This Blueberry Bread Loaf is an easy blueberry cake recipe that takes 10 minutes to prepare. The batter is made with yoghurt which makes this loaf lovely and moist, and all you need is a wooden spoon and one bowl. With a simple lemon glaze, this makes for a lovely afternoon tea!
Make this with any fruit you want – fresh, frozen or even dried!
Blueberry Bread Loaf
This is a quick bread recipe, and is aptly named as such because it is so quick to prepare. Once you pull out your tub of flour, sugar and other ingredients onto the counter, it will honestly take you less than 10 minutes to prepare.
In fact, you will probably have to start preheating your oven before you start preparing the batter. Otherwise it won’t be hot enough. That’s how fast this is to make.
Because it goes like this: whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Then add egg, yoghurt, oil, lemon zest and vanilla. Fold in blueberries. Pour into pan and bake.
Yes, it’s that easy. ONE BOWL. No mixer. I like very much. ❤️
Ingredients in Blueberry Loaf Bread
Here’s what you need to make this blueberry loaf cake recipe:
Blueberries – I typically make this during blueberry season when they are ripe, plump, and cheap. But it works 100% perfectly with frozen too, and with other berries such as raspberries, blackberries. Note: If using frozen, stir them in frozen. If you thaw, they will bleed into the batter and you’ll end up with blueberry streaks.
Yogurt – A “secret ingredient” wet ingredient in baking to make batters that bake up into lovely moist cakes. Any plain, unsweetened yogurt is fine here. I typically use Greek Yogurt.
Flour – Just plain / all purpose flour.
Oil – Canola oil, or any other plain flavoured oil (such as vegetable, sunflower, grapeseed oil). This is another ingredient that keeps the crumb of this cake lovely and moist compared to using butter. While butter provides more flavour in cakes, it makes the crumb more dry. In this recipe, we get flavour from the lemon, vanilla and blueberries so we can use oil instead of butter for a more moist crumb.
Baking powder – This provides the lift in this recipe, to make the crumb lovely and soft.
Lemon – Lemon and blueberries are a classic pairing I use in many of my blueberry recipes.
Sugar – Less than most, so this blueberry bread loaf is not as sweet as many recipes you’ll find. And that’s just the way I like it!
Eggs – At room temperature, so they incorporate easily into the batter. I use large eggs which are 55-60g / 2 oz each, an industry standard so the eggs will be labelled “large eggs” on the carton.
Vanilla – For flavour. I use vanilla extract here which is real vanilla flavour. Vanilla essence is artificial so the flavour is not as good. I typically only use pricier vanilla bean paste or vanilla beans for more refined dessert recipes, such as the recently published Flan Pâtissier (the world’s greatest Custard Tart!)
Salt – Just a touch, to bring out the flavours. This is good general practice for all (well, most!) sweet baking recipes.
How to make Blueberry Loaf Bread
Super quick and easy… remember, this is a quick bread recipe!
Toss blueberries in flour – This helps ensure the blueberries remain suspended through the batter as it bakes, rather than sinking to the bottom. Yep, been there, done that! 😩
Whisk dry ingredients – The flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Add wet ingredients – Eggs, yogurt, lemon, vanilla and oil. Give it a good mix just until combined. Once the batter is smooth and you no longer see streaks of flour, stop mixing. If you overmix, your cake will end up hard instead of soft.
Stir in blueberries – Add the flour coated blueberries and stir gently just to mix them through.
Pour into loaf pan – Scrape the batter into a lined loaf pan. The one I use is fairly small, 21 x 11 x 7 cm (8.3 x 4.5 x 2.75″). This makes a nice tall shaped loaf. If your loaf pan is larger, that’s totally fine, it will just won’t be quite as tall as pictured.
Line the loaf pan with parchment / baking paper to ensure your cake will not stick. Just lightly grease it with butter so the paper sticks.
