Blackberry Lemon Bread

 

1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour (200 grams)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

zest of 1 lemon

1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature (or plain Greek yogurt)

3 eggs, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon lemon oil

1/2 cup flavorless cooking oil such as canola

5 tablespoons blackberry jam

Optional: 2 to 4 drops blue food coloring**

1 cup blackberries, tossed with 1 tablespoon flour

Lemon Glaze

1 cup powdered confectioners sugar

pinch of salt

2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray an 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pan with cooking spray (or line the pan with parchment paper).  Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk or sift to distribute the ingredients and get the lumps out.  Place the sugar and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. Rub the sugar between your fingers to infuse the lemon zest. Add the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and lemon oil. Whisk until everything is well blended.  Use a silicone spatula to stir in half of the dry ingredients until well blended, then stir in the other half of the flour mixture.  Pour the oil into the batter gradually while stirring with a silicone spatula.  Transfer 1/2 cup of the batter into a small bowl and stir in the blackberry jam and blue food coloring if desired.  Stir the blackberries into the larger bowl of batter and pour about 2/3 of the batter into the prepared loaf pan.  Pour the blackberry jam batter into the pan, then top it with the rest of the batter in the larger bowl. Transfer the loaf pan to the oven and bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until the loaf cake starts pulling away from the pan’s edges. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few crumbs attached.  Let the loaf bread cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and remove it from the pan. Let it cool completely on a wire rack.  Lemon Glaze: Add the powdered sugar and salt to a bowl. Pour in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and whisk until smooth. If you want a thinner glaze, slowly add more lemon juice until you get the consistency you like.  Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cooled loaf bread. Let the bread sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes or until the glaze firms up.  Garnish with fresh blackberries or candied lemon slices.  You can store this cake at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for 4 days. Let it cool completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. If you don’t add the blackberries, you can store the loaf cake at room temperature for 4 days.