Blackberry Lemon Bread

Breads aren't exactly known for being flashy or beautiful, but this Blackberry Lemon Bread will certainly change that notion! Let's show how gorgeous a quick bread can be with this beauty, shall we?

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This Blackberry Lemon Bread is a moist, flavorful lemon bread studded with fresh blackberries and topped with the most gorgeous blackberry glaze! With its fantastic flavor and dramatic glaze, this humble loaf earns a place of honor at any table!

If you're a fan of blackberries, you should check out my recipes for Lemon Curd Cookies, Blackberry and Apple Crumble, and Blackberry Buttermilk Muffins!

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• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Equipment
• Storage
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Other Recipes You May Like
• Blackberry Lemon Bread
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Ingredients

Lemon Blackberry Bread Ingredients

• Flour - Provides structure and moisture for the cake. I used all-purpose flour. I also toss the blackberries in a tablespoon of flour to help suspend them in the cake. Otherwise, they may all sink to the bottom.
• Baking Powder - Provides leavening for the cake.
• Salt - Helps to balance and enhance the flavor of the cake.
• Unsalted Butter - For additional rise and a light and tender texture to the cake. Unsalted so that you control the amount of salt in the recipe.
• Sugar - For sweetness and keeping the cake soft and moist.
• Eggs - To provide structure, leavening, and a little richness.
• Lemon Zest - For flavor. You want to use only the yellow part of the rind, and not the white pith underneath, as it's bitter!
• Lemon Extract Paste - For a punch of lemon flavor without adding much liquid! If you'd like you can substitute with an equal measure of lemon extract.
• Buttermilk - For flavor, moisture, and keeping the cake suuuuper tender. (Check the Substitutions section below for a quick substitution you can make if you don't have buttermilk on-hand.)
• Blackberries - For pops of blackberry flavor throughout! Fresh berries work best here. You can use frozen berries, but they are likely to bleed their color into the cake.

Blackberry Glaze Ingredients

• Blackberries- For flavor and goooorgeous color! You can use fresh or frozen berries in the glaze.
• Lemon Juice - The acidity of the lemon juice helps to balance the sweetness, and enhances the taste of the berries.
• Water - Just a little, so that you have a little more liquid in the pan to start (before the berries release their juices).
• Sugar - For sweetness in the blackberry reduction.
• Powdered Sugar - For sweetness, and because it dissolves and gives the glaze a smooth texture.
• Heavy (Whipping) Cream - to thin the glaze to the appropriate consistency. You can use half and half or milk, you just may need slightly less than I used due to it being thinner than cream. (I actually forgot to add the heavy cream to the ingredient photo above, but it is there in words. Sorry about that.) *facepalm*

Instructions

Here's how to make this bread, step by step! More detailed instructions are included in the recipe card, below.

Making Blackberry Lemon Bread

Making the Blackberry Glaze

• Combine the blackberries, lemon juice, water, and sugar in a saucepan and cook until the berries break down.
• Strain the mixture to remove the seeds and pulp. Return the blackberry juice to the pan and cook until the liquid is reduced.
• Combine the powdered sugar with the blackberry reduction and stir to combine. Add cream and mix until smooth.
• Pour the glaze over the cooled cake. Top with fresh blackberries, if desired.

Substitutions

Here are a few substitutions you can make with this recipe:

• Instead of Buttermilk - For best results, I do suggest that you use buttermilk! That said, you can make a quick substitution if you don't have it on-hand.  For this recipe, pour ½ teaspoon vinegar OR lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup, then add enough milk (I find that 2% milkfat or greater works best) to come up to the ½ cup line. Let sit for 5 minutes, then it's ready for use!
• Instead of Lemon Extract Paste - If you'd like, you can substitute with an equal measure of lemon extract and/or additional lemon zest.

Equipment

You don't need any special equipment for this recipe, but here are a few details on what I used:

• Microplane Zester - Most people already have a grater/zester, but this one is my favorite if you're in the market for one.
• Fine Mesh Strainer - Perfect for straining the seeds/pulp from your blackberries!
• Loaf Pan - I used a 9"x5" loaf pan for my bread.
• Nonstick Parchment - Lining your pan with parchment makes it easier to remove the bread later! I buy pre-cut nonstick parchment sheets that work really well.

Storage

The baked and glazed bread will keep, wrapped well, for up to three days on your kitchen counter. (In fact, I think the texture is better on the second day!)

The plain bread (without glaze) can also be well wrapped and frozen for up to three months.

I suggest waiting to make the glaze until you'd like to use it, as it sets up over time and won't be pourable.

Frequently Asked Questions

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