Bake 5o minutes at 200*C/390°F (180°C fan forced).
Cover with foil then bake for a further 15 to 25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. I check it after 15 minutes, then if the skewer is still wet, I leave it in for another 10 minutes. The variable is usually whether you used fresh blueberries (shorter baker time) or frozen (longer bake time).
Voila! Ready to devour! Will you glaze it with lemon glaze?? YES!
Lemon Glaze ingredients
I’ve provided a lemon glaze in this recipe, but when time is of the essence, I just dust with icing sugar. It doesn’t need a glaze, it is sweet, moist and tasty enough without. But it is even better WITH!
So if you’re in the mood, here’s what you need for the glaze!
Soft icing sugar / powdered sugar – For Australians reading this, soft icing sugar is not to be confused with pure icing sugar. Soft icing sugar is what is used to make creamy frostings like buttercream. Pure icing sugar sets with a crust for things like royal icing.
Lemon juice – The primary liquid used to make the glaze, to give it a subtle tang that balances out the sweetness of the glaze and pairs beautifully with the blueberry loaf bread.
Milk – If needed, to thin the glaze to the right consistency.
To make the lemon glaze, just mix the ingredients, using milk to get the right consistency so it’s thick enough to drizzle over. Careful not to make it too thin!
The weekend is here. It’s time to treat yourself! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Blueberry Bread Loaf
Ingredients
Dry
- 1 3/4 cups flour , plain / all purpose
- 1 cup white sugar , preferably caster/superfine
- 2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
Wet
- 1 cup plain yoghurt (preferably not low fat)
- 3 large eggs , 55 – 60g / 2oz each
- 2 tsp lemon zest (1 large or 2 small lemons)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup canola oil (or vegetable, grapeseed oil)
Blueberries
- 2 tsp flour
- 1 1/2 cups frozen or fresh blueberries (no need to defrost)
Optional lemon glaze
- 1 1/2 cups soft icing sugar / powdered sugar , sifted
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1-2 tbsp milk , if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan forced).
- Line loaf pan: Butter and line a loaf pan with parchment / baking paper. I used a 21 x 11 x 7 cm pan (8.3 x 4.5 x 2.75") which makes a nice tall loaf.
- Coat blueberries: Toss blueberries in flour (less flour sticks if dry, more if frozen). This helps keep them suspended in the batter.
- Whisk Dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Add Wet ingredinets: Make a well in the Dry ingredients. Add Wet ingredients. Whisk until incorporated.
- Fold in blueberries: Fold in blueberries, including any flour remaining in the blueberry bowl.
- Bake: Pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 50 minutes, then cover with foil. Bake for a further 15 – 25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Check after 15 minutes, then if the skewer comes out with batter on it, bake a further 10 minutes.
- Cool: Rest for 5 minutes then turn onto a cooling rack and completely cool. Drizzle with Glaze. Wait until the glaze sets (about 20 minutes) before slicing to serve.
Glaze
- Whisk icing sugar and lemon until smooth, using milk only if needed to achieve the right thickness (Note 3). Pour or spread over cake set on a rack over a baking tray. Scrape glaze drippings on the tray back onto the cake.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Recipe original published in June 2016. Post updated with new photos, ingredient photos, step photos and a recipe video.
More afternoon tea favourites
And more blueberry recipes
In case you’re lucky enough to be overloaded with blueberries…
Life of Dozer
I can’t bring myself to share the photo of Dozer from when I was shooting this. It involved a big puddle of drool as he quietly lay under the table, waiting for a big hunk of cake to drop on the ground (which did not occur). It was disgusting!!!!
So here you go – something a little cuter. 🙂 Boy, I really did NOT expect this 5 kg/10 lb puppy to end up quite as big as he is – he’s now 40kg / 80lb!!!
Made this cake – had to alter it as realised I didn’t have canola oil so managed to replace it with butter! Absolutely beautiful result, possibly the best cake I have ever made! Thanks Nagi!
