Blackberry Lemon Bread

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Blackberry Lemon Bread features sweet blackberries, moist lemon bread, and a rich lemon glaze. This easy yet decadent bread makes a great breakfast or snack that will satisfy your sweet tooth.

Blackberry lemon bread loaf cut into slices surrounded with real lemons and lemon zest icing.

This quick and simple lemon loaf has minimal steps making it perfect for beginner bakers. All you need is some essential equipment and the ability to mix ingredients together. It's also great if you want to make something tasty for your neighbors or friends. Enjoy it with a hot cup of coffee or tea!

About Blackberry Lemon Bread

Taste - The combination of tangy lemon bread and tart blackberries is light and delightful. It's bursting with sweet and zesty flavors!
Texture - The loaf is moist and fluffy, and has bits of juicy blackberries.
Effort - This lemon loaf requires minimal effort! Just measure the ingredients and combine as instructed.
Time - Prep takes 15 minutes and cook time is only 45 minutes.

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About Blackberry Lemon Bread
Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
FAQs
Equipment
Storage
Top tips
Did You Like this Recipe?
Blackberry Lemon Bread
Storage
Top tips
Food safety

Ingredients

Butter - Butter adds flavor, a higher rise, and a crisper crust.
Sugar - Sugar adds sweetness and locks in moisture to the bread.
Egg - Egg binds the ingredients together. Use a room temperature egg so it spreads evenly in the bread dough.
Vanilla extract - Vanilla extract adds complexity and sweetness to the batter. For a stronger vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean paste.
Lemon juice - Fresh lemon juice adds sweetness and tartness to the bread.
Lemon zest - Lemon zest packs extra citrus flavor while not adding moisture.
All-purpose flour - All-purpose flour is the foundation of the bread.
Baking powder - Baking powder helps make the bread soft and tender.
Sea salt - Sea salt balances the sweetness and sugar.
Sour cream - Sour cream adds moisture without thinning the batter.
Fresh Blackberries - Blackberries are juicy berries with a tart flavor.
Confectioner's sugar - Powdered sugar for dusting that adds a sweet final touch.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Easy steps to make blackberry lemon bread, including beating the butter and sugar, mixing in egg, and adding flour.

Heat the oven - Preheat the oven to 350˚F and place the oven rack in the middle tier.
Cream butter and sugar - In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Mix wet ingredients - Turn the mixer off and scrape the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Add in the egg one and beat on the low speed until combined. Add vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest and beat for 1 minute. Turn off the mixer and scrape the sides again.
Add dry ingredients and sour cream - In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Turn the mixer on low and mix in half of the flour mixture until almost combined. Add the sour cream and mix until almost combined. Add the remaining flour and mix until the ingredients are just incorporated. Do not over mix.

Easy steps to make blackberry lemon bread, including adding the sour cream and berries.

Add blackberries - Toss in 1 cup of blackberries in a teaspoon of flour. Then gently fold in the blackberries into the batter with a baking spatula.
Bake - Pour the batter into a loaf pan that is greased and floured or lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle a few blackberries evenly on the top of the batter. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. The top of the loaf will be brown and a toothpick in the center will come out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool. Invert the loaf onto a cooling rack and let the loaf completely cool.
Make the glaze - In a bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest until it forms a smooth glaze. Once the loaf cools, drizzle the top with the glaze.

Substitutions

Blueberries - Use blueberries instead of blackberries if you want a sweeter and less tart berry.
Raspberries - Use raspberries instead of blackberries if you want a sweeter berry with similar tartness.
Orange juice - Instead of lemon juice, use orange juice or a mix of lemon and orange juice.
Gluten-free - Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour to make this recipe gluten-free.
Vanilla bean paste - use vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract for a richer vanilla flavor.
Greek Yogurt - You can use greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a healthier option.
Frozen Berries - You can use frozen berries instead of fresh berries if you need to, just let them thaw first.
Lemon extract - You can use a teaspoon of lemon extract and tablespoon of water instead of lemon juice for the glaze.

Variations

Toasted nuts - Add chopped and toasted nuts of your choice, like pecans and walnuts.
Chocolate - If you want to make the loaf chocolatey, add a half cup of chocolate chips or chunks.
Berry Mix - Use a mix of blackberries, blueberries, and/or raspberries to make the bread berrylicious.
Blackberry Lemon Muffins - Instead of placing the blackberry lemon batter in a cake pan, place the batter in a greased muffin pan and fill each cup ⅔ full. Bake the muffins for approximately 20 minutes, or until the cake tester comes out clean.
Lemon Poppy Seed Bread - Add 4 teaspoons of poppy seeds if you want to add the nuttiness of poppy seeds to the bread.
Lemon Curd - Top the bread with lemon curd for extra lemony flavor.
Apple curd - Enjoy the bread with apple curd for a rich caramel apple flavor.

FAQs

Is blackberry lemon bread healthy?

While this blackberry bread recipe isn't unhealthy, we wouldn't consider it healthy either. In order to make this recipe healthy, you can omit the lemon glaze and/or replace the sugar with unrefined sugar.

What do I do if the butter, sugar, and egg mixture splits or curdles?

Transfer the mixture to a microwave safe bowl and heat it in the microwave in 10 second increments for up to 20 seconds, stirring in between each increment. This will ensure the butter is melted but the egg isn't cooked. Curdling can be caused when the butter and egg are different temperatures (one is cold while the other is room temperature). This temperature difference prevents the ingredients from combining evenly.

How do I make my lemon bread moist?

The sour cream and sugar in this recipe make the bread moist. Be sure not to reduce either the sour cream or sugar to ensure the bread is moist.

What if my loaf is cooked on the outside and not on the inside?

This can happen if your oven is too hot. Carefully remove the loaf from the oven and cover the top tightly with aluminum foil then put the loaf back in the oven. We recommend doing this with oven mitts on to avoid getting burned.

Before and after: blackberry lemon loaf with icing as a solid loaf and sliced.

Equipment

This lemon loaf recipe requires common kitchen essentials. You will need a knife, cutting board, mixing bowl, electric handheld mixer or stand mixer, standard loaf pan, and cooling rack. Use a microplane grater or cheese grater to zest the lemons, and a hand citrus juicer for easy juicing.

Storage

Store this easy lemon bread in an air-tight container or place the bread back in the loaf pan with foil over the top. Keep in a cool, dry place for up to 5-7 days. This blackberry lemon loaf can also be frozen for up to 3 months. In order to freeze the loaf, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then with foil, and place it in your freezer. To thaw the loaf, unwrap it and leave at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours.

Top tips

Beat the butter and sugar thoroughly to add air to the recipe. This makes for a tender and fluffy crumb.
To check that the blackberry bread is completely baked, pierce the loaf with a toothpick, cake tester, or chopstick then take it out. If the tester has any batter or ingredients stuck to it, the bread needs to continue baking.
For the best bake, use high-quality butter! We recommend European-style butter, such as Kerry Gold or Plugra, because it has a higher fat content.

Did You Like this Recipe?

If you loved this glazed lemon bread recipe, check out these other delicious breads and baked goods:

Food safety

Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
Never leave cooking food unattended
Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.