Blackberry Lemon Bread

Name: Blackberry Lemon Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour (plus 2 teaspoons to toss with blackberries); 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 cup sugar; 2 tablespoons lemon zest (Meyer Lemon); 3 large eggs (room temperature); ½ cup salted butter (melted); 1 cup sour cream (room temperature); 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (you can substitute heavy cream for a less tart glaze); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup blackberries (fresh ); 1 cup powdered sugar; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1 whole lemon zest; 1 teaspoon salted butter

This incredibly moist, sweet, and citrusy Blackberry Lemon Bread is the perfect treat to enjoy any time of the day! It is perfect with your morning coffee, an afternoon cup of tea, or even as a sweet nibble to appease your midnight cravings! A quick bread recipe that is ready to bake in just 15 minutes!

Blackberry Lemon Bread loaf cut into slices and glazed on a white cutting board and surrounded by fresh blackberries and lemons.

Delicious Blackberry Lemon Loaf Bread

A visit to the farmer’s market ended up with me having a bunch of late summer and early autumn harvests. The pumpkins are gorgeous and are perfect for making some Pumpkin Fluff. I also came across freshly plucked, plump, and juicy blackberries! Aside from using it to make Fluffy Pancakes, I also have the perfect quick bread recipe to use some of them for — Blackberry Lemon Bread!

Who would not love a slice of this berry-speckled loaf bread infused with fresh lemon zest and aromatic vanilla extract? I, for one, cannot resist them, especially served with a luscious lemon glaze! It’s one of my absolute favorite baked recipes. It is a great snack that can be enjoyed any time of year but especially around blackberry season.

A Quick Bread Recipe

This recipe fits my criteria for quick and easy, mom hack-y recipes! It’s a no-yeast, no-knead kind of bread that is ready to go in the oven after a few minutes of mixing and folding. The most challenging part in making it is waiting for it to bake. The heavenly aroma wafting from our kitchen produced a series of stomach grumbles for sure, including my baby’s cute one!

mouth-watering slices of lemon blackberry bread showing the inside of the loaf.

Why this Recipe Works

This Blackberry Lemon bread is a novice-friendly recipe that everyone can easily make and be proud of.
A great way to perk up simple bread into a fruity cake-like treat that can be enjoyed anytime.
It uses fresh and simple ingredients that can be adjusted and swapped to your liking.

Ingredients Needed

To make the bread

All-purpose flour (plus 2 teaspoons to toss with blackberries)
Baking powder
Salt
Sugar
Lemon Zest
Eggs, at room temperature
Salted butter, melted
Sour cream, at room temperature
Fresh lemon juice
Vanilla extract
Blackberries, fresh

To make the Glaze

Powdered sugar
Lemon juice, fresh
Lemon zest
Salted butter

Labeled ingredients used to make blackberry lemon bread laid out on a marble counter top.

Kitchen Tools and Equipment Needed

Loaf pan
Glass mixing bowls
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Lemon zester
Lemon juicer
Spatula
Standing mixer
Wire rack

Step by Step Instructions to make Blackberry Lemon Loaf Bread

Preparations:

Spray or grease an 8.5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
Gently wash the blackberries in running water and pat them dry using paper towels.
Make sure to have a microwave-safe bowl to use in making the glaze

Make the Bread:

Step 1: Using a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt until well incorporated. Then, set aside.

Step 2: Pulse the sugar and fresh lemon zest together in a food processor to make lemon sugar.

Dry ingredients mixed together in a bowl with a whisk.

Sugar and lemon zest in a food processor.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, add the eggs, lemon sugar, sour cream, melted butter, lemon juice, and vanilla. Whisk until the sugar crystals have melted.

Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and blend everything together. You can use an electric mixer or a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Remember, use low speed only to prevent from over mixing the batter. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl not to miss any pockets of flour.

Wet ingredients in a bowl about to be mixed.

Wet and dry ingredients in a bowl about to be combined.

Step 5: Toss the fresh blackberries in 2 teaspoons of flour then gently fold them into the batter.

Step 6: Transfer the batter into your prepared greased baking loaf pan.

Blackberries in a bowl with loaf batter.

Blackberry lemon bread batter being poured into a loaf pan.

