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Blackberry Lemon Bread

This blackberry lemon bread is easy to make and absolutely delicious! It’s moist, tender, and bursting with citrus and berry flavor.

I was inspired to make this bread after baking virtually with Dorie Greenspan and Oregon berries! I had some extra blackberries on hand and wanted to put them to good use.

image of lemon glaze being drizzled over a blackberry loaf

This recipe is based on Dorie’s Blackberry yogurt cake, which traces its roots back to a classic French loaf recipe.

Substitutions and Swaps

While I love this recipe just the way it is, I know some of you might not have all these ingredients on hand!

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this recipe.

image of ingredients laid out to make a blackberry loaf cake
  • Blackberries– If you can’t get your hands on fresh or frozen blackberries, you can use fresh or frozen raspberries, marionberries or blueberries.
  • All Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a cup for cup gluten free flour blend in its place if needed.
  • Granulated Sugar – I think this blackberry lemon bread has just the right amount of sweetness, but you can either increase or decrease the amount of sugar by 1/4 cup based on your preferences.
  • Lemon Zest – Fresh lemon zest is a must in this recipe! Don’t skimp on it. If needed you can use orange zest in its place.
  • Eggs – If you don’t have eggs on hand or can’t eat eggs, you can use flaxseed eggs in their place or 3/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce.
  • Sour cream – You can also use whole milk, buttermilk, plain or Greek yogurt, or alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free.
  • Vegetable Oil – You can also use any flavorless oil in this recipe, like canola, sunflower, etc.
  • Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice really helps enhance the flavors in this bread. The artificial stuff just doesn’t taste the same. If needed, you can use orange juice instead.
  • Salted Butter – If you only have unsalted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the salted butter in this recipe. Just be sure to add a pinch of salt. You can also use vegan butter in its place!

Tips for Making the Best Blackberry Lemon Bread

  • If using frozen berries, take them out and them thaw for 30 minutes before making the batter. Thaw them on paper towels to help absorb any the excess juice.
  • Cut the blackberries in half or give them a rough chop before tossing them with flour. This prevents them from sinking to the bottom of your loaf pan as the bread bakes.
  • Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
  • Line your loaf pan with a sling of parchment paper for easy removal and clean up!
image of a loaf pan greased with non-stick spray and lined with a sling of parchment paper that's secured with metal binder clips
  • To make gluten free blackberry lemon bread, swap in your favorite GF flour blend for the AP flour in this recipe. When using GF flour, it’s important to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results – this helps give the loaf proper structure and a good crumb.
  • Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set the cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Carefully bang your loaf pan on the counter before putting it in the oven. This brings any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
  • Sprinkle some turbinado sugar on top of your loaf before baking it for a bit of texture! It gives the top of the loaf a delicious crunch.
image of blackberry lemon bread batter in a loaf pan ready to be baked and topped with a sprinkle of turbinado sugar for a bit of extra texture

Making this Blackberry Loaf in Different Sized Pans

This recipe makes one 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf! However, the recipe can be doubled to make two loaves.

This recipe can also be used to make blackberry lemon muffins! Fill cupcake liners to the top and bake for 5 minutes at 425 F / 215 C, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 F / 175 C without opening the oven door and bake for an additional 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling. This recipe makes 12-14 muffins.

The final variation for this recipe is mini blackberry lemon loaves! Grease a mini loaf pan generously and fill each cavity to the top with batter.

Bake at 350 F / 175 C until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Bake time and yield will vary based on the size and depth of your mini loaf pan.

Making This Blackberry Lemon Bread in Advance & Storage Tips:

You can make this blackberry lemon bread in advance! It can last for up to 4 days at room temperature, or up to a month in the freezer. Be sure to store it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap to keep it moist.

If you plan to immediately freeze it, I recommend waiting to make the glaze until you thaw it and plan to eat it.

image of a blackberry lemon bread drizzled with lemon glaze and topped with candied lemons

This blackberry lemon bread freezes well! I like to wrap the bread in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil to lock in all the moisture.

