As far as lemons flavor goes, I did add lemon zest to this lemon loaf with berries, because that’s what the Copycat Starbucks recipe calls for. So, lucky you!  Plus, you get a triple dose of lemon, and no one’s complaining, right? 

Lemon zest easily gives you the acidity that you need, so between the lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon extract, this bread will be escalated highly on the lemon ‘yum’ scale!

About Lemon Extract

  • 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, so it’s wonderful to use in breads, cakes and muffins.   
  • Like most extracts, adding too much for extra punch can affect the whole outcome of something that could have been wonderful, with the exception of vanilla. 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.

lemon berry bread

Ingredients You Need for Blueberry Lemon Bread

Lemon Blueberry Explosion Loaf

Old Fashioned Powdered Sugar Glaze

  • powdered sugar
  • lemon juice or you could use almond milk or whatever milk you want

Lemon Blueberry Explosion Loaf

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Loaf

Lemon Blueberry Explosion Loaf

  1. 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.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar, sour cream/yogurt and oil and quickly whisk together until smooth and combined.
  4. Add the lemon zest, lemon extract, and whisk together well.
  5. Add dry ingredients and whisk or stir until just combined and do not over-mix. Very little lumps are ok.
  6. Put blueberries in a container and add 3 teaspoons flour and shake.  Add to mixture and fold blueberries in.
  7. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 52-57 minutes.
  8. 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.
  9. Allow loaf to cool in pan on top of a baking wire rack for at least 30 minutes before before glazing.
  10. For the glaze, in a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice or milk until smooth and combined.
  11. Drizzle glaze over bread before slicing and serving.

Storing Lemon Berry Bread

  • Room Temperature:  It’s best to store leftover loaf At room temperature for up to 5 days. We don’t recommend storing this in the fridge as it will dry it out faster.
  • Freezer: Freeze up to 6 months by placing it in an airtight container, or wrapping it in plastic wrap and placing it in a freezer bag.

I am loving these new 9×5 baking pans I got from Kohl’s to make this blueberry lemon bread.  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!

bread with berriesbread with berries lemon loaf with berries

This lemon loaf is so packed with berries, I love it!  It’s the perfect snack in the afternoon or when you want a luscious lemon and berry dessert experience like this Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Cake and these Soft Lemon & Blueberry Explosion Cookies!

More Lemony Desserts?  Who Can Blame You?

 

Lemon Blueberry Explosion Loaf

Lemon Blueberry Explosion Loaf

Kim Lange
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! 
4.27 from 102 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Servings 8
Calories

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 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 to 2 tbsp 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.

Video

Keyword blueberry, easy quick bread, lemon, loaf, quick bread, Starbucks
Tried This Recipe?Let us know how it was by commenting below!

83 Comments

  1. 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.

  2. 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!

  3. 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!

  4. 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

  5. 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!

  6. 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

  7. 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!!

  8. 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!

  9. 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!

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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.

  13. 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!

  14. Can you substitute real lemon juice for the extract? If so, how much juice would you need?

  15. Hi Lori, no need to change the temperature, but not sure it will all fit in an 8×4 pan and the time might change as well. Hope that helps some.

  16. only have an 8×4 loaf pan! i have read some info on this and said to lower temp …

  17. 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!

  18. 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

  19. 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!!

  20. 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. 🙂

  21. 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! 🙂

  22. 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. 🙂

  23. 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

  24. 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.

  25. Have you ever done this in cupcake size or small loafs? Was there a baking time difference?

  26. Btw, 3teaspoons is a tablespoon. I would rather measure once. Just me, I guess.

  27. 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.

  28. 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!

  29. 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,

  30. 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!!

  31. 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. 🙂

  32. 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??

  33. I’m All About lemon and blueberry, and double-dose of lemon is just my speed. This cake looks magnificent, Kim! Pinning!

  34. 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.

  35. Where are the blueberries in this recipe? They are named and pictured but not mentioned in the actual recipe!!!

  36. 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

  37. 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?

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