Sweet and citrusy, this Blueberry Lemon Loaf is the perfect summer time snack! Topped with a blueberry lemon glaze, this loaf cake is gluten free, egg free, nut free and easily dairy free (vegan).
If you’re looking for the perfect loaf cake, this is it!
Blueberry and lemon are one of my absolute favorite combinations and in this cake they are just perfect together just like my Lemon Blueberry Cookies.
For more recipes, try my Blueberry Cupcakes, Lemon Thumbprint Cookies, Blueberry Cobbler and Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes.
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Substitutions and Variations
How to make this Vegan
- Use a non dairy gluten free flour.
- Instead of butter, use vegan baking sticks.
- Make sure to use a non dairy milk of choice.
This recipe has not been tested with these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Blueberry Lemon Loaf
Here are the step by step instructions to make this loaf!
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9 x 5 inch pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.
Step 2: Make the Cornstarch Water
In a small bowl using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and the water until it is thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Step 3: Cream the Butter
In a large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, cream the butter or vegan baking stick and the sugar until smooth and fluffy. About 2 minutes. Beat in the lemon juice and the cornstarch water mixture until everything is combined.
Step 4: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder and salt.
Step 5: Add in the Flour Mixture and Milk
Add the gluten free flour mixture and milk of choice into the cornstarch butter mixture alternating but starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until everything is just combined.
Step 6: Add in the Fruit
Fold in the blueberries and lemon zest using a spatula and gently mix till just combined.
Step 7: Pour the Batter and Bake
Using the spatula, pour batter into the 9 x 5 loaf pan and bake for 70 minutes until the top is golden.
For the Blueberry Liquid
Step 1: Heat the Blueberries, Lemon Juice and Water
In a saucepan set over medium heat, combine the ⅓ cup frozen blueberries, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and two tablespoons of water. Cook for 10 min until the blueberries are nice and broken apart and jammy.
Step 2: Strain
After the blueberries are nice and liquid, strain them with a mesh sieve or mesh colander and collect the liquid in a bowl. It should give you about a teaspoon or so of blueberry liquid and that’s all we need for the glaze.
For the Glaze
Step 1: Whisk the Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk all the glaze ingredients together, including the 1 teaspoon of blueberry juice.
The glaze should be a beautiful pinkish color. If it appears too watery, add more confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. If the glaze appears too thick, add more water, ¼ teaspoon at a time.
Step 2: Cool the Loaf and Glaze
Once the loaf is done baking, take out of the oven and let cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, remove from the pan and let cool on the cooling rack completely.
Once completely cool, pour the glaze over the loaf and let it solidify for about 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Tips for making Blueberry Lemon Loaf
Make the cornstarch water- In a small bowl using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and the water until it is thin and watery. It will be very thick and tacky at first. Don’t try to use a whisk, the cornstarch sticks to it.
Mix the wet ingredients- In a large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, cream the butter or vegan baking stick and the sugar until smooth and fluffy. About 2 minutes. Beat in the lemon juice and the cornstarch water mixture until everything is combined.
Mix the dry ingredients- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder and salt.
Make the batter- Add the gluten free flour mixture and milk of choice into the cornstarch butter mixture alternating but starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until everything is just combined.
Fold in the blueberries and lemon zest- Use a spatula to gently mix them in. Put the batter into your greased 9 x 5 loaf pan and bake for 70 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat the frozen blueberries
While the Blueberry Lemon Loaf Cake is baking, it’s time to make the glaze.
In a saucepan set over medium heat, combine the ⅓ cup frozen blueberries, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and two tablespoons of water. Cook for 10 min until the blueberries are nice and broken apart and jammy.
You could use fresh blueberries but you might need more liquid. The frozen ones have a lot more water that’s released when they break down.
If the liquid gets absorbed and it starts to look too thick, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
We actually will be straining this and only using the blueberry liquid to make our glaze that beautiful pink.
After the blueberries are nice and liquidy, strain them with a mesh sieve or mesh colander and collect the liquid in a bowl. It should give you about a teaspoon or so of blueberry liquid and that’s all we need for the glaze.
Glaze that Blueberry Lemon Loaf
In a medium bowl, whisk all the glaze ingredients together, including the 1 teaspoon of blueberry juice.
The glaze should be a beautiful pinkish color. If it appears too watery, add more confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. If the glaze appears too thick, add more water, ¼ teaspoon at a time.
Pour the glaze over the loaf (once the loaf has cooled) and wait for the glaze to solidify. Only takes about 15 minutes or so.
Citrusy and sweet, this Blueberry Lemon Loaf is perfect for lemon and blueberry lovers alike! And don’t forget, always gluten free, nut free, egg free and easily vegan! Enjoy!
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📖 Recipe
Blueberry Lemon Loaf
Ingredients
For the loaf cake:
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 6 tablespoons of water
- 1.5 cups gluten free flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup milk of choice
- 1 cup blueberries
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
For the blueberry liquid:
- ⅓ cup frozen blueberries
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons water
For the glaze:
- 1.5 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh blueberry liquid
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9 x 5 inch pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.
- In a small bowl using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and the water until it is thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, cream the butter or vegan baking stick and the sugar until smooth and fluffy. About 2 minutes. Beat in the lemon juice and the cornstarch water mixture until everything is combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the gluten free flour mixture and milk of choice into the cornstarch butter mixture alternating but starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until everything is just combined.
- Fold in the blueberries and lemon zest using a spatula and gently mix till just combined.
- Using the spatula, pour batter into the 9 x 5 loaf pan and bake for 70 minutes until the top is golden.
- Make the blueberry liquid: In a saucepan set over medium heat, combine the ⅓ cup frozen blueberries, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and two tablespoons of water. Cook for 10 min until the blueberries are nice and broken apart and jammy.
- After the blueberries are nice and liquid, strain them with a mesh sieve or mesh colander and collect the liquid in a bowl. It should give you about a teaspoon or so of blueberry liquid and that’s all we need for the glaze.
- Make the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk all the glaze ingredients together, including the 1 teaspoon of blueberry juice.
- The glaze should be a beautiful pinkish color. If it appears too watery, add more confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. If the glaze appears too thick, add more water, ¼ teaspoon at a time.
- Once the loaf is done baking, take out of the oven and let cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove from the pan and let cool on the cooling rack completely.
- Once completely cool, pour the glaze over the loaf and let it solidify for about 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
This Blueberry Loaf Recipe was adapted from Taste Of Home's Lemon Blueberry Bread.
Valerie
I'm looking forward to trying this recipe! Can I use frozen blueberries for the loaf, or do I need to use fresh blueberries?
Thanks!!
Lee
Yes! Make sure you take the frozen blueberries out and put them in a colander to thaw and drain them as they thaw. Once they are no longer frozen, lay them on a paper towel and pat them dry all around. Then, toss them gently in a bowl with a little bit of flour. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf. Hope this helps!
Meghan
Do you have the modification for this one to use egg instead of cornstarch? Just straight swap?
Lee
Hi Meghan! Yes I have the modification! Take out the cornstarch water mixture and add two eggs. Also, lessen the milk to 1/2 cup instead of 3/4 cup. Hope that works! I sadly cannot test it out due to my son's allergy but I did bake with eggs years ago before he was diagnosed.
John
As far as loafs go, I'm a newbie. You make it so quick and easy!