I’m so glad it worked with butter Helen!! Good to know ☺️
2 Thumbs up and 2 Toes on the blueberry lemon loaf. I made it today with the icing and I will make it again. I want to point out that if someone is not using the recommended superfine sugar, to accommodate for the difference.
Thank you so much for allowing us to print your recipes.
It’s very helpful as I now have a 3 ring binder with all your great recipes close at hand
I LOVE reading your recepies am going to do your blueberry quick bread this evening. Thank you for sharing.
Hope you loved it Linda!! N xx
Nagi, I just have to say, Dozer looks particularly cute and fetching in this post!! 🐶❤️. We have a mini dachshund (I’m a first time dog owner) and I absolutely love him to death… wish we could have a golden retriever too (Dozer looks so hug-able!), but we live in an apartment…
Now on a food-related note 😁… I love your recipes and how you have very detailed and helpful notes… I made the glazed ham for Christmas with great success! (first time ever, didn’t even grow up celebrating Christmas 😄). So thank you for all the delicious inspiration! 😊
A mini dachshund!!! My gosh, Dozer would knock him over if he breathed on him! 🤣 I’m so pleased you enjoyed the glazed ham lily! N xx
I am making this to cut up and eat during the week as a snack. Do you know within how many days this loaf should be consumed??? 🙂
Hi Elisa! It lasts for around 4 days easily, it’s so most! But if you are in Australia, please refrigerate it if it’s super hot where you are!
Unfortunately ran out of canola oil for the last 1/4 cup and used grapeseed 🙁 Really changed the taste. Will try next time w Canola all the way
Oh dear, I’m sorry to hear that BC.
Just made with frozen raspberries I had in the freezer. My challenge at the moment is trying to cook it’s what I have using your recipes. Thank Nagi for another winner!!!!!! You are a star! ⭐️
That’s terrific to hear Valerie! I’m so pleased to hear that. 🙂 N xx
Hi
pl suggest substitute for lemon zest!
Thank you
Just leave it out! 🙂
OK THANKS!!
10 stars Nagi! Knowing that your recipes are ace, I took the risk of making this for a work colleague’s birthday and you didn’t let me down. I made it as a tray bake and added lemon cream cheese frosting. Compliments all around 🙂
AWWWWW!!!! I’m so pleased you enjoyed this Runa, thank you for letting me know – and the confidence! N xx
I have this in the oven right now. I could’ve eaten the raw batter!! It was delicious! I can’t wait for dessert tonight!! Thank you!!
Whoot! I hope you love it! 🙂
Hi there!
A week of autumn holidays just ended and during those free days I made a bunch of your recipes. I have to say that your recipes really work for me, they’re simply amazing! Instead of rating your recipes one by one I just took some time today to rate all of those I made in one go 🙂
I had a bunch of frozen blueberries and this recipe was just the right one to use some of them. I have to say that it turned out great, really soft with a nice hint of lemon. It disappeared in a day and everyone loved it!
AWESOME! So happy to hear you enjoyed this Klavdija, and thanks for letting me know! N x
I made this recipe and loved it! I didn’t have the yogurt so I substituted with sour cream. I love your blog and can’t wait to try more recipes! I have told all my friends about you and how you have a great sense of humor with easy to follow recipes! Thank you so much for making me want to try new things instead of same old go to boring meals!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Susan! Thank you for letting me know – and sharing my recipes with your friends! N x
Hi Nagi,
I signed up for your email recipes and look forward to preparing each and (almost) every one. I also love your recipe tips. I have subscribed to only a few web sites on Pinterest but look for your site every day in my email. I don’t have a dog but I am in love with Dozer.
I’m so happy that I signed up with you and wanted to compliment your talents and thank you. You are a “breath of sunshine.”
