Lemon Blueberry Bread Streusel

I baked this on a rainy Saturday when I had too many lemons and a pint of blueberries about to turn. The kitchen smelled like a citrus grove by the time the loaf came out, and the streusel on top had crackled into these golden, buttery shards. I sliced into it while it was still warm, and the crumb was so tender it practically melted.

I brought a foil-wrapped loaf to a friend's house once, still warm from the oven. We sat on her porch with coffee and ate half of it before noon, picking blueberries out of the crumb and laughing about nothing in particular. She asked for the recipe twice before I left.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: The base of the loaf, I always spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off so the bread doesn't turn out dense.
• Baking powder and baking soda: These two together give the bread a light, airy crumb without any metallic aftertaste.
• Unsalted butter: Softened to room temperature, it creams beautifully with the sugar and makes the whole loaf rich without being greasy.
• Granulated sugar: Just enough sweetness to balance the tart lemon and let the blueberries shine.
• Eggs: They bind everything together and give the crumb structure, I always crack them into a separate bowl first to avoid shells.
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt: This is the secret to keeping the loaf moist for days, it adds tang and a tender crumb.
• Fresh lemon juice and zest: The zest is where all the fragrant oils live, I use a microplane and stop before I hit the bitter white pith.
• Vanilla extract: A teaspoon rounds out the citrus and makes the whole thing smell like a bakery.
• Blueberries: Fresh or frozen both work, I toss them in a little flour so they don't all sink to the bottom.
• Streusel ingredients: Cold butter, flour, sugar, and cinnamon crumble into a topping that bakes up crisp and sweet, like the best part of a coffee cake.

Instructions

Preheat and Prep:

Set your oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan, then line it with parchment for easy lifting later. I learned this the hard way after chiseling out too many stuck loaves.

Make the Streusel:

In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar, and cinnamon, then work in cold butter with your fingers until it looks like wet sand. Chill it while you make the batter so it stays crumbly.

Whisk the Dry Ingredients:

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. This step seems boring but it prevents clumps and uneven rising.

Cream Butter and Sugar:

Beat them together until the mixture turns pale and fluffy, scraping down the sides once or twice. This takes about three minutes and makes the crumb lighter.

Add Wet Ingredients:

Mix in eggs one at a time, then stir in sour cream, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla until smooth. The batter might look a little curdled but it will come together.

Fold in Dry Ingredients:

Add the flour mixture gently, stirring just until no streaks remain. Overmixing makes the bread tough and dense.

Toss and Fold Blueberries:

Coat the berries in a tablespoon of flour to keep them from sinking, then fold them in with a spatula. Be gentle so they don't burst and stain the batter.

Assemble and Top:

Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top, and scatter the streusel evenly over it. I like to press a few extra berries into the surface for looks.

Bake:

Slide it into the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, checking with a toothpick at the center. If the top browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil halfway through.

Cool:

Let the loaf rest in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out and cool completely on a rack. Slicing it warm makes it crumbly and messy, but I do it anyway sometimes.

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The first time I made this, my neighbor knocked on the door halfway through baking to ask what smelled so good. I ended up giving her three slices wrapped in a napkin, and she left a jar of homemade jam on my porch the next morning. That's the kind of bread this is.

How to Store and Serve

I wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap and keep it on the counter for up to two days, or in the fridge for five if I want it to last. It's excellent at room temperature, but a quick ten-second zap in the microwave brings back that just-baked softness. Sometimes I toast a slice and spread it with salted butter, which sounds redundant but tastes like heaven.

Variations and Swaps

If you don't have sour cream, Greek yogurt works just as well and adds a little extra protein. I've also swapped the blueberries for raspberries or blackberries when that's what I had on hand, and the lemon still carried the whole thing. For a glaze, whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice until it's pourable and drizzle it over the cooled loaf, it hardens into a sweet, tart shell that cracks when you slice it.

Tools and Troubleshooting

A 9x5-inch loaf pan is standard, but if yours is slightly smaller the batter will be taller and may need a few extra minutes in the oven. I always line the pan with parchment because greasing alone doesn't always prevent sticking, especially with the streusel on top. If the center stays gummy even after an hour, your oven might run cool, try lowering the temperature to 325°F and baking longer next time.

• Use a microplane for the lemon zest, it gets the oils without the bitter pith.
• Let the loaf cool completely before wrapping it or condensation will make it soggy.
• Frozen blueberries work straight from the freezer, no thawing needed.

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This loaf has become my go-to whenever I need something that feels homemade but doesn't require all day in the kitchen. It's forgiving, it's pretty, and it makes the whole house smell like you've got your life together.

Recipe Questions & Answers

→ How can I keep the blueberries from sinking?

Toss the blueberries with a tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter to help keep them evenly distributed.

→ What is the purpose of the streusel topping?

The streusel adds a buttery, crumbly texture and subtle sweetness that contrasts nicely with the moist bread beneath.

→ Can frozen blueberries be used directly?

Yes, frozen blueberries can be added straight from the freezer without thawing to avoid excess bleeding into the batter.

→ How can I enhance the lemon flavor?

Drizzle a simple lemon glaze made from powdered sugar and lemon juice over the cooled loaf to intensify the citrus notes.

→ What baking pan size is recommended?

A 9x5-inch loaf pan is ideal to ensure even baking and proper loaf shape.