Blueberry Lemon Loaf is a moist cake-like loaf loaded with fresh blueberries and lemon flavor, topped and baked with a crumble topping. Then, the loaf is drizzled with a sweet glaze to make this a perfect breakfast, snack, or dessert. This is a copycat of the viral Costco Blueberry Lemon Loaf and dare I say, even BETTER! If you would like to try it without added lemon flavor, I also have a delicious Blueberry Bread you will love!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Room Temperature Ingredients: Room temperature ingredients (specifically butter, sour cream, egg, and milk) are important here to prevent lumps in this quick bread.
Egg: Out of eggs? Here are a few egg substitutes you could try.
Lemon: You will need one lemon for this recipe. First, zest the lemon until you have 2 teaspoons. Then, juice the lemon for 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Blueberries: Fresh blueberries are best in this recipe. However, you could also use frozen blueberries. Be sure to reserve about 1/4 cup to reserve for the topping before baking the loaf.
Crumble Topping: The crumble topping is easy to make, but really adds something amazing to this blueberry lemon loaf. It’s the topping I added to my Double Blueberry Muffins, which was so perfect, I had to use it again!
Glaze: The simple confectioners’ sugar glaze is made with just two ingredients, confectioners’ sugar (also known as icing sugar or powdered sugar) and water. Add water as needed to get the glaze to your desired consistency. The bread is also delicious without the glaze if you prefer to leave that off.
Can I Make This Loaf Into Muffins?
Sure! If you prefer blueberry lemon muffins (this is the recipe!), fold all of the blueberries into the batter (without reserving any for the top). Fill 12 lined muffin cups with about 3/4 cup of the batter. Top with crumble and bake for about 20 minutes.
How To Store Blueberry Lemon Loaf
Room Temperature: Wrap the bread in plastic wrap. It will last for up to five days at room temperature.
To Refrigerate: (This is not the recommended method since storing bread in the refrigerator can dry it out faster.) Place in a sealable plastic bag or airtight container and then place into the refrigerator. It should keep for up to 5 days. To reheat, remove from refrigerator and pop a slice into the microwave for 10 seconds or just allow the loaf to come to room temperature naturally, about 15 minutes.
Can I Freeze Blueberry Lemon Loaf?
Yes! If freezing the loaf, you will want to make sure you allow it to cool completely. Wrap the blueberry lemon loaf tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap and place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. If you prefer not to use foil directly on your bread, wrap it tightly with parchment paper, then place that into a sealable plastic bag. Label it with the date; it will last for two to three months in the freezer. To thaw bread, take it out of the freezer and set it on the counter. Allow it to reach room temperature before you take it out of its packaging; it will re-absorb some of its moisture this way.
More Blueberry Lemon Treats
Blueberry Lemon Loaf
Ingredients
Blueberry Lemon Loaf
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (½ stick, 57 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (115 g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 ½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (122.5 g) whole milk, room temperature
- 2 cups (296 g) fresh blueberries, divided
Crumble Topping
- ½ cup (62.5 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- ¼ cup (½ stick / 57 g) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
Glaze
- 1 cup (125 g) confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons water, room temperature
Instructions
Blueberry Lemon Loaf
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add the sugar, butter, sour cream, egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat until creamy. (You could also use a handheld mixer.)
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- With the mixer on low, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
- Gently fold in about 1 ¾ cups of blueberries, reserving ¼ cup for the topping.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and top with the reserved blueberries.
Crumble Topping
- To make the crumble topping, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter in a small bowl.
- Top the batter with the crumble.
- Bake the loaf for 65 minutes. The bread is done when an inserted toothpick comes out with a few crumbs, but no wet batter. Let the loaf cool before adding the glaze.
Glaze
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and water. Add more water until the glaze reaches your desired consistency.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaf. Slice and serve.
Video
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
Holy cow, this loaf is AMAZING! I have always been a big fan of blueberry and lemon but this one is probably my new favorite. You might be tempted to scale back and use fewer blueberries. Don't, I say! 2 cups is the perfect amount!
Elizabeth
This loaf was moist and full of blueberries! I appreciated just a hint of lemon flavor since I am not always a fan of blueberry lemon treats. The crumble topping made this extra amazing!
Bella
Lemon and blueberries go so well together, in my opinion. There are sweet and tart flavors. This is a moist loaf with juicy sweet blueberries. Everything about it is incredibly tasty.
If you love the flavors of spring, this is it! Plump, juicy blueberries, in a fantastic lemon flavored loaf with a crunchy crumble on top is out of this world!
Selena
Blueberry overload!! If you love blueberries and moist bread, this is it! The hint of lemon and crunchy crumble on top is just perfection.
Hi I absolutely love this recipe!! I made it twice in one week because it was that good! I was wondering, would I be able to substitute the blueberries for strawberries? And if I could, what would the measurements for the strawberries be? Thanks so much for sharing this fantastic recipe!!
I made 4 of these loaves. They all came out of the oven raw in the middle after baking at 375 degrees for 70-75 minutes.
