How To Make Blueberry Bread

What better way to start the day than with something hardy, tasty, and nutritious? Blueberry bread ticks all those boxes – and, as a bonus, it looks really delicious!

Blueberry bread is one of the hybrids between dessert and dinner, so if you’re looking to sate a craving while still watching your health, this is a great fit.

How do you make your own? Is it difficult? Where did the recipe originate?

To answer all that and more, let’s dive into how blueberry bread can become your next kitchen staple.

Origins and History

Blueberry bread is a modified version of the timeless and classic blueberry muffin. They’re perfect with many toppings and are a tasty and healthy pick-me-up for breakfast, snacks, and dessert.

The muffin variety, while more difficult to make, has been a fan-favorite for centuries. In fact, the blueberry muffins’ origins can be traced as far back as the arrival of European pilgrims to North America.

These pilgrims brought with them a recipe that is unlike our recipe for blueberry muffins today. However, their own recipe had one main distinction; it was created from a fruit called bilberry.

When the pilgrims arrived in America, they found that the bilberry didn’t grow here. Thankfully, they found a close substitute: the blueberry!

The pilgrims didn’t just use blueberries in muffins; they substituted it for every other bread with bilberry. Whether it was in cakes or other baked goods, the blueberry was the perfect match for that fruity flavor, while keeping the filling nature of pastries.

Eventually, blueberry muffin bread would become one of the most popular pastries in our present day.

Blueberry Health Benefits

Blueberries are considered a superfood; for such a small treat, they’re jam-packed with all sorts of benefits.

In fact, they’re one of the most nutrient-dense berries on the planet. How does this small berry get to be both nutritious and delicious?

Blueberries get their iconic, deep blue color from a compound called anthocyanin. Coincidentally, this compound is also responsible for the many health benefits – mainly the antioxidants, which help cleanse the body and strengthen the immune system.

Studies have shown that blueberries have one of the highest antioxidant levels in common fruits and vegetables – even when eaten in small amounts.

If you like to exercise, blueberries should be a part of your post-exercise meal. They have been known to reduce muscle damage after a strenuous workout; in a study of ten female athletes, blueberries were shown to accelerate muscle recovery.

Other than their antioxidant properties and their ability to reduce muscle damage, they come with a host of other health benefits.

They have been shown to prevent heart disease, maintain brain function, improve memory, prevent urinary tract infections, and lower blood disease.

On top of that, they are also low in calories, making them the perfect food for maximizing your diet.

Commercial Blueberry Bread

Because of their taste and health benefits, blueberries have become a popular choice. And it’s not hard to understand why!

However, their popularity also comes with a downside; with the demand for more blueberry products, commercial brands have started selling food using imitation blueberry flavors on the market.

Commercial blueberry muffins and bread may not always be made with real blueberries; instead, you’re getting a mouthful of imitation flavors.

These aren’t necessarily bad for your health, but they’re not exactly the healthiest, either. When buying food that says it’s made with blueberries, make sure it’s composed of the real deal.

Of course, if you really want to ensure you’re eating real blueberries and not a fake variety, you can always make your own blueberry bread!

Baking your own ensures that you know what’s going into your food, providing you with the greatest benefits per bite. But how exactly do you make a blueberry quick bread?

See more: What is a quick bread?

Blueberries In Baking

When baking a blueberry loaf, it’s always best to use fresh berries. Fresh berries will guarantee the best flavors and the highest nutritional value.

Of course, we can’t all find fresh blueberries throughout the year. Frozen blueberries are a good substitute—just make sure not to thaw them.

Blueberries, when thawed, will bleed their color into your batter. Some bakers may like this effect, but most people would rather their blueberries remain intact.

Another problem you may come across when baking is that your blueberries float to the bottom of your pan. This shouldn’t be a problem if your batter is thick enough.

However, if you still find your blueberries sinking to the bottom, try filling the pan halfway with just the batter. Add the blueberries in the rest of the batter and then fill the pan all the way.

Blueberry Bread Recipe: How to Make Blueberry Bread

If you want more blueberries in your life, blueberry bread is the way to go. They’re much easier to prepare than muffins, and they can last longer, too!

With just a few staple baking ingredients and some of these blue treats, you’ll be whipping up a kitchen favorite in no time.

Because it’s so simple, this easy blueberry recipe is perfect for beginners. To begin, all you will need are basic bread ingredients, with two caveats.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of leveled, all-purpose flour.
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.
• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.
• 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar.
• 2 large eggs, room temperature.
• 1/2 cup of sour cream, at room temperature.
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.
• 1/2 cup of milk, at room temperature.
• 1 and 1/2 cups of blueberries (fresh or frozen; if frozen, do not thaw).

