Glazed blackberry lemon bread is soft, moist and bursting with flavor from the fresh citrus. Blackberries are scattered throughout and the bread is topped with a tangy lemon glaze. This homemade is sweet and will melt in your mouth. It is easy to make and it’s great for sharing.
Jump to:
- About This Blackberry Lemon Bread Recipe
- What’s In It The Blackberry Lemon Bread?
- Fresh Lemon Zest or Lemon Extract?
- Making The Homemade Blackberry Lemon Bread from Scratch
- Tips For Making This Easy Lemon Blackberry Cake
- Can I use frozen blackberries?
- How Do You Store Lemon Blackberry Bread?
- How to Make Blackberry Icing Glaze Instead
- When To Eat Blackberry Lemon Bread
- Check Out These Desserts!
- Blackberry Lemon Bread
About This Blackberry Lemon Bread Recipe
Blackberries and lemon are the perfect fruit pairing this summer. Using them both in this blackberry lemon loaf is like a match made in heaven. They go together so well.
Blackberries are great berries that commonly get overlooked as blueberries and strawberries tend to be more common. They're affordable and lot of times grow wild. If you're lucky enough to have blackberries growing near your home, grab a basket and get to picking for this recipe.
This fresh bread recipe is similar to a pound cake. However, in a lot of ways it is different. More specifically, this bread is softer, looser, and lighter. It’s also not quite as dense as a pound cake and can be enjoyed for breakfast as well as dessert. If you're a dessert person you may refer to this recipe as a blackberry lemon dessert. If you did, you wouldn't be wrong.
To make this recipe you’ll need a loaf pan, an electric mixer, a couple mixing bowls, and a lemon zester. Don’t have a lemon zester? A potato peeler will be just fine. More tips on using this later.
Prepping the blackberry lemon cake only takes 15 minutes. This easy lemon bread recipe only has a bake time of around an hour. While it bakes, be prepared for your home to smell absolutely delicious! You'll know the homemade loaf is done when you can smell it.
What’s In It The Blackberry Lemon Bread?
For the bread:
Butter - make sure it’s softened, trying to mix unsoftened butter can lead to an undesirable texture
Sugar - I used granulated
Eggs - make sure your eggs are a room temperature before adding them to your mixer for the best results
Lemon - we use the zest and the juice from one lemon, roll your lemon under your palm on a flat surface to release the fresh lemon juices before juicing
Flour - this recipe is made with all purpose flour
Baking Powder - this ingredient is responsible for making the blackberry lemon bread rise as it bakes
Milk - you can use regular milk or almond milk, I have tried it with both and it’s great
Blackberries - sometimes blackberries are large so I recommend cutting them in half before folding them into your batter
For the glaze:
Powdered sugar - also known as confectioners sugar
Lemon juice
Fresh Lemon Zest or Lemon Extract?
You might have noticed there’s no lemon extract in this recipe. That’s simply because it’s not needed. The zest and the juice from the lemon give it all of the lemon flavor it needs. Using fresh lemon provides the bright citrus flavor that only the fruit can provide. Trying to take a short cut by using pre-squeezed lemon juice will not bring the same flavor as using a fresh lemon.
The zest comes directly from the lemon. It’s full of oils, and is very flavorful when added to a baked dish like this one. To get the zest from a lemon we typically use a lemon zester. It resembles a grater that swipes the citrus fruit and removes only the yellow part of the lemon.
If you don’t have a lemon zester, you can easily substitute a potato peeler but be very careful that you only remove the zest. This simply means that your peels don’t contain any of the white part which is found just beneath the surface.
Lemon extract on the other hand is different. This is made by soaking lemon peels in alcohol and sometimes oil to create a very flavorful extract. A little goes a long way. If you would like to use lemon extract, you may feel free to use it in place of the lemon zest. Adding the lemon extract with the zest and juice will be too overpowering.
Making The Homemade Blackberry Lemon Bread from Scratch
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan on all sides. In a medium bowl, add the dry ingredients which includes flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir well then set aside. In your electric mixer add the sugar and butter and beat until creamy.
Step 2: Add the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the electric mixer and mix until well combined. Once done, add the flour mixture to the electric mixer and mix on low until fully combined. Slowly add the milk until you get a creamy consistency. Turn off your mixer. Using a spatula, fold in the blackberries until distributed among the batter. Once your batter is complete, pour into the loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the sides start to brown and a toothpick comes clean.
