Lemon and Blueberry Loaf Cake! Indulge in the perfect combination of tart lemon and sweet blueberry with this delicious loaf cake recipe topped with a tangy sweet glaze. Perfect for breakfast or as a dessert treat, this recipe is sure to become a household favorite.
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Lemon drizzle is one of my favorite cakes and I am always looking for new ways to bake with lemons. Lemon and blueberries are a match made in heaven and this super-easy cake is a great way to showcase them.
This simple loaf cake comes together in one bowl and uses everyday baking ingredients you are sure to already have in your pantry. You can leave the cake plain or add a snazzy glaze made with blueberries, lemon juice and icing sugar.
Either way this loaf cake is delicious and perfect for sharing over a cup of coffee or tea, for an afternoon treat or a sneaky breakfast 🙂
And you know what? You can even bake it in your air fryer! No more waiting for the oven to preheat and watching your bills rise… I swear baking in your air fryer is the way to go and I will hold your hand the whole way!
Lemon Blueberry Cake Ingredients
I usually use fresh blueberries in baking as they tend not to bleed as much into the batter. But if you can only use frozen blueberries don’t fret – the batter may turn a bit blue but the cake will taste just as delicious.
- Sugar: in the UK we use caster sugar in baking. It is finer than granulated sugar but if that’s all you’ve got just use that!
- Lemon zest: give your lemons a thorough scrub under hot water, dry and zest using a mircroplane zester. I have used the zest of three whole lemons here for maximum zestiness!
- Self-raising flour: this will give our cake a good rise but I add half a teaspoon of baking powder as well.
- Vanilla bean paste or extract – stir clear of vanilla essence if you can as it is synthetic flavoring not the good stuff.
- Medium eggs at room temperature (in the US you should use large eggs – one of those little baking quirks that’s worth noting).
- Softened unsalted butter or a baking spread such as Stork. Both work just fine and the advantage of margarine, apart from the fact it is more purse-friendly, is that you can use it straight out of the fridge.
- Lemon juice: remember those zested lemons? They won’t go to waste as we will be using their juice in the cake and the glaze.
- Fresh blueberries to fold into the cake and crush to color the glaze.
- Icing sugar (powdered sugar), vanilla extract and the blueberry juice to make the glaze.
HOW TO MAKE LEMON AND BLUEBERRY LOAF CAKE
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
PREPARE THE CAKE
Add the sugar and lemon zest into a mixing bowl. Rub together with your fingertips to release the citrus oil and turn your sugar into a lemony, zesty wonder!
Now simply add the self raising flour, baking powder, vanilla bean paste, eggs, butter and lemon juice into the bowl (I told you it was easy!).
Use an electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer if you have one) to beat the batter until it is completely smooth. Stop the mixer and use a flexible spatula to scrape against the sides and bottom of your bowl to ensure the ingredients are well mixed.
Fold the blueberries into the batter, holding a handful back to top the loaf cake with.
Mist a 900g (2 lb) loaf tin with cake release and line with baking paper (or you can use butter to grease the pan). Transfer the batter into the pan and level. Top with the reserved blueberries.
BAKE IN YOUR AIR FRYER OR THE OVEN
Preheat the air fryer to 160°C (325°F) on the BAKE setting for 2-3 minutes. Add the loaf pan into the air fryer basket and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the cake is golden, risen and firm to the touch. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean and the internal temperature should be above 98°C (208°F) when checked with a digital thermometer.
You can also bake the loaf cake in a 180°C (350°F) preheated oven for an hour. Lift the cake out of the loaf pan using the paper and cool on a wire rack.
MAKE THE GLAZE AND TOP THE CAKE
Crush a handful of blueberries, stir in the lemon juice and strain over a bowl of icing sugar. Add vanilla extract and stir well to combine, adding a few drops of water or lemon juice as needed, until the glaze is thick, smooth and flows slowly.
Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake until it covers the top and drops down the sides. Dust with blueberry powder (if you are feeling fancy) and serve!
RECIPE NOTES AND FAQs
STORING AND FREEZING
This cake has the perfect crumb – dense and yet buttery and soft. It keeps very well for several days at room temperature in a covered container, although it may spoil quicker if it is very hot as it contains berries.
You can freeze the cake, minus the glaze, for up to six weeks but make sure you wrap it really well in layers of clingfilm and foil so that it doesn’t get freezer burn.
USING FROZEN BLUEBERRIES
Do not thaw the berries before using as they will bleed. Dust them with flour and fold into the batter straight out of the freezer.
HOW TO PREVENT BLUEBERRIES FROM SINKING
Ok, truth time. I have never completely managed to prevent the blueberries from sinking down… Some bakers recommend dusting them with flour before folding into the batter. Others add some batter into the pan first then top with the blueberries and repeat.
The reality is that sometimes you get perfect blueberry distribution and sometimes you don’t. The cake will taste just as delicious so I don’t worry too much about this!
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Lemon and Blueberry Loaf Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 300 g (1 ½ cups) sugar caster or granulated
- 3 lemons zest only
- 260 g (2 cups) self raising flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 3 medium eggs (3 large eggs in the US)
- 115 g (½ cup) softened unsalted butter or baking spread
- 60 ml (¼ cup) lemon juice
- 180 g (1 cup) fresh blueberries
For the glaze
- 120 g (1 cup) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 2 tbsp fresh blueberries
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
PREPARE THE CAKE
- Add the sugar and lemon zest into a mixing bowl. Rub together with your fingertips to release the citrus oil and turn your sugar into a lemony, zesty wonder!300 g (1 ½ cups) sugar, 3 lemons
- Now simply add the self raising flour, baking powder, vanilla bean paste, eggs, butter and lemon juice into the bowl (I told you it was easy!).260 g (2 cups) self raising flour, ½ tsp baking powder, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, 3 medium eggs, 115 g (½ cup) softened unsalted butter, 60 ml (¼ cup) lemon juice
- Use an electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer if you have one) to beat the batter until it is completely smooth. Stop the mixer and use a flexible spatula to scrape against the sides and bottom of your bowl to ensure the ingredients are well mixed.
- Fold the blueberries into the batter, holding a handful back to top the loaf cake with.180 g (1 cup) fresh blueberries
- Mist a 900g (2 lb) loaf tin with cake release and line with baking paper (or you can use butter to grease the pan).
- Transfer the batter into the pan and level. Top with the reserved blueberries.
BAKE IN YOUR AIR FRYER OR THE OVEN
- Preheat the air fryer to 160°C (325°F) on the BAKE setting for 2-3 minutes. Add the loaf pan into the air fryer basket and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the cake is golden, risen and firm to the touch. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean and the internal temperature should be above 98°C (208°F) when checked with a digital thermometer.
- You can also bake the loaf cake in a 180°C (350°F) preheated oven for an hour.
- Lift the cake out of the loaf pan using the paper and cool on a wire rack.
MAKE THE GLAZE AND TOP THE CAKE
- Crush a handful of blueberries, stir in the lemon juice and strain over a bowl of icing sugar. Add vanilla extract and stir well to combine, adding a few drops of water or lemon juice as needed, until the glaze is thick, smooth and flows slowly.120 g (1 cup) icing sugar, 2 tbsp fresh blueberries, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake until it covers the top and drops down the sides. Dust with blueberry powder (if you are feeling fancy) and serve!
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