Lemon-Blueberry Drizzle Bread

I’m a huge fan of blueberries and when I saw this recipe I was reminded of some blueberries I had in the freezer that I needed to use up. It’s winter now and fresh blueberries are not in season so when fresh is out of season I use frozen. I loved the sweetness of this bread and the tangy tart taste of the lemon. You can taste the lemon inside the bread, but there is a lemon and sugar syrup you drizzle over the bread and then topped off with a lemon icing drizzled across the top!

Nothing like warm bread straight from the oven!

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

3/4 cup plus 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon lemon zest

3 large eggs (room temperature)

1/2 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract “real”

1 cup blueberries

4 Tablespoon lemon juice

5 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.

2. In a bowl sift together 1 and 1/2 cups flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl beat the butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar and zest on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Add milk and vanilla and stir until blended. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Toss blueberries with 1 teaspoon flour and gently stir into batter.

3. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 – 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and let cool in pan a few minutes, then turn out onto rack.

4. While bread bakes, make syrup. In a small saucepan boil 3 teaspoons lemon juice and 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar over medium heat until syrupy, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Using a wooden skewer, pierce sides and bottom of the bread all over. Brush with syrup.

5. To Make Glaze:

In a small bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar and 1 Tablespoon lemon juice. Drizzle glaze over cooled bread. Makes 1 loaf.

Variation: In winter when blueberries aren’t in season, make lemon-poppyseed bread. Omit the blueberries and add 1 teaspoon poppy seeds to batter.