An easy, high altitude recipe for a moist lemon blueberry loaf cake, drizzled with tart lemon icing and topped with fresh blueberries. This lemon loaf cake is so flavorful from fresh lemon zest and juice, loaded with sweet juicy blueberries, and comes together quickly with no mixer needed to make the cake batter.
You might also love these high altitude recipes for chocolate chip sour cream loaf cake, chocolate loaf cake, and vanilla bean loaf cake.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Quick and Easy to Make. You’ll love how quickly the cake batter comes together, with just a bowl and whisk.
Standard Pantry Ingredients. Today’s recipe uses simple ingredients that you’re likely to already have on hand.
High Altitude Tested. I develop and test all of my recipes at Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet, so other mountain bakers can be assured of consistent, reliable results in their home baking.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
Cake
- Granulated Sugar. Adds sweetness and moisture.
- Lemons. You’ll be using both the zest and the juice for lots of lemon flavor in this lemon blueberry loaf cake.
- Lemon Extract. Lemon paste or lemon extract gives the cake an extra boost of lemon flavor.
- Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
- Flour. For the softest texture, use cake flour, which has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour.
- Baking Powder. Leavens the cake so it rises as it bakes.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness.
- Eggs. Gives the cake structure.
- Sour Cream. Adds moisture and acidity for a tender cake crumb.
- Butter. Adds flavor, moisture and a rich buttery flavor.
- Blueberries. Use fresh blueberries, rather than frozen.
Icing
- Powdered Sugar. Sweetens and thickens the icing.
- Lemon Juice. Adds tartness and acidity to the icing to balance the sweetness.
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line a standard sized loaf pan with a sheet of non-stick baking paper or parchment paper, so that the paper hangs over two sides. The paper serves as a “sling”, making it easy to lift the cake out of the pan. Lightly spray with non-stick baking spray.
- In a bowl, measure the sugar, then zest the lemon over the sugar. Use your fingers to rub the lemon zest into the sugar until moistened.
- Add the flour, baking powder and salt, then whisk together with the sugar to make sure everything is well distributed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, melted butter, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon juice until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and use a spatula to stir everything together until there are just a few streaks of flour remaining. Add the blueberries and fold them in until distributed throughout the batter and there are no more streaks of flour.
- Pour the batter into the pan. Bake the cake on the center oven rack for about 60 minutes, until a cake tester or sharp knife comes out clean, and the top of the cake is light golden brown.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes, then gently lift the cake out (using the paper) and set on a cooling rack. Cool for at least 2 hours.
Icing
- In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and thick. Spoon the icing over the cooled cake, letting it drip over the sides.
- Before the icing sets, decorate the top with fresh blueberries, if desired.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store the leftover cake?
Store leftover lemon blueberry loaf cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh?
I always prefer fresh blueberries over frozen for baking in cakes, muffins and quick breads, since frozen berries can discolor the cake. If you have to use frozen blueberries, place them in a colander, and rinse them with cold water until the water runs clear. Pat dry on paper towels, then briefly fold them into the cake batter.
Can I use all purpose flour instead of cake flour?
Yes, but the cake will be a little more dense.
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High Altitude Lemon Blueberry Loaf Cake
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Standard-Sized Loaf Pan
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
- 2 cups cake flour, fluffed, spooned and leveled
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup full fat sour cream
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon extract or lemon paste
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
- 1 cup fresh (not frozen) blueberries
Icing
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 ½ – 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- fresh blueberries, for decoration
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line a standard sized loaf pan with a sheet of non-stick baking paper or parchment paper, so that the paper hangs over two sides. The paper serves as a "sling", making it easy to lift the cake out of the pan. Lightly spray with non-stick baking spray.
- In a bowl, measure the sugar, then zest the lemon over the sugar. Use your fingers to rub the lemon zest into the sugar until moistened.
- Add the flour, baking powder and salt, then whisk together with the sugar to make sure everything is well distributed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, melted butter, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon juice until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and use a spatula to stir everything together until there are just a few streaks of flour remaining. Add the blueberries and fold them in until distributed throughout the batter and there are no more streaks of flour.
- Pour the batter into the pan. Bake the cake on the center oven rack for about 60 minutes, until a cake tester or sharp knife comes out clean, and the top of the cake is light golden brown.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes, then gently lift the cake out (using the paper) and set on a cooling rack. Cool for at least 2 hours.
Icing
- In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and thick. Spoon the icing over the cooled cake, letting it drip over the sides.
- Before the icing sets, decorate the top with fresh blueberries, if desired.
What exactly did you add or omit for high altitude adjustment to the regular recipe. Thank you.
Please see my FAQs for guidance: https://curlygirlkitchen.com/baking-faqs/
The best ever! I’ve been searching for a high altitude baking site. I’ve always been intimidated about baking at 5280. But that fear is gone! Thank you for sharing your expertise!!
I’m so happy to help you with your baking! 🙂
I live at 8,500 elevation. Confused on the adjustments. Can you please let me know the amounts I should be using. I tried adjusting but didn’t turn out so well. Thank you so very much.
Have you read these articles? I’m sorry, but I’m not able to provide adjustments for everyone’s specific altitudes, since I can only test my recipes at my own altitude. Sometimes it can take a little trial and error to figure out what works for your location.
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/nutrition-food-safety-health/high-altitude-food-preparation-p41/
Mixture was too dry to actually mix before adding blueberries.I had to add quite a bit more liquid and the cake was very solid.
I wonder if there is an ingredient missing in the recipe..
No ingredients are missing. It sounds like you might have mis-measured something, or perhaps packed in too much flour into your measuring cups. Be sure to use the “spoon and sweep” method, rather than scooping the measuring cups directly into the bag or canister of flour.
First time to your site! I liked this recipe and would make again. Was great even without the icing! We live in OK (so not high altitude) I did adjust the sugar (used less), not because of altitude reasons, and all turned out great. Thank you!