Lemon & Blueberry Loaf Cake

Prep Time: 10 mins | Bake Time: 35-40 mins | Decorate: 10 mins

There’s something about lemon and blueberry cakes. So fresh and citrusy, it’s making my mouth water just thinking about it!

This Lemon and Blueberry Loaf Cake is a treat you can enjoy all year round, and it’s bound to lift your spirits even in the darkest of months. Lemons and blueberries are the perfect combination which is why it’s become such a classic flavour.

What makes lemon and blueberries so good?

The combination of lemon and blueberries is a delicious, fresh and popular flavour combination for a reason. Even thinking about this Lemon and Blueberry Loaf Cake, I’m wanting to make another batch because, of course, it didn’t last long in my cake tin!

But what makes this combination popular?

• The flavours compliment each other: Lemon provides a bright and zesty citrus flavour, while blueberries offer a sweet and slightly sharp taste. The contrasting flavours end up complimenting each other so well, and enhance the overall flavour palette experience.

• Contrasting textures enhance the flavour: In this recipe, each mouthful provides a subtle lemon flavour through the cake itself, followed by a sudden pop of a blueberry which oozes with sweet and sharp flavour notes.

• It’s so versatile: Lemon and blueberries offer endless possibilities of how you can use the flavour combination. These ingredients work well in desserts, drinks and baked goods. This versatility allows for a wide range of creative and delicious recipes.

• The colours are bright and bold: The vibrant yellow colour from lemons and the deep shade of blueberries create an aesthetically pleasing visual contrast. This visual aspect can enhance the overall dining experience and make dishes featuring this flavour combination visually appealing.

• It’s fresh and summery: Both lemon and blueberries are often associated with freshness and sunny days, making it the perfect flavour combination to get you through the winter months or to simply celebrate a summer’s day.

This Lemon and Blueberry Loaf Cake is irresistibly delicious. The combination of lemon and blueberry makes this cake an incredible treat thanks to the enticing textures, bright visuals and sweet taste. So what are you waiting for? Tuck into the most beautiful Lemon and Blueberry Loaf Cake recipe.

Loaf cake baking tips

Here are some of my tips to help you make the most luxurious Lemon and Blueberry Loaf Cake:

Making a loaf cake is helped when you’re following a fool-proof baking recipe, that encourages you to enjoy the baking experience and learn how to bake better.

Follow the recipe:

I would always recommend reading through the recipe before you start baking. It’s important to make sure you know what the process will be like and that you have all the ingredients and equipment you need.

Bring the eggs to room temperature:

Make sure the eggs are at room temperature before starting so you get a smooth and well-combined mixture. Otherwise, it can make the batter cold just by mixing them in, and that can be very confusing for a cake when it’s suddenly very hot in the oven.

Dry Ingredients:

Sift the dry ingredients to ensure even distribution and prevent lumps. And make sure you’re adding this after incorporating all of the wet ingredients

Avoid over-mixing:

I avoid making this cake in my KitchenAid stand mixer, simply because it starts with whisking, folding, and stirring. You can of course use the stand mixer to do the whole process for you, but I highly recommend resisting the urge to over-mix the batter as it can lead to a dense cake.

And I would also suggest folding the blueberries in by hand to prevent the blueberries bursting and dyeing the cake bright blue.

Coat the blueberries in flour:

Before gently folding in the blueberries at the end to avoid deflating the batter, cover the blueberries in flour. This helps thicken the batter around the berries, keeping it in place so they don’t sink to the bottom.

Check the size of your tin:

That’s right. You heard it hear first… size does matter! Well how can you expect a cake recipe that’s meant for a 1lb loaf tin to work exactly the same in a 2lb loaf tin: The batter wouldn’t fill the tin correctly and it won’t cook at the same rate.

Preheat the oven properly:

Make sure your oven is properly preheated, and by that I mean: Is the oven on the right setting? Is the oven at the right temperature? Is the oven up to that temperature? They may seem like silly questions, but I have genuinely had many failed bakes because I thought my cake was baking at 160C, when it was actually on 200C out of pure habit.

Getting this right helps the cake rise properly and maintain that fluffy texture you really want.

Check the bake at the right time:

Use a toothpick or cake tester to check whether the cake is completely baked. Prick it in the middle of the cake; if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter), the cake is done. But you don’t want to do this when the cake is underbaked as opening the oven door before it’s ready will release hot air and can lead to a sinking cake top.

Allow to cool in the tin first:

Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. When the cake is too hot, it can’t hold its structure and could crumble in your hands.

Let the cake cool before decorating:

Nobody wants a messy cake after they’ve spent time creating something delicious. That’s why it’s important to add the icing top when the cake is completely cooled to prevent it from seeping into the cake or slipping straight off.

Lemon & Blueberry Loaf Cake!

Type: Cake

Author: Thea Bakes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Bake Time: 35-40 mins

Decorate Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the cake

• 120ml extra virgin olive oil
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2tsp lemon juice
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 2tsp milk
• 1 cup blueberries (plus extra flour for covering)

For decoration

• 150g icing sugar (sifted)
• 3tbsp lemon juice

Method

Making the Lemon & Blueberry Cake

Preheat the oven to 160C, and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.

In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil (120ml), golden caster sugar (175g), 2 eggs and lemon juice (2tsp).

Once combined, fold in the sifted flour (175g), baking powder (1tsp) and zest of a lemon. Add in a teaspoon or two of milk if your mixture is too thick

Toss the blueberries (1 cup) in a small amount of flour before folding them into the cake mixture for baking. This will help to prevent the blueberries from sinking when baking.

Pour into the loaf tin and bake for 35-40 mins. Check on the cake at 30 minutes using a skewer or butter knife.

Once baked, leave to cool for 10 minutes and then transfer the cake onto a wire rack.

Decorating the loaf cake

Whisk together the icing sugar (150g) and lemon juice until you reach a thick icing texture - the kind you could imagine spreading on top of a cake without it completely sliding off.

Let the cake cool before decorating: Nobody wants a messy cake after they’ve spent time creating something delicious. That’s why it’s important to add the icing top when the cake is completely cooled to prevent it from seeping into the cake or slipping straight off.

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