If there is one thing I can be remembered for in this life, I hope it is this blueberry lemon muffin bread.
Just kidding. I hope to remembered for other, perhaps more important, things, but I do also intend to have this bread go down in history books as one of the greats.
That’s not to say this bread isn’t important in its own way. I mean, there are fresh blueberries and lemon zest speckled throughout the loaf that is then topped with the best crunch topping in all the land. To say you need this bread ASAP is an understatement. You, like, NEED this bread.
Of course, being in the throes of Whole30 right now, this bread is completely off-limits to my salivating tastebuds, but you can bet your bottom dollar that come May 1, I am going to town on this loaf of blueberry lemon goodness. In fact, I have half of the loaf in my freezer for that very occasion. I cannot wait. I’m going to eat an avocado in anticipation.
So how do I know what this bread even tastes like if I can’t eat it, you ask? It’s called a spit cup, you guys. I learned this trick from working in the test kitchens at General Mills, where we often use them while taste-testing a bunch of recipes. So yes. I took a bite of this glorious bread, tasted all of its fresh, fruity, crunchy-topped goodness to make sure it passed the test, and then spit. it. out. You can be embarrassed for me, I understand (my friends are shaking their heads at me right now, I know it).
But to move along to more exciting and, um, palatable topics, if there is one quick bread you should bake to ring in spring, it’s this one. The fresh blueberries add sweetness and tang, the lemon zest adds a hint of brightness and zing, and the crunch topping — well, I keep talking about it because it’s just THE BEST. I’m thinking about just making big batches of it sometime to sprinkle on everything, from oatmeal to granola. It’s just the logical thing to do.
And hey, it’s almost the weekend, which is a great time to bake up a loaf or three for breakfasts, snacks, a batch of blueberry shortcake, and some strawberry rhubarb pie! Let’s raise a slice of bread to that (or for me, a slice of avocado).
Blueberry Muffin Bread
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ½ cup milk
- 1 ½ cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed and drained
For the crunch topping:
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsalted butter , cold, cubed
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease bottom and sides of 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan with butter or spray with cooking spray.
- In medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. In separate large bowl, beat butter and sugar 1 to 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add lemon zest. Beat in dry ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
- To make crunch topping: In small bowl, combine sugars and flour. Using fingers or pastry blender, mix in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle mixture over top of batter in loaf pan.
- Bake loaf 1 hour 15 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Run knife along edges of pan before removing loaf.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Hi there, this looks delicious! If I want to use sourdough discard in this receipe, how would you recommend changing the recipe up?
Mauri — You might be able to swap some of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour — I’d do up to 3/4 cup of the total 1 1/2 cups, but no more.
Hi
Can I use instead of cups all-purpose flour to whole wheat flour ? or half of each?
Looks awesome, I was walking past my local bakery on Friday afternoon and they were handing out samples of blueberry lemon muffins which were delicious. I’ll definitely be putting berries in my shopping cart tomorrow morning so I can try your recipe .. If all goes according to plan the loaf won’t last very long .
Oh man, you’re a trooper for having that spit cup. Being on the whole30 has been so hard with so many amazing recipes popping up left and right!! Including this lemon blueberry muffin bread. Lemon and blueberry is just such a beautiful combo!
Oh no you had to spit it out! Ugh that must have been extremely difficult because this looks scrumptious!! Kudos to you!
Chayo — Haha, I understand the struggle. Yes, you can bake this into muffins! Just be sure to shorten the baking time by a lot (like, probably at least half) because the muffins will bake more quickly. Enjoy!
Hi Stephanie. Can I make muffins instead of loaves? More portion control for me. I’ll eat the whole loaf ????
It’s raining and all my life needs right now is a slice of this gorgeous bread…. you had me at crunch topping!
Oh yum! I make mini bundts that are blueberry and lemon so that I just eat one at a time. I never works though!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com