Recipe: lemon blueberry bread*

*in the spirit of full disclosure this is definitely a closer relative to cake than bread, however calling it bread makes it seem healthier :-)

I was in a pinch a few weeks ago when I had to make something for my favorite fellow Anna's going away breakfast potluck. I knew I wanted to make something sweet and good (I have a reputation to maintain). I stumbled across this recipe and knew I simply had to make it. Like always, I made a few substitutions based on what I had and what I could find and the recipe below reflects the changes I made. It was delicious and gone in a heart beat!

You will need:

1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 6 oz. carton low fat (not fat free)vanilla and lemon yogurt. I used Yoplait.
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (approximately 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed and rinsed
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a standard loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 (+) minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping out onto a cooling rack. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in (a pastry brush works great for this, as does using a toothpick to make tiny holes that draw the syrup in better). Cool.

First and foremost, I cooked this cake for a very, very long time. I don't remember how much longer it took to bake but it was not done in 50 minutes. It is, however, very much worth the wait. This is a very delicate cake. I attempted to cut it while it was still slightly warm and it was bad. I then cooled it overnight in the fridge and cut it the following morning. It was still quick to crumble so I suggest using a very good, serrated knife (you know, the spitzy kind as my mom would say). An electric knife would probably also work. It's kind of a pain but the slices look so pretty after you cut them and that doesn't even begin to compare to the taste. Yes, I might be biased as I love, love,love the lemon blueberry combination but I don't know that you'll be disappointed if you try this recipe.