Thank you Rose! This message made my evening. 🙂 I’m glad you are enjoying my recipes and hearing about cheeky Dozer’s antics! Hope you are having a great week – N x
Hi Nagi, I’m going to try this recipe tomorrow for visitors and might even try it as muffins. I guess for Aussies out there you could substitute mashed bananas for the blueberries.
Love the photo of Dozer. He looks like a Retriever – I have a Labrador and he must weigh nearly 40kg! Will check when next we go to vet.
Thanks for the great recipe.
Carol
Hi Carol, I hope you enjoy it! It would be great as muffins too, nice and moist! Yes, Dozer is a retriever 🙂 I big Goldie!
Hi Nagi! i made this over the weekend. Followed exactly the recipe and timing. Turned out all good except for the bottom part of the loaf where most of the blueberries ended up. It was dense and not as fluffy as the top part. I am not sure what did I do wrong here. it’s like baking a cake that sink ;-( But nevertheless, it still taste good. I read through all the comments and no one has mentioned the problem I had. So i think it’s most probably my fault than your recipe. I have not baked for years and this is my first attempt after more than 5 years. Will probably try to make this again to see whether it will turn out differently.
Oh dear! I’m glad it tasted delish still! Did you remember to flour dust the blueberries? Also sounds like the batter was thinner than it should have been 🙂 Just keep an eye on measurements for the next attempt! N x
I read through the comments and did not see anyone try this with muffins? I would leave off the glaze (people that I work with are all worried about extra sugar. Would 25 minutes work you think?
Hi Cathy! I think 25 minutes would be enough for this as a muffin. I haven’t tried it as a muffin but I am sure it will work – and woah, probably the moistest muffin you have ever had!!!
Hi Nagi, this is a delicious & fool proof recipe! I say fool proof because when I mixed everything together and added the blueberries in I was thinking to myself …hmm somethings wrong here it’s too dry, what the hell have I missed!! I reread the recipe and couldn’t work it out then stood there scratching my head for a bit! It was at this point I noticed the yoghurt sitting on the bench!! (right in front of me!) Oops! So I tipped it in and mixed it up thinking “well I’ve cocked that up!” But to my absolute delight it came out perfect!
I’m a terrible baker so this one is a keeper!!
Love your work
Vikki
BA HA HA! Vikki, I can totally beat that, I left out SOY SAUCE in a 5 ingredient recipe!! So glad you enjoyed it and that it worked out perfectly! N x
Can you make these as muffins instead of a loaf of bread? I tried making these and they turned out awful. The only thing i changed, was using coconut flour instead of regular flour. I was NOT able to pour the batter, it was too dry. I have no idea what I did wrong… I can cook my butt off, but I’m not a baker!
Hi Annabanana! I’m sorry to say that I would not recommend substituting the flour with coconut flour….that is probably where it went wrong. Sorry to say! N x
Nagi,
Thanks for getting back to me! I was feeling pretty stupid after rereading my comment and the the other comments about how this was such a “fool proof” recipe. And yah I figured you would say the coconut flour is where I went wrong…but I thought you would have a reason why… 🙂
I was frustrated that I wasted all those ingredients. I can’t stand wasting food! 🙁
So, I just now looked up baking with coconut flour vs wheat flour (wish I would’ve looked it up that night!). Turns out when you use coconut flour you need to add an extra egg to the recipe!
I think I might give it another try.
Extra tip for anyone trying not to use wheat flour, when using coconut flour in this recipe, the coconut flavor is fairly strong. I’m not a huge fan of coconut flavor, but for some reason I enjoyed it in this recipe. It was the texture of the muffins/bread that was AWFUL, which was because the batter was too dry and needed another egg (I hope).
Thanks!
Anne
I’d love to know how it turns out!! Thanks for the tip on cooking with coconut flour !:)
This was so delicious and pretty. I subbed half the oil for applesauce to cut a few calories and it was great. Thank you!
That’s wonderful Jessica! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for coming back to let me know, I really appreciate it! N x