Simple Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Quick Bread

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This lemon blueberry sourdough quick bread is both tangy and sweet, with a moist, tender crumb that is melt in your mouth delicious! The brightness of the lemon and blueberry pair perfectly with a hearty drizzle of vanilla icing, making it delicious and flavorful down to the very last crumb.

a loaf of sourdough lemon blueberry quick bread on a wooden countertop next to a slice of bread on a white plate

Spring is officially upon us (yay!) and although I know we have some cold weather yet to endure, I am already busy planning my spring garden, starting seeds, and making a list of new recipes to try in the kitchen! I’m slowly switching into “spring and summer mode” in the kitchen, and I figured a lemon blueberry flavored dish was the perfect way to kick off spring!

You guys know I love a good sourdough discard recipe. The blog is full of them, and for good reason- they are a delicious way to use up any leftover discard you may have. If you are like me and find yourself baking lots of sourdough bread, you will inevitably end up with some discard on your hands. I made sourdough discard pancakes just the other day and they were divine.

This recipe is quite similar to my sourdough lemon poppyseed bread recipe, but with the addition of fresh, juicy blueberries. It makes the perfect addition to your breakfast (or dessert) table, and is packed full of bright, fresh flavor.

Both of my children would have devoured this entire loaf in sheer minutes if I would have let them. It’s that good.

Let’s make it!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • BRIGHT + FRESH FLAVORS: Tangy lemon and juicy blueberries combine for the ultimate flavor pairing! Great for those spring and summer months when you are craving something sweet, but with fresh and zippy flavors.
  • QUICK AND EASY: I love a good quick bread recipe because it is just that- quick and easy! It’s a simple way to use up any leftover sourdough discard in a delicious and flavorful way.
  • USE UP SOURDOUGH DISCARD: Not true to its name, sourdough discard is great for use in a variety of recipes! I love to use it a variety of baked goods for a little gut healthy boost, like these sourdough scones, homemade pizza dough, and even sourdough discard tortillas!

Ingredients You’ll Need

This is a quick overview of some essential ingredients needed for this recipe. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list!

  • Sourdough Starter: I used sourdough discard in this recipe, but active starter will also work.
  • Sour Cream: Definitely an essential ingredient! It ensures a moist bread while adding richness.
  • Sugar: I used organic cane sugar, but you could swap to use brown sugar or even coconut sugar if you like!
  • Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed or organic lemon juice is recommended for the best flavor.
  • Fresh Blueberries: I recommend using fresh blueberries over frozen in this recipe.
sourdough lemon blueberry bread ingredients

Tips for Preparing to Make This Recipe

  1. Toss the blueberries in 1-2 tbsp of flour before adding to the batter. This will help keep them from all sinking to the bottom of the bread.
  2. Room temperature ingredients work best for the batter. To create a light and fluffy batter that mixes together well, I recommend using all room temperature ingredients.
  3. I recommend using full fat sour cream in this recipe. You can substitute for plain Greek yogurt if needed, but the bread won’t be as rich.
  4. If you find the bread is browning too quickly in the oven, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil to prevent it from over browning.

Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below!

How to Make Sourdough Lemon Blueberry Bread

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a loaf pan by spraying with nonstick spray (I like to use avocado oil spray).
  2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light, about 2 minutes.
  4. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Add the eggs, sourdough discard, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, and beat on medium-high speed until combined.
  5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined. Gently fold in the sour cream until just combined, being careful not to overmix. 
  6. Optional: toss the blueberries in 1-2 tbsp of flour before adding to the batter. This will help prevent them all from sinking to the bottom of the bread. Add in the fresh blueberries, gently folding them in until combined.
  7. Pour/spread the batter evenly into prepared loaf pan. Bake the bread for 50 minutes to 1 hour, covering loosely with foil about halfway through to help the loaf bake evenly. Poke the center of the bread with a toothpick. If it comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs, the bread is done. Keep in mind baking times will vary between ovens!
  8. Cool bread completely in the pan set on a wire cooling rack. Drizzle with vanilla icing (next step) while the bread is still warm. The glaze seeps down into the warm bread this way, adding extra moisture. I highly recommend it!
unbaked lemon blueberry sourdough quick bread in a loaf pan
a loaf of baked lemon blueberry sourdough quick bread

How to Make Vanilla Icing

Just like this recipe for sourdough discard coffee cake and cinnamon swirl banana bread, this sourdough lemon blueberry bread gets topped with a generous drizzle of vanilla icing while its still slightly warm from the oven. The icing is quick, easy to make, and makes the bread over the top delicious.

