Lemon Blueberry Bread by Barbara

It's blueberry season here.

This is a great quick bread recipe to have in your repertoire. Very moist and tender with lots of bursts of blueberry flavor.  Love the lemon zest, too.    

---Barbara

Lemon Blueberry Quick Bread

(adapted from The Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook)

Makes 1 9x5 inch loaf 

2 cups flour

1.5 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup sugar

2 T. grated lemon zest

1 cup fresh blueberries, very dry

2 eggs, room temperature

1 cup whole buttermilk

1 t. vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a loaf pan with butter or baking spray.  

Measure out the flour, salt and baking powder into a small mixing bowl.  Mix well.  

Add the dry blueberries, and toss until berries are coated with flour.  This will help prevent them from settling to the bottom of the loaf.

In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or use a handheld mixer with a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and melted butter and beat until smooth, then add the eggs one at a time, and continue to beat on medium-high for 2 minutes until pale yellow and very smooth.  

Add the vanilla extract and buttermilk and stir until smooth.

Remove the whisk attachment, then proceed with a spatula.  Add the dry ingredients in batches and fold until the batter is gently mixed and uniform.  Do not overmix.  

Turn batter into the prepared pan.  Gently press the mixture evenly into the corners and smooth the top.  

Bake for 50 minutes.  Check to see if a toothpick comes out clean. When you press gently on the top of the bread it should spring back.  It will take between 50-60 minutes depending on your oven.  

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Then, turn out on to a rack to cool completely.

B