Blueberry Lemon Loaf

If you love blueberries and you love lemon then you’re in luck.  This is a winning combination of fresh blueberries in season and tangy lemon with a moist coffee cake consistency.

 

 

Can be served as a breakfast cake, with afternoon tea or coffee or for dessert in the evening warmed up a little with ice cream or frozen yogurt.

 

 

RECIPE

½ Cup (125ml) butter (I use unsalted)

1 Cup (250ml) sugar

1 lemon

2 eggs

1 tsp (5ml) vanilla

1 ½ cups (375ml) all purpose flour

1 tsp (5ml) baking powder

½ cup (125ml) milk

1 ½ cups (225g) blueberries

Preheat oven to 350

In a small pot of boiling water immerse the lemon for a minute, then remove and cool.   Grate all the zest from lemon then juice the lemon and reserve juice. Immersing in boiling water makes it easier to grate the zest but there’s another trick which I use ***see below.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter & 1 cup of sugar together.  Add lemon zest, eggs and vanilla, beating well.  In a smaller bowl, combine your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and **½ tsp. of salt if desired).

Add half the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mix to incorporate, then half the milk.  Add rest of dry ingredients then rest of milk.  Fold in blueberries, and bake in a prepared loaf pan until lightly golden – after 45 minutes check that inserted toothpick comes out clean.  May take longer depending on your oven.

After: Mix the lemon juice with some sugar (½ cup max) and spread over loaf while still warm.  Pop back into the oven for a few minutes which can be turned off at this point – it will still retain enough heat to bake the glaze into the loaf.  Cool before slicing.

**many recipes call for adding a bit of salt.  Salt in baking has three uses. It helps preserve the food, helps in flavor and aids in doughs rising.           I don’t always find it necessary.

***too many lemons on hand? Did you know that lemons freeze well?  You can first grate all the zest which can be frozen separately as once you freeze lemons they juice up really well but they’ll be too soft to grate once they get to room temperature.  When you need only the juice then bring just lemon to room temperature & same for the zest.  I’ve been doing this for a while now because that way they don’t go bad.  Same with limes.  Plus you can make ice cube trays.