Description
If you’re a blueberry fan, this blueberry lemon loaf cake is perfection. Fresh blueberries play the starring role in this anytime cake and plenty of lemon zest adds brightness. Each slice is moist, tender, and bursting with blueberries!
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp (5 g) aluminum-free baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp (6 g) fresh lemon zest
- 1 1/2 tsp (6 g) vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs (100 g), at room temperature
- 1 cup (240 g) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 cup (170 g) fresh blueberries
Lemon Syrup
- 2 Tbsp (30 g) fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
Glaze
- 1 Tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, melted
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp (30 g) whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line the loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Make cake: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon flour mixture to toss with blueberries.
- Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in lemon zest and vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time. Combine milk and sour cream in a small bowl. Beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk mixture (begin and end with flour mixture), just until incorporated.
- Toss blueberries with reserved flour mixture and gently fold into the batter. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top with an offset spatula and tap sharply to reduce air bubbles.
- Bake loaf cake for 56 to 62 minutes, until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached.
- Make lemon syrup: In the last five minutes of baking, combine lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and syrup thickens, about 4 minutes. Remove cake from the oven and immediately brush the top with lemon syrup. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; carefully remove cake from pan and cool completely.
- Make glaze: Whisk together melted butter, salt, lemon zest, powdered sugar, and milk in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cake and let set before serving.
- Store leftover cake tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Baking powder: To keep the cake batter from turning blue, use an aluminum-free baking powder.
Whole milk: If you don’t have whole milk on hand, stir together 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup water as a substitute for 1 cup whole milk.
Mini loaf cakes: Divide the batter evenly between three mini (5 3/4″ x 3 1/4″) loaf pans. Bake the mini loaves on a preheated baking sheet for about 30 minutes, or until cakes spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached.
Freezing instructions: Use a serrated knife to slice the cake and wrap each slice in plastic wrap. Store the slices in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw slices at room temperature.