Blueberry Lemon Loaf

This is a great summer recipe to have under your belt. I’ve been making it for about twenty years after seeing it in Bon Appetit. You could make this in the off season using frozen blueberries, but I prefer to wait for summer when blueberries are at their peak and are bursting with flavor.

I doubled the recipe and made one to have in the freezer. Don’t skimp on the lemony glaze-it lends the perfect amount of zestiness to your loaf and ensures that every bite will be incredibly moist. Enjoy a slice in the morning with your coffee, mid-afternoon with a cup of tea or as a dessert topped with vanilla ice cream.

Blueberry Lemon Loaf

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries or frozen, thawed, drained

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Combine first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Using electric mixer, cream butter with 1 cup sugar in large bowl until mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add lemon peel.

Mix in dry ingredients alternatively with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Fold in blueberries. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring remaining 1/3 cup sugar and lemon juice to boil in small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Pierce top of hot loaf several times with toothpick. Pour hot lemon mixture over loaf in pan. Cool 30 minutes in pan on rack. Turn bread out of pan and cool completely on rack.

September 28-October 5: Cook With Panini Girl In Lucca