Glazed blueberry lemon loaf

This classic loaf is a one-bowl wonder, topped with a simple lemony icing. Perfect with a cup of tea.

Credit: Bake With Anna Olson

• serves

  12

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• zest of 3 lemons
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup (125 ml) half-and-half (10 %) cream (see Note)
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
• 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
• 2 cups (300 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 2 tsp (6 g) baking powder
• ½ tsp (2.5 g) salt
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Lemon icing

• 1½ tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
• 1 cup (130 g) icing sugar, sifted

Cooling time: about 1 hour.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).  Grease and flour a 22 cm x 12 cm (8½ in x 4½ in) loaf tin and line the bottom and sides (just the long sides is fine) of the pan with parchment paper so that the paper comes over the sides.

2. Measure the sugar into a large mixing bowl and finely zest the lemons into it, whisking to stir in the zest (this draws out the oils). Whisk in the eggs, followed by the cream, oil and vanilla

3. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the bowl and whisk until the batter is smooth. Gently stir in the blueberries and then pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake for 20 minutes in the tin before removing to cool on a rack.

4. For the icing, whisk the lemon juice into the icing sugar by hand until smooth and flowing.  Pour this over the cooled loaf and let a little drip over the sides. The loaf can be sliced right away, but letting it sit for an hour allows the glaze to set up for tidier slicing.

Note

• Half and half is common in Canada, where Anna Olson is based. It is, as the name suggests, a mixture of equal parts milk and cream, with a fat content of around 10%. Instead of the ½ cup used in this recipe, you can use ¼ cup full cream milk + ¼ cup thickened cream.

• The loaf will keep, well-wrapped on the counter, for up to 4 days.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.