Lemon Blueberry Loaf (No Eggs, No Milk, No Butter)

This Lemon Blueberry Loaf recipe is loaded with vibrant berries, lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice, then topped with a simple glaze that divinely complements the tartness of the lemon and sweetness of the berries. Made with healthy, plant-based ingredients that keep each bite extra moist, this easy lemon blueberry bread is perfect for breakfast, brunch, dessert or a quick snack. Egg-free, dairy-free, gluten-free.

What do you get when you marry sweet, succulent berries with tart citrus-loving lemon? A brightly flavored, richly moist quick bread that’s bursting with sweet juiciness and literally melts in your mouth! So fresh and light, you’ll think you’re eating a lemon cloud! This lemon loaf can be made with fresh or frozen berries and is ready in about an hour! Now, let’s bake!

🍋 Ingredients for Lemon Blueberry Loaf (With Substitutions)

1. Plain, dairy-free yogurt – be sure to use unsweetened, non-flavored dairy-free yogurt for this blueberry loaf.
2. Blueberries – I love fresh berries in this recipe; however, frozen blueberries make an excellent substitute. If using frozen blueberries, avoid thawing them before adding them to the batter. If you love berry desserts, try my Blueberry Chia Pudding and my Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake.
3. Rice flour – this recipe calls for rice flour, which is gluten-free. Feel free to substitute with another gluten-free flour, such as almond flour or gluten-free all purpose flour.
4. Cornstarch – helps bind the ingredients together and give the blueberry bread recipe a soft, tender texture.
5. Vegetable oil – any neutral-flavored oil works well in this recipe, such as canola or grapeseed oil.
6. Baking yeast – also called rapid-rise yeast or instant yeast. DO NOT USE ACTIVE DRY YEAST AS IT REQUIRES PROOFING.
7. Brown sugar – light or dark brown sugar works equally well. You can substitute with coconut sugar.
8. Plant milk – I prefer oat milk in this bread recipe; however, any plant milk works fine, such as almond milk or soy milk.
9. Lemon – a medium-sized lemon will give you just the right amount of zest and juice. If you love lemons, try this Limoncello Martini.
10. Vanilla extract – for the best overall flavor, use pure vanilla extract as opposed to imitation. You may use imitation, however, if pure is unavailable.
11. Icing sugar – also known as powdered sugar this sweet stuff is mixed with plant milk to make the simple glaze that you drizzle over the top of the loaf after it’s cooled. Florida Crystals makes a really good vegan brand.
12. Blackberries and fresh mint leaves – not pictured but, used as garnishes, along with extra blueberries, makes for a beautiful presentation. TIP: if you love blackberries, try my Blackberry Smash.

🍞 How To Make Lemon Blueberry Loaf

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper. Use a grater or zester to grate the zest of one medium-sized lemon into a large mixing bowl, then cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the same bowl.

2. To the same mixing bowl, add dairy-free yogurt, vegetable oil, plant-milk, and pure vanilla extract.

3. Whisk until smooth.

4. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the rice flour, cornstarch, active dry yeast, and brown sugar.

5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. This is your batter.

6. Gently fold in blueberries.

7. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the lemon blueberry loaf comes out clean.

8. Remove from oven. Allow bread to cool in pan for at 5 minutes.

9. Then transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before icing.

9. To make the icing, mix together powdered sugar and plant milk until the mixture is smooth and pourable. Drizzle icing over the completely cooled bread. Adorn with left over blueberries and blackberries, if desired.

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips

• Be sure to line your loaf pan with parchment paper to make the bread easier to remove from the loaf pan.
• To ensure accuracy, when measuring your cornstarch and rice flour, spoon them into measuring cups and level off with a flat edge.
• Be very gentle when folding in the blueberries to avoid crushing them and turning the batter purple.
• To prevent this lemon blueberry loaf from becoming too dense or heavy, avoid overmixing the batter. Mix until just combined.
• To retain it’s shape, the loaf should cool for 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack.
• When making the icing, gradually add the plant milk to the icing sugar until it reaches a pouring consistency. If the icing is too runny, add more icing sugar. If too thick, add more plant milk.
• When decorating the blueberry bread recipe with berries, sprinkle them over the top of the icing before it sets. This helps add a pop of color and extra blueberry flavor to the bread.

💭 Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Keep This Bread Moist?

To keep this blueberry bread recipe moist, wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap. Then place in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. For more storage tips, see below.

How Can I Make Variations Of This Recipe?

This recipe can be made with a variety of different fruit or berries, both on the inside, and for decorating. Here you see I’ve added some blackberries to the blueberries on top. However, you can also substitute blueberries for an equal amount of blackberries in the batter. Other variations include strawberries, raspberries, figs or dried oranges.

Are There Any Tips To Prevent The Edges From Overcooking?

If you check on this blueberry yogurt loaf while in the oven and you notice the edges are browning faster than you’d like, simply take a few small pieces of aluminum foil and gently lay them on top of the edges you want to protect. Continue baking as usual.

🌡️ Storage And Freezing

☕ Serving Suggestions

This lemon blueberry bread is perfect served alone, however it pairs well with a hot cup of coffee, a Skinny Vanilla Latte or a Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte.

If you want to get fancy, you can slather it with Vegan Mascarpone Cheese and Pear Ginger Jam or serve it as a dessert with my Cavolo Nero Pasta as a main dish.

For cocktail lovers, try my lemon blueberry bread with a classic Vodka Mule or my Spiced Orange Gin Spritz.

And for more delicious dessert recipes try my Lavender Vegan Shortbread Cookies.

🥖 More Recipes You’ll Love

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