Baking Great Bread at Home
Perfection is not required
"Great bread isn't about perfect technique—it's about understanding the dough."— Henry Hunter Jr.
Authentic Bread Flavor
This tender quick bread hits all the right notes: bright lemon zest, juicy blueberries in every bite, and a moist crumb that stays fresh for days. Perfect for summer breakfast, afternoon tea, or whenever you need something sweet without the fuss. No yeast, no kneading, no waiting around. Mix, pour, bake, enjoy.
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
Add-Ins
Prep
Prep Your Pan and Oven
Getting your oven and pan ready before you start mixing means everything goes smoothly. Quick bread batter shouldn't sit around waiting.
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Preheat oven
Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position a rack in the center.
Prepare the loaf pan
Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray. Dust lightly with flour, tapping out the excess. Alternatively, line with parchment paper for easy removal.
Pro Tip
A properly greased and floured pan makes all the difference. Nothing worse than a beautiful loaf stuck to the bottom.
Mixing
Mix the Dry Ingredients
Whisking the dry ingredients together distributes the leavening evenly so you get consistent rise throughout the loaf.
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Combine dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
Reserve flour for blueberries
Remove 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture and set aside for coating the blueberries.
Pro Tip
Use the method for measuring flour: fluff the flour with a spoon, spoon it into your measuring cup, then level off with a straight edge. Scooping directly compacts the flour and you'll end up with too much.
Prep
Prep the Blueberries
This simple step prevents your blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the loaf during baking.
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Coat the blueberries
Place the fresh blueberries in a small bowl. Add the reserved tablespoon of flour mixture and toss gently until all berries are lightly coated.
Set aside
Keep the coated blueberries ready to fold in at the end.
Pro Tip
If using frozen blueberries, do NOT thaw them first. Add them straight from frozen and coat with flour. Thawed berries release too much liquid and turn your batter purple.
Mixing
Mix the Wet Ingredients
Beating the wet ingredients together creates a smooth, emulsified base that will incorporate easily into the dry ingredients.
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Zest the lemons
Using a microplane or fine grater, both lemons, being careful to get only the bright yellow outer layer. Avoid the white pith underneath, which is bitter.
Juice the lemons
Cut the zested lemons in half and juice them. You need 2 tablespoons (30ml).
Combine wet ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, melted butter, eggs, milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth and well combined.
Pro Tip
Room temperature eggs and milk incorporate better than cold. If you forgot to take them out, place eggs in warm water for 5 minutes.
Mixing
Combine Wet and Dry
This is where most quick breads go wrong. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the bread tough and dense. Mix just until the flour disappears.
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Pour wet into dry
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the well.
Fold gently
Using a rubber spatula, the wet ingredients into the dry using broad, gentle strokes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
Stop when just combined
Mix only until you no longer see streaks of dry flour. Some small lumps are perfectly fine. Do NOT overmix.
Fold in blueberries
Gently fold in the flour-coated blueberries with 2-3 more strokes. Distribute them evenly but don't stir aggressively.
Pro Tip
Count your strokes if it helps. You should need no more than 15-20 folds total. The batter should look rough, not smooth.
Baking
Bake
Low and slow gives time to rise and set before the top browns too much. The center takes longest to cook, so test there.
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Fill the pan
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Use a spatula to spread it evenly and smooth the top.
Bake
Place in preheated oven and bake for 55-60 minutes.
Check for doneness
The loaf is done when the top is golden brown, the edges pull slightly away from the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Tent if needed
If the top is browning too quickly before the center is done, tent loosely with aluminum foil for the last 15-20 minutes.
Pro Tip
Quick breads often crack on top. This is totally normal and actually a sign of good oven spring. Don't try to prevent it.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Bake
Cooling
Cool and Serve
Patience pays off here. Cutting into a hot quick bread results in a gummy texture and the loaf can fall apart. Let it cool properly.
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Initial cooling
Let the loaf cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. This allows it to firm up enough to handle.
Remove from pan
Run a butter knife around the edges of the pan, then carefully turn the loaf out onto the wire rack.
Cool completely
Let the loaf cool completely on the rack, about 30-45 minutes more, before slicing.
Slice and serve
Use a serrated knife for clean slices. Serve plain, or with a pat of butter.
PT40M
10 minutes in pan + 30-45 minutes on rack
Pro Tip
This bread tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld. If you can wait, it's worth it.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Cool in pan
Cool on rack
Shaping
Pan Options
This versatile batter works in multiple pan sizes.
Standard Loaf
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Pour batter
Pour batter into greased 9x5 loaf pan. Smooth top with spatula.
Bake
Bake 55-60 minutes at 350°F.
Mini Loaves
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Divide batter
Divide batter among 3-4 mini loaf pans (5x3 inch).
Reduce bake time
Reduce baking time to 35-40 minutes. Great for gifting!
Muffins
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Fill muffin cups
Line standard muffin tin with paper liners. Fill cups ¾ full.
Bake
Bake 22-25 minutes at 350°F. Makes about 12 muffins.
Proof Test: Insert a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. Wet batter on the toothpick means it needs more time.
The Final Step
Baking Methods
Low and slow ensures even baking for moist quick bread.
Equipment: 9x5 loaf pan, Oven rack in center position
Preheat oven
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Bake
Bake 55-60 minutes. Tent with foil if browning too fast.
Test for doneness
Test with toothpick for doneness.
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Troubleshooting
Baker's Notes
Common questions and solutions for perfect results
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