Blueberry Bread

By FionaUpdated May 20, 2024, Published Jun 10, 2019
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Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 10 slices

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This easy blueberry bread is buttery, tender and filled with juicy berries in every bite. Instead of making blueberry muffins, I’ve adapted the recipe to be made in a loaf pan – which yields a deliciously moist quick bread that the whole family will love. It’s perfect for breakfast or tea time with a drizzle of sweet glaze, or spread with a little butter or jam. Like a big, warm, slice of your favorite blueberry muffin! 3 slices of moist blueberry bread with the rest of the loaf on a cooling rack in the background.

If you love blueberry muffins – then this blueberry bread should definitely be the next thing you bake. It has a buttery, vanilla flavor; tender, moist, extra fluffy crumb; and is packed with blueberries. We’re basically making blueberry muffins in a loaf pan, and the result is a delicious blueberry treat that’s reminiscent of blueberry pound cake. 

Blueberry Bread Recipe Blueberry Bread drizzled with vanilla glaze on a cooling rack with a small bowl of blueberries in the background.

This blueberry bread is a simple, no fuss quick bread recipe. That being said – I find the term “quick bread” a little misleading. While the batter comes together in about 15 minutes, it takes a loooooong time to bake. So make sure to give yourself plenty of time.

I actually originally posted this recipe in 2018, but I knew I could improve it to make it even better. So – here are the changes/important ingredients:

  • Butter. Originally I used a combo of butter and oil, but this time we’re using 100% butter for more flavor.
  • A little lemon zest for more flavor. I wouldn’t call this a lemon blueberry bread, but just a hint of lemon zest brightens up the flavor.
  • Milk and sour cream for moisture. After numerous (and I mean numerous) recipe tests, I found that the combination of using both milk and sour cream give a more moist and tender crumb. The texture is perfectly dense – just like you want a quick bread to be.
  • More blueberries. Because the loaf is dense and tender – we can pack it with even more blueberries.
  • Optional lemon glaze. It adds a little extra sweetness if that’s your thing.
    A bowl of blueberry bread batter, before the blueberries are folded into the batter to show the thick and slightly lumpy batter.

Fluffy, buttery, never dry, filled with berries.

Tips for Making this Blueberry Muffin Bread

  • Make sure all your ingredients are room temperature before getting started. This ensures everything mixes evenly without over mixing the batter.
    • You can place the eggs in a bowl of lukewarm water for 5-10 minutes.
    • Take the sour cream and milk out of the fridge 30 minutes prior. Or measure it out, and microwave for 10-second intervals on medium power, stirring between each.
  • Be very careful to measure the flour properly. Too much flour leads to a dry and crumbly bread. Give the flour a whisk first, then spoon and level it into a measuring cup. Or – if you have a scale, measure out 250g.
  • Do not over mix the batter. Gently fold in the dry ingredients, sour cream, and berries. If the batter is mixed too much – it gets tough, instead of tender.
  • To prevent over browning on the edges, bake the blueberry bread in a light-colored metal loaf pan or a glass pan.
  • Make sure the bread is fully cooked – it can often take a full 60-75 minutes. 90% of the time when quick breads sink in the middle it’s because they weren’t baked long enough.

Close up shot of glazed blueberry muffin bread highlighting the golden top of the bread.

 

Can I use frozen berries in blueberry bread? Yup! Absolutely. If using frozen berries, do not thaw the berries. Toss the frozen berries in 2 teaspoons of flour to prevent them bleeding color. I find using frozen berries usually increases the bake time by about 5 minutes.

This easy blueberry bread will stay fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and it also freezes well. To freeze, make sure the bread is 100% cooled. Then wrap in tightly in plastic (either slices or the whole loaf), and place in a freezer container or freezer bag. Then when you’re ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge the night before. I recommend freezing it without the glaze.

This blueberry bread is so deliciously moist, tender, and when it’s filled with juicy berries – you really can’t go wrong.

Love blueberries? Try these other favorites too:

3 slices of moist blueberry bread with the rest of the loaf on a cooling rack in the background.

Blueberry Bread

By: Fiona Dowling
This easy blueberry bread is buttery, moist and filled with juicy berries in every bite. It's like a big, warm, slice of your favorite blueberry muffin. 
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, , melted & cooled
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup sour cream*
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 cups blueberries, , fresh or frozen**

Glaze (Option

  • 1 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, , or milk

Instructions 

Blueberry Bread

  • Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Line the bottom of a 9x5 inch loaf pan*** with parchment, then grease and flour the sides.
  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl beat together the melted butter, sugar and lemon zest.
  • Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
  • Beat in the sour cream.
  • Turn the mixer off, then gently fold in about 1/2 of the flour mixture using a rubber spatula.
  • Then gently fold in the milk, followed by the rest of the flour mixture.
  • When the batter is almost mixed together (there will still be some lumps), fold in the berries.**
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60-70 minutes. After about 30 minutes of baking, tent a piece of aluminum foil loosely over the bread to prevent burning on the top. When the bread is done an inserted toothpick should come out clean or with a few dry crumbs and the bread should feel firm or slightly springy to the touch .
  • Cool fully in the pan before cutting in. 

Glaze

  • Whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
  • Whisk in a little more powdered sugar or lemon juice as necessary. It should look white in color, but thin enough to drizzle.
  • Remove the cooled bread from the pan, and drizzle the glaze over top.

Notes

*Plain Greek yogurt works too. 
**If using frozen berries, do not thaw. Toss frozen berries in 2 tsp flour before gently folding into the batter.
***I find baking in a ceramic or glass pan increases the bake time. 
Make-ahead Tips: Cover and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. To freeze the bread, cool fully then wrap tightly in plastic. Place in a freezer container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge. 
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4 Comments

  1. This bread looks delicious! Can a gluten-free flour or gluten-free flour blend be substituted for the all-purpose flour? If so, would other changes be needed to be made to the recipe? Thanks.

    Reply

    1. To be 100% honest, I find that different brands of gluten-free flour perform pretty differently in baking, so it’s hard for me to be 100% confident in the results. If you have a brand that you typically substitute I’d say give it a try. Just ensure that it isn’t self-raising.

      Reply