Lemon Blueberry Loaf

Instructions:

1. Preheat the Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and greasing a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or lining it with parchment paper.
2. Prepare the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well to ensure even distribution of the leavening agents.
3. Cream the Butter and Sugar: In another bowl, cream together the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add Eggs and Lemon Zest: Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then add the lemon zest. Continue to mix until the ingredients are well incorporated.
5. Incorporate Greek Yogurt and Lemon Juice: Stir in the Greek yogurt and lemon juice, combining them with the butter-sugar mixture.
6. Gradually Add Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing, as it can result in a dense loaf.
7. Fold in Fresh Blueberries: Gently fold in the fresh blueberries, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
8. Transfer to the Loaf Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
9. Bake to Perfection: Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Cool and Enjoy: Once baked, remove the Lemon Blueberry Loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Tips for the Perfect Lemon Blueberry Loaf

1. For extra lemony flavor, you can add a few drops of lemon extract to the batter.
2. To prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the loaf, toss them in a tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter.
3. If fresh blueberries are not available, you can use frozen blueberries. However, do not thaw them before adding to the batter to prevent excess moisture.
4. Always zest the lemons before juicing them for the recipe. It’s much easier to zest a whole lemon than trying to zest a squeezed one.
5. To achieve a moist texture, avoid overmixing the batter. Mix until the ingredients are just combined.
6. Experiment with different types of berries or a mix of berries to create your unique variation of the loaf.