Lemon Blueberry Bread

This bread is probably the best way to remember summer. Now that it's getting cold out, I'm missing summer a lot. It's even going to snow tomorrow! Warm baked bread takes me away from that for a little bit :)

This bread is pretty easy to make. I've made it before, but the first time it didn't go so well. If you make it, make sure to leave the bread in the pan for at least 20 minutes! Last time I left it in there for 5 minutes and tried to get it onto the cooling rack and it fell apart! But this time it stayed together. If you are going to make it, don't be afraid for the bread to get soggy from the glaze. The more glaze, the better.

Lemon Blueberry Bread

recipe from Joy of Baking

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (outer yellow skin of the lemon)

1/2 cup milk

1 cup blueberries (can be frozen or fresh. I used frozen)

Lemon Glaze:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

For the bread: Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter (or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray) the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 loaf pan.

In separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter until softened (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture (in 3 additions) and the milk (in 2 additions) alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Mix only until combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 55-65 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the 1/4 cup sugar and the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

When the bread is done, remove from oven and place on wire rack. Pierce the hot loaf all over with a wooden skewer or a toothpick and then brush the top of the loaf with the hot lemon glaze. Cool the loaf in the pan for about 30 minutes then remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

Makes 1 loaf.

Lemon Loaf.. and some other stuff

Many people reading this blog probably realize something.. i have an eating disorder.. yup. It sucks but I'm finally, finally getting help. And i feel really good about it too. I've refused help for so long but now I'm finally accepting it. It's this out patient place and when i went there, i honestly didn't think it was that bad, but i was very wrong. Eating under 500 calories a day is really bad for you and they almost wanted to put me in inpatient hospital care. But after i left, i realized something. I don't want to eat under 500 calories a day anymore. It's not enjoyable, or fun and I'm getting way too thin. I want to eat the foods that i used to eat, and love (like this lemon loaf). I like food. Not the eating disorder. So I'm starting another blog, about my recovery. Read it, if you want. Or just read my recipes and reviews.
Lemon Loaf Recipe:
from Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook
Ingredients:
1 medium lemon
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons double acting baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. From lemon, grate 1 tablespoon peel and squeeze 4 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice. Set aside and great 9 x 5 loaf pan.
In large bowl with fork, mix flour, baking powder, salt and 2/3 cups sugar. With pastry blender or 2 knives used scissor fashion, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in peel.
In small bowl with fork, beat eggs slightly and stir in milk; then stir this mixture into flour mixture until flour is moistened.
Spoon into pan. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan.
In 1 quart saucepan over medium high heat, heat lemon juice and 2 tablespoons sugar to boiling. Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. With pastry rush, brush sugar mixture evenly over top of bread. Serve warm.