When I’m ready to enjoy a frozen loaf, I move it from the freezer to the fridge the night before. Then I set it out at room temperature to let it thaw for a few hours before adding the glaze.

image of a sliced blackberry lemon bread drizzled with lemon glaze and topped with candied lemons

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this blackberry lemon bread recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

Don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations on social media!

image of a sliced blackberry lemon bread drizzled with lemon glaze and topped with candied lemons

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Yield: 10

Blackberry Lemon Bread

image of a blackberry lemon bread drizzled with lemon glaze and topped with candied lemons

This blackberry lemon bread is easy to make and absolutely delicious! It's moist, tender, and bursting with citrus and berry flavor.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

Blackberry Lemon Bread

  • 1 cup blackberries, fresh or frozen (125g)
  • 1 cups all-purpose flour + 2 tsp to dust the berries (135g)
  • 1 tsp baking powder (4g)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda (3g)
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest - about 1/2 large lemon (6g)
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature (168g)
  • 1 cup sour cream or full-fat yogurt, room temperature (240g)
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter (180g)
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice - about half a large lemon (12g)

Lemon Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar (125g)
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice- about 1/2 large lemon (24g)
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest - about 1/2 large lemon (6g)
  • 1 Tbsp salted butter, melted and cooled (14g)

Optional Garnish

Instructions

Blackberry Lemon Bread

  1. If using frozen berries, take them out of the freezer about 30 minutes before you start to make this recipe and give them a rough chop. Place them on a double layer of paper towels to help absorb any excess moisture as they thaw. If using fresh berries, cut them in half before making the batter.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350 F / 175 C and grease and line an 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan.
  3. Whisk together 1 cup of flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
  4. Pour 1 cup of sugar and 1 Tbsp lemon zest into a food processor and pulse a few times to make lemon sugar. If you don't have a food processor, pour the sugar and lemon zest into a large bowl, and whisk together. The sugar should become aromatic as you mix it.
  5. Pour the lemon sugar into a large bowl and mix in the eggs one at a time using either a whisk or an electric mixer.
  6. Mix in 1 cup sour cream, then slowly whisk in the dry ingredients. Mix just until you can't see any streaks of flour. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  7. Pour in 3/4 cup of oil and 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice stir and whisk until the batter looks smooth. It should be thick!
  8. Toss 1 cup of chopped or halved blackberries with 2 tsp of flour to help prevent them from sinking as the bread bakes.
  9. Fold the berries into the batter with a rubber spatula until they're evenly distributed.
  10. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Bake time can be slightly longer if your berries are cold.
  11. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully remove the loaf from the pan and let it finish cooling on a wire rack.

Lemon Glaze

  1. While the blackberry bread cools, make the lemon glaze.
  2. Place 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp lemon zest and 1 Tbsp melted butter in a small bowl. Whisk until combined and smooth. If the glaze seems too thick, add in another Tbsp of lemon juice or milk. If the glaze seems too thin, add in another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar, and mix until it's the right consistency.
  3. Pour over the cooled blackberry lemon loaf and garnish with additional lemon zest or candied lemons and enjoy!
  4. This cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature.

Notes

Making This Blackberry Lemon Bread in Advance & Storage Tips:

You can make this blackberry lemon bread in advance! It can last for up to 4 days at room temperature, or up to a month in the freezer. Be sure to store it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap to keep it moist.

If you plan to immediately freeze it, I recommend waiting to make the glaze until you thaw it and plan to eat it.

This blackberry lemon bread freezes well! So don't be afraid to make a double batch and freeze one for later. I like to wrap the bread in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil to lock in all the moisture.

When I'm ready to enjoy one of the frozen loaves, I move it from the freezer to the fridge the night before. Then I set it out at room temperature to let it thaw for a few hours before adding the glaze.

Different Batch Sizes:

This recipe makes one 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf! However, the recipe can be doubled to make two loaves.

This recipe can also be used to make blackberry lemon muffins! Fill cupcake liners to the top and bake for 5 minutes at 425 F / 215 C, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 F / 175 C without opening the oven door and bake for an additional 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling. This recipe makes 12-14 muffins.

The final variation for this recipe is mini blackberry lemon loaves! Grease a mini loaf pan generously and fill each cavity to the top with batter. Bake at 350 F / 175 C until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Bake time and yield will vary based on the size and depth of your mini loaf pan.

Nutrition Information

Yield

10

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 424Total Fat 25gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 17gCholesterol 76mgSodium 288mgCarbohydrates 47gFiber 2gSugar 34gProtein 5g

Rachel

Tuesday 24th of August 2021

I tried this recipe and the dough was really thin. It baked up like a weird soufflé. Is one cup the correct amount of flour?

Den

Thursday 2nd of September 2021

@Rachel, I saw that Dorie's original cake used 1 1/2 cup flour with only 1/2 cup each oil and yogurt. I can understand why the batter is thin. Chelsey's cake sure looks great though!

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