The BEST Blackberry Lemon Bread

Name: The BEST Blackberry Lemon Bread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 2 cups fresh blackberries; 2 cups all purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 cup coconut sugar; 1 cup vegan yogurt; 3/4 cup melted coconut oil; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice (about 2 lemons); 2 Tablespoons Lemon Zest (about 2 lemons)

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This Blackberry Lemon Bread is perfect for Spring! Full of bright flavor from Meyer lemons and fresh blackberries, this easy bread is just bursting with Spring flavor!

*Originally published February 28, 2022 and updated with new copy and photos 2/22/23.

One of the things that I love best about Spring is the fresh, bright flavors of the fruit. I feel like I am always dragging at the end of Winter and then Spring is like a new rebirth, a fresh reset. Like starting anew. This Blackberry Lemon Bread is the perfect reset button to get you out of those Winter blues. Full of bright flavor from fresh blackberries and Meyer lemons, this bread is a breath of fresh air as the temps start to thaw and the blossoms start to bloom!

Tender plump blackberries are paired with the sweetness of Meyer lemons that make you long for the warmer weather in the joys of spring.

For some other delicious recipes, check out this No Bake Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake, this Vegan and Gluten-Free Pound Cake, these Vegan Lemon Bars with a Graham Cracker Crust, these or this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread without Baking Soda!

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What Makes this Blackberry Lemon Bread So Great?
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Instructions
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Variations
Storage
Top tips
FAQ's
Other Great Recipes You Will Love!
The BEST Blackberry Lemon Bread
Food safety

What Makes this Blackberry Lemon Bread So Great?

Allergy-Friendly- This recipe is perfect for everyone because it is allergy-friendly! Egg-free, nut-free, and plant-based, this recipe is sure to make those with allergies happy! You can even swap out the All-purpose flour for your favorite gluten-free flour blend to make it gluten-free!
Fresh Ingredients- Fresh Meyer lemons and blackberries bring a bright flavor to this recipe, making this a quick bread that is bursting with bright, fresh, flavor.
Easy to Make- This recipe is really easy to make! The prep time is only 10 minutes and then you let the oven do the rest of the work! Perfect for when you are trying to juggle a million things at once!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

ingredients on white surface with text overlay

All-Purpose Flour- This lemon loaf uses All-purpose flour as the base of the recipe, however, feel free to use your favorite gluten-free flour blend if you would like to make this gluten-free.
Coconut Sugar- I try to limit the refined sugar in my recipes so even though we have a delicious powdered sugar glaze, the sugar in the loaf is coconut sugar. It makes the loaf a beautiful nutty brown color, however, you can swap it for cane sugar or your favorite sugar substitute such as Swerve.
Meyer Lemons- One of the best things about early Spring is the appearance of Meyer Lemons. Meyer Lemons are smaller than their cousin, the regular lemon and they are much sweeter and lack the distinctive tang that lemons are known for. The rind of the Meyer lemon also is thinner and has a more complex scent, almost like a spicy bergamot flavor. They are very seasonal, so if you can't find Meyer lemons, you can swap them for regular lemons.
Blackberries- The other great fruit in this loaf of bread is fresh blackberries. Blackberries are succulent juicy berries with a tart flavor. You can use frozen blackberries if that is all you have, however, let them thaw completely before baking with them.
Vegan Greek Yogurt- Part of what makes this bread extra moist is the addition of Vegan Greek Yogurt. Make sure to get the plain variety and not flavored. You can also swap with Vegan Sour Cream if that is what you have.

A complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.

Instructions

Step 1: Combine the melted coconut oil and coconut sugar. Mix well.

Step 2: Add the vegan yogurt and vanilla extract. Stir until fully combined.

Step 3: Mix in the lemon zest and lemon juice.

Step 4: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mixing until fully incorporated.

Step 5: Fold the blackberries into the batter being careful not to crush the berries. The batter will be very thick.

Step 6: Add the batter to the loaf pan and bake for 55-65 minutes. The bread will be done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Hint: Carefully bang the loaf pan on the counter before putting it in the oven. This brings any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.

Recipe Serving Suggestions

This Blackberry Lemon Bread is fantastic on its own, however, I like to include it in a breakfast spread on special occasions. Serve this bread alongside other breakfast recipes like:

Variations

Blackberry Lemon Muffins - Add the batter to cupcake tins and bake for 25 minutes to make delicious muffins!
Fruit Variations - If you can't find blackberries, don't fret! This would be great with fresh blueberries or even strawberries!
Purple Icing - Create a fun blackberry glaze for the bread. Add a few teaspoons of blackberry juice to some powdered sugar to create a bright purple icing.

For another great bread recipe, check out this, Red Wine Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake.

Storage

Store this Blackberry Lemon Bread for up to four days on the counter. If you want it to last longer, freeze it! You can easily make this ahead of time as it can be frozen for up to a month. Make sure to store it in an airtight container.

Check out these Vegan Lemon Cookies for another great treat!

Top tips

If using frozen berries, take them out at least 30 minutes ahead of time to thaw. Frozen berries hold a lot of extra water and if you don't let them thaw, they will make the batter soggy.
Line your loaf pan with some parchment paper before baking to make for easy removal. Removing bread from loaf pans can be a huge hassle, I like to make it really easy by lining my loaf pans with a bit of parchment paper to make removal a breeze.
Ingredients at room temperature mix together a lot better than cold ingredients. I like to set my ingredients out at least 30 minutes ahead of time to bring everything to room temp.
To get the most juice out of your lemon, make sure it is at room temperature. Or, you may microwave it for 30 seconds if it is cold. Then roll the lemon on your countertop a few times. Press fairly hard. This should help you extract as much juice as possible.

FAQ's

How to make this Blackberry Lemon Bread in different sized pans.

This recipe works best in a 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan, however I have doubled the recipe before to make two loaves. I love sharing this bread with friends!

How do I keep the berries from sinking to the bottom?

The trick to keep the berries from sinking to the bottom of the loaf pan is to toss them in flour before adding them to the batter. If the berries are extra big and juicy, it would be best to cut them in half before adding them.

How to give this blackberry lemon cake the best lemon flavor.

This recipe uses both lemon juice and lemon zest to give it the bright lemon flavor. Using fresh lemon is essential in this recipe. Do not swap for bottled lemon juice. The lemon zest holds the most bright lemon flavor is key to getting the intense flavor.

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