  1. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of powdered sugar, 3-4 tbsp cream, and a small splash of vanilla extract.
  2. Using a whisk, whisk together until smooth. The icing should be thick but pourable.
  3. Drizzle over the bread while it’s still warm.
a loaf of lemon blueberry sourdough quick bread drizzled with vanilla icing sitting on a wooden countertop

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Storage and Freezing Instructions

  • Storage: This bread stores well at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week. Make sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for best results.
  • Freezing Instructions: Bake the bread according to recipe instructions (omitting the icing) and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight and freezer safe container to store for up to 3 months. Once you are ready to enjoy, allow the bread to thaw in the fridge overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving and top with vanilla icing, if desired.

FAQs

Yes. Sourdough discard is fermented, adding a lot of gut healthy benefits to recipes.

Active starter has been fed (generally within the last 12 hours) and is at its peak. It can be used in bread recipes to achieve a good rise. Discard has not been fed and will not rise baked goods, requiring leaveners like baking powder and baking soda.

Quick bread is leavened with agents like baking powder and baking soda, which makes for a quick and easy baking process. Yeast breads require are leavened with yeast and require rise time prior to baking.

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Yield: 1 loaf

Sourdough Lemon Blueberry Quick Bread

a loaf of sourdough lemon blueberry quick bread on a wooden countertop next to a slice of bread on a white plate
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

Bread

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 stick of butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup sourdough discard
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries, tossed in 1-2 tbsp flour (optional)

Vanilla Icing

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3-4 tbsp heavy cream or milk
  • Splash vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a loaf pan by spraying with nonstick spray (I like to use avocado oil spray).
  2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light, about 2 minutes.
  4. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Add the eggs, sourdough discard, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, and beat on medium-high speed until combined.
  5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined. Gently fold in the sour cream until just combined, being careful not to overmix. 
  6. Optional: toss the blueberries in 1-2 tbsp of flour before adding to the batter. This will help prevent them all from sinking to the bottom of the bread. Add in the fresh blueberries, gently folding them in until combined.
  7. Pour/spread the batter evenly into prepared loaf pan. Bake the bread for 50 minutes to 1 hour, covering loosely with foil about halfway through to help the loaf bake evenly. Poke the center of the bread with a toothpick. If it comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs, the bread is done. Keep in mind baking times will vary between ovens!
  8. Cool bread completely in the pan set on a wire cooling rack. Drizzle with vanilla icing (next step) while the bread is still warm. The glaze seeps down into the warm bread this way, adding extra moisture. I highly recommend it!

Notes

  • Toss the blueberries in 1-2 tbsp of flour before adding to the batter. This will help keep them from all sinking to the bottom of the bread.
  • Room temperature ingredients work best for the batter. To create a light and fluffy batter that mixes together well, I recommend using all room temperature ingredients.
  • I recommend using full fat sour cream in this recipe. You can substitute for plain Greek yogurt if needed, but the bread won’t be as rich.
  • If you find the bread is browning too quickly in the oven, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil to prevent it from over browning.
  • Storage: This bread stores well at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week. Make sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for best results.
  • Freezing Instructions: Bake the bread according to recipe instructions (omitting the icing) and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight and freezer safe container to store for up to 3 months. Once you are ready to enjoy, allow the bread to thaw in the fridge overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving and top with vanilla icing, if desired.

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    © Rachael

    If you enjoyed this lemon blueberry sourdough bread recipe, make sure to come back and give it a 5 star review! I would love to know how this recipe turned out for you.

    rachael

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