Description
A moist and tender blueberry loaf with a tangy cream cheese swirl and a bright lemon glaze. Perfect for brunch or dessert, this easy recipe comes together in about 15 minutes of prep and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (full-fat preferred)
- 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries (or frozen, not rinsed, tossed in flour)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for tossing blueberries)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened (block style)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (for cream cheese swirl)
- 1 large egg yolk (for cream cheese swirl)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for cream cheese swirl)
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the short sides with butter or nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese with ¼ cup sugar, 1 egg yolk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Set aside at room temperature.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, beat ½ cup softened butter with ¾ cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides halfway through.
- Beat in the 2 room-temperature eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Add the sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and mix gently. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
- In a small bowl, toss the 1 ½ cups blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour. Gently fold them into the batter with a rubber spatula.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the batter. Pour the remaining batter on top and spread gently. Drop the remaining cream cheese mixture on top and use a butter knife or skewer to swirl it into the batter with a few gentle figure-eight motions.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too quickly after 40 minutes, tent loosely with aluminum foil.
- Let the loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely, at least 1 hour, before glazing.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Add another tablespoon of lemon juice if you want a thinner glaze. Drizzle over the cooled loaf.
Notes
Room temperature ingredients are key for a tender loaf. Don’t overmix the batter or over-swirl the cream cheese. Let the loaf cool completely before glazing. For frozen blueberries, keep them frozen and toss in flour to prevent sinking and color bleeding.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 to 65 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10 of loa
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 280
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
Keywords: blueberry loaf, cream cheese swirl, lemon glaze, easy dessert, brunch recipe, blueberry bread