I had to take them out of the oven because they were starting to burn on the bottom. They looked lovely at first and a toothpick came out clean. But shortly after, they collapsed in the middle.
I feel like I just wasted 8 cups of blueberries , 4 sticks of butter, 4 eggs, 6 cups of flour, etc.
So sorry to hear that! Sounds like you baked 4 loaves at a time that can affect baking time significantly. My recipe shares the time and temperature for 1 loaf.
Hi,I just bought all the ingredients.
Can I double this?
The baking time is waaaay off. Luckily I kept an eye on my loaf, and took it out after 45 minutes. Even then, it was getting a little too brown. My oven is exact, so don’t tell me my oven is off.
It’s a great idea to check doneness of baked goods in your own home, as times can range and every oven is different. Yours may have baked faster if you did the following:
Oven Temperature Accuracy: If the oven runs hotter than the recipe’s specified temperature, the loaf could bake more quickly. An oven thermometer can help verify if your oven’s temperature is accurate.
Pan Size and Material: The type and size of the pan can impact baking time. A loaf baked in a darker or metal pan might cook faster than one baked in a lighter or glass pan.
Ingredient Temperature: Ingredients that are warmer (e.g., room-temperature eggs or milk) can influence baking time. Cold ingredients can sometimes slow down the cooking process.
Ingredient Quantities: Slight variations in the amount of ingredients, such as adding a bit more fruit or using different types of flour, can also impact baking time.
Altitude and Humidity: Baking at higher altitudes or in humid environments can affect baking times and temperatures.
If your loaf baked in 45 minutes it might be that your oven runs hotter or if you made any alterations to the recipe like I have listed above.
This is the best blueberry lemon ANYTHING I’ve ever had!!
Already have orders from friends who tried it who want their own! Only change I made was doing cream cheese instead of sour cream (I didn’t have any) but WOW…best ever!!
Hi Ma’am thank you for sharing you recipe I make it and this is my first time and turn Good my husband love it …
My favorite recipe!! Absolutely delicious and the crumb topping is amazing! I love your recipes!
I’m an experienced baker, and this turned out to be a fail for me. Like many other commenters (shame on me for not reading the comments beforehand) the cake sunk in the middle, even though a toothpick came out clean and I took the internal temp of the cake before taking it out of the oven. I understand my oven temperature and all my ingredients were fresh. My batter filled my pan the same as is shown in the photos. Against my better judgement, I used a smaller loaf pan that I initially planned to, based upon the photos in the writeup.
I don’t know if the pan was just too small (normally I wouldn’t fill the loaf pan so high, but I was following the instructions) or if it was that it’s just too many blueberries, leading to too much moisture in the loaf, but based on my experience and other comments, I would argue that this recipe needs another look, and maybe should be re-tested and rewritten. There is simply too much moisture/not enough structure for this recipe to work for most people. Otherwise, the majority of comments would be more positive.
It would also be nice if there was guidance on when to remove the loaf from the pan (i.e. should it fully cool in the pan, or be unmolded after 10 minutes…). When I went to unmold it, the cake started falling apart, and looked like it was full of wet berries. I’m sure it will taste fine, but it’s certainly not what I was hoping for.
If you’re a novice baker, I would suggest finding another recipe.
Hi there! I really appreciate you taking the time to share such detailed feedback and I’m genuinely sorry the loaf didn’t turn out the way you’d hoped.
That said, I do want to clarify a few things to help anyone else reading through the comments:
The pan size matters.
Using a smaller loaf pan than what’s recommended will almost always lead to a sunken center, especially with a dense, moisture-rich batter like this one. It may look similar in the photo, but volume and depth make a huge difference in how heat is distributed. So while it might seem like a small deviation, it’s actually a major factor in why the loaf didn’t bake evenly or hold its structure.
The blueberries aren’t the problem.
The ratio of blueberries to batter is intentional and tested. Too many blueberries can weigh down a loaf, but this recipe balances that with the right amount of flour, eggs, and leavening to support them, in the correct size pan.
Toothpicks and internal temps can be misleading.
Especially with fruit-heavy bakes, a toothpick might come out clean while the middle is still underbaked and dense. That’s why I always recommend checking for doneness with a gentle press in the center and visual cues like golden edges and a slightly firm top.
Cooling guidance – noted.
You’re right that I didn’t specify when to remove the loaf from the pan and that’s a great note. I typically recommend letting it cool for about 15–20 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack. Too soon and it’s fragile, too late and it can become soggy on the bottom.
I know it’s disappointing when a bake doesn’t go as expected, especially for experienced bakers. But I can confidently say this recipe has been tested multiple times and has worked well for many readers when followed as written. I always welcome feedback, but pan size and bake time are two of the most critical elements and small changes there can cause big shifts in the final result.
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts. I truly hope your next bake brings better results!
WOW is this delicious!!!!!! That crumble on top is really so amazing I might be stealing it to use on another recipe. I made this and within 15 minutes it was gone and my family was requesting more so I was off to the store! My pan was 9×5 but it didn’t really seem to make a difference in baking times or anything. Thanks for another awesome recipe Amanda!!