Method

1. Adjust the oven rack to the lower level. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
3. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together. Use a handheld or stand mixer, fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until smooth and creamy, for about two minutes.
4. Now it’s time to add the eggs. Lower your whisk’s speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time. Be sure to have the egg fully mixed in before adding the next.
5. Still on medium speed, beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract until fully combined.
6. Reduce the whisk’s speed to ‘low.’ Add the dry ingredients, followed by the milk. Whisk this mixture until all the flour is fully combined.
7. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the blueberries.
8. Spoon the batter onto the prepared pan.
9. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes. At the 30-minute mark, loosely cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil. This will prevent the top of your bread from turning too brown. Check for doneness by sticking a toothpick in the middle of the loaf; when the toothpick comes out clean, it means that your bread is done.
10. Allow the loaf to cool before slicing.

This video shows another example of how to make blueberry bread.

Blueberry Bread With Nuts

If you’re nuts about nuts, this recipe is for you!

Nuts make an excellent pair for blueberries; add both to some batter and you’ll have a balanced and healthy loaf.

Ingredients

• 3 cups of all-purpose flour.
• 1 cup of granulated sugar.
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder.
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda.
• 1 egg (beaten).
• 1 2/3 cups of milk.
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil.
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest.
• 1 1/2 cups of blueberries.
• 1/2 cup of pecans or walnuts, chopped.

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg. Then add the milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk all ingredients until fully mixed. Set aside.
4. In a different medium bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir with a spoon or whisk until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
5. Make a well in the center of your mixture. Add the mixture from the first bowl into this well. Stir just until the ingredients are mixed. Do not over-stir.
6. Gently fold in the lemon peel, blueberries, and chopped nuts.
7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan.
8. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Lemon Blueberry Bread

A slight, lemony flavor is a great twist on the traditional blueberry loaf.

For those who don’t want an overly sweet loaf, or for those who want a zing in their bread, you’re in the right place.

This blueberry quick bread recipe uses a citrus glaze that adds flavor and keeps your bread moist.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup of butter, melted.
• 1 cup of sugar.
• 3 tablespoon of lemon juice.
• 2 large eggs at room temperature.
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour.
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• 1/2 cup of 2% milk.
• 1 cup of blueberries, fresh or frozen.
• 1/2 cup of nuts, chopped.
• 2 tablespoons of lemon zest, grated.

For The Glaze

• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
• ¼ cup of sugar.

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease an 8 x 4 loaf pan.
3. In a large bowl, whisk in the eggs. Then, add sugar, lemon juice, eggs, and butter. Beat the ingredients until fully mixed.
4. In a different bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add a bit of the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Mix thoroughly. Then, add a bit of the milk. Continue alternating between the flour mixture and milk, making sure that all ingredients are fully incorporated before adding more. Start and end with the flour mixture.
6. Once your ingredients are fully mixed, gently fold in the blueberries, nuts, and lemon.
7. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. While it’s still warm, drizzle the glaze on top of the bread.
9. Let cool and serve.

Here’s another blueberry bread recipe.

Blueberry Bread Topping Ideas

These blueberry bread recipes are lovely all on their own, but if you’re tired of the same recipes, you can easily change them up!

Toppings are a great way to change flavors, and you could add them before or after baking.

If you’re picky about toppings, don’t worry. You have plenty to choose from! Here are a few to get you started.

Blueberry Jam Swirl

The blueberries in this recipe are already enough to give you that sweet blueberry flavor. But who doesn’t want more blueberries?

For that extra blast of fruitiness, you can swirl blueberry jam on top of your loaf before baking. You will need about two tablespoons of blueberry jam, as less will not have the intended effect and more will make the bread soggy.

Add this swirl after spooning the batter into the prepared pan, then bake as usual.

Cinnamon Butter

Cinnamon butter is another great topping for bread, especially a blueberry loaf. It’s a perfect mix of sweet and savory, without overpowering the inherent flavors.

To make your own cinnamon butter, bring 4 tablespoons of butter to room temperature. Then, add 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar.

Blend thoroughly. This will yield 1/3 cups, or 6 servings. Cinnamon butter will melt at room temperature, so remember to store it in the fridge when not in use!

Storing Blueberry Bread

Store your blueberry loaf in a resealable food container. Make sure that the bread has completely cooled before storage. Blueberry loaf can be kept at room temperature for up to four days.

If you want to lengthen your bread’s shelf life, you can freeze it for up to three months. Thaw and reheat before serving.

Hopefully, this has helped you create your own blueberry bread. Whether for breakfast, snacks, or dessert, this treat is sure to keep you full and healthy. Happy baking!

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What’s your favorite blueberry bread recipe or topping?