Step 7: Place the loaf on the middle rack and bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees (45 minutes if using a convection setting), then transfer the hot loaf to a cooling rack. You can use a toothpick as a cake tester to check the doneness.

Lemon blackberry bread batter in a loaf pan.

Baked blackberry lemon bread in a loaf, fresh out of the oven.

Step 8: While the bread is baking, place all the glaze ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat until the butter is melted. Then whisk everything together well. The glaze should be thin enough to pour but not watery. Once the bread is done, let it cool completely before drizzling the glaze on top.

Lemon zest being poured into a bowl with glaze.

Glaze ingredients being whisked together. — Lemon zest being poured into a bowl with glaze.

Make the Glaze:

While the bread is baking, place all the glaze ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat until the butter is melted. Then whisk everything together well. The glaze should be thin enough to pour but not watery.
Once the bread is done, let it cool completely before drizzling the glaze on top.

Expert Tips when Making Blackberry Lemon Bread

All the ingredients should be at room temperature for easier mixing. So make sure to pull them out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking time.
To get the most juice out of your lemon, make sure it is at room temperature. Or, you may microwave it for 30 seconds if it is cold. Then roll the lemon on your countertop a few times. Press fairly hard. This should help you extract as much juice as possible.
Tossing the blackberries in flour keeps the juices from making the bread soggy during baking, so don’t skip this step.
For best results, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level off with a knife.
Do not over mix the batter or it will make the bread dense instead of fluffy. Just mix until everything is blended well.
Once the batter is on the pan, tap it on the counter surface a few times to release the air bubbles trapped inside.
The Blackberry lemon bread is done when the top turns golden and a slight dome on the loaf has formed. To be certain, you can insert a toothpick on the center of the bread. If it comes out clean and slightly dry, your bread is ready.
Once the top is getting too brown but the bread needs more time in the oven, place an aluminum foil on top of the bread.
If the glaze is too thick, add more lemon juice. On the other hand, if it is too thin, add more confectioner’s sugar.
Make sure that the bread has completely cooled down before drizzling the glaze over it. If you do it while it is still warm, the glaze will melt into the cake and soak it.

Glaze being drizzled over a lemon blackberry loaf of bread.

Variations To Try!

This Blackberry lemon bread recipe is super customizable and adaptable too! Here are some ways to help you change things up as you make this recipe again and again and again!

Make some yummy Blackberry Lemon Muffins instead! All you need is to swap the loaf pan to a muffin pan. These are perfect for potlucks, picnics, and on-the-go treats! This recipe should make 12-14 muffins. Fill the cupcake liners to the top and bake at 425 degrees for the first 5 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for about 15 more minutes. Starting with the high heat helps the muffins to rise more.
In case you cannot find blackberries, do not fret! Fresh blueberries, wild blueberries, or even frozen blueberries work well in this recipe. Just make sure to pat dry any excess moisture if you use thawed berries.
Add some nuts into the mix to give it some crunch! Almond flakes or walnuts will do!
If you like a less tarty glaze, you can forgo the lemon juice and use heavy cream or other fruit juices instead. Some people even like to add in a bit of seedless blackberry jam to sweeten up the glaze!

Storing Leftover Blackberry Lemon Bread

Once the blackberry lemon loaf has completely cooled down, cover it with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. It can be kept for up to 4 days at room temperature, longer if kept in the fridge. It can also be frozen for up to 4 months.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I don’t have sour cream – is there a substitute?

A great substitute would be 1 cup of full-fat greek yogurt. If you don’t have this, you could substitute 1 cup of buttermilk or 1 cup of whole milk.

Can I use unsalted butter?

Sure, just add a pinch of salt to the unsalted butter.

Is there a substitute for the butter?

Coconut oil is a great option!

Could I use frozen rather than fresh berries?

Absolutely. Just allow them to thaw for about 30 minutes on paper towels, to absorb juice, before adding them to the batter.

If I’d like to make 2 loaves, can I just double this recipe?

Yes, that works well, and someone would love to receive this as a gift!

If you’ve tried this BLACKBERRY LEMON BREAD or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how they turned out. We love hearing from you! You can also follow along with me On FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM to see more colorful recipes!