Lemon Blueberry Bread Topping (Printable)

Moist citrus quick bread with juicy blueberries and a crumbly streusel topping for breakfast or snack.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Bread

01 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour (190 g)
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (115 g)
06 - ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 g)
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - ⅓ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (80 ml)
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from approximately 1 lemon)
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 - 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (140 g), unthawed if frozen
13 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for coating blueberries)

→ Streusel Topping

14 - ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (45 g)
15 - ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 g)
16 - ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
17 - 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed (45 g)

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch (23x13 cm) loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - Combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in cold butter with a fork or fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Refrigerate until needed.
03 - Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
04 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
05 - Mix in sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
06 - Gradually add dry ingredient mixture to wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
07 - Coat blueberries with 1 tablespoon of flour to prevent sinking, then gently fold them into the batter.
08 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface. Evenly distribute refrigerated streusel topping over batter.
09 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Tent with foil if top browns too quickly.
10 - Let bread cool in pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The streusel adds a sweet crunch that makes every bite feel a little indulgent without being heavy.
  • Lemon and blueberry balance each other perfectly, tart and sweet in a way that works morning or night.
  • It stays moist for days and actually tastes better the next morning with coffee.
  • You can mix it by hand in one bowl and still get bakery level results.
02 -
  • Don't skip tossing the blueberries in flour or they'll all sink to the bottom and leave you with a dense layer.
  • Cold butter in the streusel is essential, warm butter melts into the topping and you lose that crumbly texture.
  • Overmixing the batter once the flour goes in creates gluten and makes the bread tough instead of tender.
  • If using frozen blueberries, add them straight from the freezer so they don't bleed purple streaks into the batter.
03 -
  • Room temperature butter and eggs mix more smoothly and create a lighter texture, so pull them out 30 minutes before you start.
  • Zest your lemon before juicing it, it's nearly impossible to zest a juiced lemon and you'll waste all that fragrant oil.
  • Check the bread at 50 minutes, ovens vary and you don't want to overbake it and dry it out.
  • Let it cool completely before wrapping, trapping steam inside makes the streusel soggy and the bread gummy.

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