Step 3: After the blackberry lemon bread is done baking, place on a cooling rack and let cool before removing it from the loaf pan.
Step 3: Once the bread has cooled you’re ready to make the lemon glaze. In a small bowl combine the 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Whisk together with a fork until well combined and creamy. Pour the glaze over top of the cooled blackberry lemon bread and serve for breakfast or dessert.
Tips For Making This Easy Lemon Blackberry Cake
Below are some tips and tricks I used while making this delicious bread. You may find these helpful when you go to make lemon loaf.
- Line your loaf pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking
- If you have the time, try sifting your all purpose flour plus this gives it a light airy texture you won't want to miss
- Don't have a bread pan? Consider making these into blackberry lemon muffins instead. Simply place the batter into a muffin tin instead and reduce the bake time to 18-23 minutes. Line your muffin tin with liners to prevent sticking
- If your oven has the option, cook on convection. A convection oven has a fan and an exhaust system that your typical fan does not have. This helps blow the air over and around the food. This allows the lemon blackberry bread to cook more evenly and quickly. As a result, check on your bread around the last 10 minutes of cooking to ensure you're not overdoing it.
Can I use frozen blackberries?
Using frozen blackberries in this homemade blackberry lemon bread is perfectly fine. If you’re using frozen blackberries let them thaw completely before adding to the batter. I typically let mine thaw in a strainer in the sink so any excess moisture and drop and you don't have to worry about the berries getting too soft. Before adding the blackberries to the batter, use a paper towel to pick up any excess moisture. Take a look at your blackberries before adding them and slice the larger ones in half.
How Do You Store Lemon Blackberry Bread?
This bread can be stored at room temperature in a sealed container or in plastic wrap for 2-3 days. I have stored the bread as a loaf and in slices and I have found that both ways are just fine. In fact, storing as slices makes it easy and convenient for a grab and go breakfast or afternoon snack.
After 2-3 days of sitting at room temperature, if you still have leftovers, you’ll want to move the bread to the refrigerator to prevent it from going bad. Keep the bread in an air tight container, plastic wrap will not work quite as well because the bread has a tendency of drying out in the fridge if it sits for too long.
You can also freeze the bread for up to 6 months. You can store it as a loaf or in slices. However, if you plan on only eating a little at a time, freezing in slices may be better. Doing this is also more convenient because it thaws faster in slices as opposed to leaving it whole. I recommend allowing it to thaw completely before eating it. Thawing at room temperature is fine.
How to Make Blackberry Icing Glaze Instead
The glaze in this recipe sets it over the top. Making a blackberry icing glaze instead of your traditional lemon glaze is easy. Plus it will give your blackberry loaf cake a nice purple glaze topping. Instead of using 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of blackberry juice.
To get the blackberry juice, place 3-4 blackberries in a small bowl. Mash with a fork releasing all of the juice. Use more blackberries as needed. Separate the large pieces from the blackberry juice and use the juice to make the glaze.
When To Eat Blackberry Lemon Bread
You can eat this blackberry lemon bread any time. It makes for a great breakfast. If making on a weekend you can cut the homemade lemon bread into slices and package separately as a way to meal prep for a grab and go breakfast on a week day. Do this before work and or school.
Alternatively, this homemade blackberry bread makes a perfect dessert after dinner. It's sweet enough to be eaten for dessert but not overwhelming and dense like a pound cake. If you have a sugar craving throughout the day you can eat it any time.
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Blackberry Lemon Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- Zest from 1 lemon
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup blackberries cut in half
For The Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray making sure all the sides are coated. Set aside.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until well combined and set aside. In an electric mixing bowl add softened butter and sugar. Mix until creamy. Add the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix more until the mixture is smooth.
- Slowly add the flour mixture while your electric mixer is on the low setting. Continue adding until well combined. Slowly add the milk and mix until smooth. Turn off your mixer. Using a spatula fold in the blackberries. Do not over mix to prevent your batter from turning purple. Place the batter into a loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Once your bread is done baking let cool on a cooling rack. After the lemon bread has cooled, you can start making the lemon glaze. In a small bowl add the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Mix with a fork or a whisk until smooth and creamy. Pour over the lemon blackberry bread and serve.
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