Recipe: Celebrate Blueberry Season With My Delicious Lemon-Spiked Blueberry Bread!

This is the time of year to take advantage of blueberries while they are plentiful.  This recipe that I want to share with you is one fantastic way to enjoy them in this moist sweet bread.  What really seems to shake up the flavor of those blueberries is the pairing with lemon.  Once you add some chopped nuts and plump raisins to give it more chewy appeal, this yummy quick bread is a real family favorite.

The extra special touch is giving a slightly tart, but sweet glaze to the loaf once baked.  However, this bread also tastes wonderful just as it is.  To glaze or not is solely up to you.  Either way, I am confident you will be happy once you taste it.

Here's a tip for turning out better baked goods.  Always use large eggs in your recipes instead of medium or small because they do make a difference in the success or failure of what you bake.  I just wanted to pass that along.

Now I hope you try my recipe out because it is something special!

My Delicious Lemon-Spiked Blueberry Bread

1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup of sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
1-1/2 cups of  flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 cup of milk
2 tablespoons of finely grated lemon peel or 1-1/2 teaspoons of pure lemon extract
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
1/3 cup of raisins
1-1/4 cups of fresh blueberries

Glaze:

2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of milk
1/4 teaspoon of pure lemon extract
1/4 cup of sugar

To Make the Loaf:

Beat your oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl with your electric mixer until well combined before adding the eggs and lemon juice.

Sift together in a separate mixing bowl:  flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Add this sifted dry ingredients slowly to the beaten egg mixture, alternately with the milk, until all the ingredients are combined.

Then add the peel or extract, nuts, raisins, and blueberries.

Now pour into a greased 8" x 4" x2" loaf pan and bake in a 350-degree oven for about an hour or 65 minutes or so, depending on how your oven temperature works.  

Test with a cake tester or a slender knife inserted to see if it comes out clean to determine if it is done. 

Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before attempting to remove it.

To Make the Glaze:

Mix the glaze ingredients together and then drizzle over the warm, but not hot bread.

ENJOY!