My Blueberry Loaf Cake is ideal to serve at any time of day, from an easy breakfast, for morning tea, an afternoon snack, through to evening dessert. Made with the ever-popular classic combination of blueberries and lemon, we add sour cream to the mixture to ensure a moist, tender texture. A simple lemon glaze highlights the flavours. It is so quickly and easily made; you simply combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another, then mix and bake.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Lemon and blueberry are such a delicious combination and work so well together in this loaf cake.
- It is so easy to make from scratch, and when you make a cake yourself, you can control the quality of the ingredients. There are no unnecessary preservatives or additives that may be in commercially prepared cakes.
- Due to the simple preparation method, this is a great recipe for inexperienced cooks. It is so easy to make, that it’s a great one to involve children.
- Nothing quite beats the aroma of a cake baking and it’s bound to attract the family to the kitchen. There is a sense of pleasurable anticipation and the feeling of comfort and warmth in your home.
- One of the great advantages of this cake is the addition of sour cream, which keeps the texture moist, meaning you can make it a day ahead and it will still be delicious.
Recipe Inspiration: this Blueberry Loaf Cake is an adaptation of my Apple Loaf Cake.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Plain/all-purpose flour – a general-use versatile flour which does not contain a raising agent. Use gluten-free if necessary.
- Caster/superfine sugar – a fine granulated sugar.
- Baking powder – a raising agent, it is not the same as baking soda.
- Sea salt – just a small amount heightens the flavours of the cake.
- Lemon – we use freshly grated lemon zest in the cake to add bright flavour. We use freshly squeezed juice to make the glaze. Be sure to remove the zest before squeezing the juice.
- Blueberries – my preference is for fresh blueberries as they hold their shape better. Frozen blueberries tend to bleed their juices into the batter, but they can be used if necessary.
- Unsalted butter – we use unsalted butter so that we can control the amount of salt in the cake. The amount of salt in salted butter varies enormously.
- Vanilla extract – for the best flavour, we prefer vanilla naturally extracted from the bean and not artificially flavoured.
- Eggs – we use large free-range eggs.
- Sour cream – adds moisture and smooth texture to baked goods. We use full fat.
- Icing/powdered sugar – we mix with freshly squeezed lemon juice to glaze the loaf cake.
Variations:
Lemon – a classic with blueberries, but if you prefer, you can use orange zest in the cake and orange juice to make the glaze.
Plain/all-purpose flour – use gluten-free if preferred, but ensure the gluten-free flour blend you use contains xanthan gum.
How To Make Blueberry Loaf Cake:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Combine the dry ingredients:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, sea salt and lemon zest and stir to combine.
Add the blueberries to the dry ingredients and toss until combined.
2 – Combine the wet ingredients:
In a smaller bowl, combine the melted butter, vanilla, eggs, and sour cream and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
3 – Combine your ingredients:
Add your wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. The mixture will be very thick.
4 – Add your batter to the tin:
Add the batter to your prepared tin and smooth the top using an off-set spatula. Tap the tin a few times gently on the kitchen bench to remove any air bubbles.
Bake in your preheated oven. Allow the cake to cool before you prepare your glaze.
Prepare your glaze by combining the lemon juice and icing/powdered sugar to a drizzling consistency.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
I have tested this recipe with a good quality 1 for 1 gluten-free flour, and it was hugely successful. Ensure the gluten-free flour blend you use contains xanthan gum.
You can use frozen blueberries, but they do tend to bleed a little into the mixture. Do not defrost them, use them from frozen. For this recipe, we do recommend using fresh if possible.
Store the loaf in an airtight container in a cool, dry location for up to 3 days. If the weather is humid, or you want to keep the loaf longer, store in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days. Return to room temperature to serve.
Yes, it freezes well. For convenience, cut the cake into thick slices and wrap it in cling wrap. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. This way you can remove a slice whenever it suits you. If you can’t wait for it to defrost, you can give it a short time in the microwave and serve it warm.
To begin, use a piece of kitchen paper to thoroughly grease the base and sides of the tin. Butter is more effective than oil for this purpose as it adheres better to the baking paper, helping keep it in place. Then, cut a strip of baking paper to fit the base and go up the longer sides of the tin, with enough to have a small overhang, just enough for you to grip to lift the loaf from the tin. Leave an overhang of about 2 ½ cm (1 inch) on each side and trim the paper if necessary. Make sure the two small ends of the tin are greased with butter, so there is no risk of the loaf sticking. If you are unsure of your tin, cut two smaller pieces of baking paper to fit the ends and press them firmly to fit against the base paper.
Top Tip:
It is best practice to always have your ingredients prepared before you start, and have them all at cool room temperature as this helps all the ingredients amalgamate smoothly.
Don’t over mix your batter. After you add the wet ingredients to the dry, just mix until all the dry ingredients are combined and no flour is visible in the batter.
Serving Suggestions:
We like to serve the Blueberry Loaf Cake with a simple glaze as in the recipe, but you can give it a simple dusting of icing/powdered sugar if you prefer.
This simple quick bread is extremely versatile. Serve it for morning or afternoon tea, for brunch, take to potlucks, pack into a lunchbox, or enjoy as an after-school snack. It also makes a welcome gift for someone you care about.
This Blueberry Loaf Cake is one of the easiest cakes that you will make. Full of plump, juicy fresh blueberries, complemented by the bright flavour of lemon, this is a moist, tender cake that will be a fantastic addition to any gathering.
Alex xx
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Blueberry Loaf Cake
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
For the Blueberry Loaf:
- 250 g (1 & ⅔ cups) plain/all-purpose flour See Note 1
- 200 g (1 cup) superfine/caster sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest – finely grated
- 300 g (10.5 oz) fresh blueberries See Note 2
- 120 g (½ cup) unsalted butter – melted and allowed to cool
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs – at room temperature
- 180 g (¾ cup) full-fat sour cream – at room temperature
For the Glaze:
- 90 g (⅔ cup) icing/powdered sugar – sifted if necessary
- 4-5 teaspoon lemon juice – until desired consistency is achieved
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C (355 degrees F).
- Grease and line a 9 x 5 inch loaf tin (23 x 13 cm) – leave a little overhang of baking paper for easy removal.My tin has a depth of 2.5 inches (6.35 cm).
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, sea salt and lemon zest and stir to combine.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the cooled melted butter, vanilla, eggs and sour cream and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the blueberries to the dry ingredients, and toss until combined.
- Add your wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. The mixture will be very thick.
- Add the cake batter to your prepared tin, and smooth out using an off-set spatula. Tap the tin a few times gently on the kitchen bench to get any air bubbles out.
- Bake in your preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, until a skewer comes out cleanly.
- Cool for 15 minutes in the tin before gently removing to a cooling rack. I find it easier to slightly tilt the tin to the left over the rack and pull the paper as I gently ease the cake out.
- Allow the Blueberry Loaf to cool completely before adding the glaze.Make the glaze by combining the powdered/icing sugar with the lemon juice until the desired consistency is achieved. Once the glaze has set, slice the cake into 8 pieces.
Notes
- Measurements: for the most accurate measurements when baking, we suggest you weigh your ingredients.
- Blueberries: we recommend using fresh blueberries for this recipe.
- Storage: should there happen to be any leftovers, store them at cool room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. But if the climate is hot, store the container in the fridge.
- Freezing: wrap in cling wrap and then in foil or place in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You may find it more convenient to freeze and wrap individual slices. Make sure they are well wrapped to prevent freezer burn and bring to room temperature for serving.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Jacqueline
My hubby is Italian and loves something sweet for breakfast! This blueberry loaf cake was perfect. He loved it and I loved how easy it was to make too!
Alexandra Cook
Hi Jacqueline,
It is perfect for breakfast with a coffee, isn’t it?
I am so pleased you both enjoyed this, Alex xo
Jenny
That’s a great cake recipe. I used lemon and orange zest. Came out terrific, we added a scoop of vanilla ice cream and it was the best. Thanks so much for this great dessert.
Alexandra Cook
Oh, I love the addition of the orange zest, Jenny – great idea 🙂
Sounds perfect served with a scoop of ice cream.
Thanks so much, Alex xo