Name: Blueberry Lemon Banana Bread Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 ripe bananas (mashed, about 1 cup); 2 eggs; ¼ cup maple syrup (or honey); ¼ cup coconut sugar; ¼ cup melted coconut oil (can substitute olive oil); ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (or non-dairy yogurt); Zest of 1 lemon; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 ½ cups all purpose flour; 1 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp cinnamon; ¼ tsp salt; 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (tossed with 1 tsp flour to prevent sinking); 1 cup powdered sugar; 1 tbsp milk; 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

If you’ve got a bunch of overripe bananas and a hankering for something sweet but fresh, this Blueberry Lemon Banana Bread Recipe is your new best friend. It’s the perfect bake for cozy mornings or an afternoon pick-me-up, combining the moist warmth of banana bread with bright bursts of blueberry and a zesty lemon kick. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll want to make it again and again.

A sliced loaf cake with a light brown inside filled with dark blueberries throughout, topped with a white icing drizzle that runs down the sides, with whole blueberries and thin lemon slices placed on top. The cake sits on a white rectangular plate with a marbled texture, with some icing spilled onto the plate. Three lemon slices lay in the foreground on the white marbled surface, and two ripe yellow bananas with brown spots are in the background on a white cloth. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 1:1 --v 7 — Blueberry Lemon Banana Bread, blueberry banana quick bread, lemon banana loaf, easy blueberry banana cake, fruity banana bread recipe

Jump to:

Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Lemon Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredient Spotlight
Step-by-Step: How to Make It
Pro Tips
Variations & Substitutions
Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing
Serving Ideas & Pairings
FAQs
Notes, Tools & Special Equipment
Printable Recipe 📖

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Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Lemon Banana Bread Recipe

This recipe hits the sweet spot between a tender with just the right crumb and lively tartness from lemon and blueberries. I find it’s a crowd-pleaser whether for breakfast or as a snack, and the ingredients are all pantry staples you probably have on hand right now.

Texture you want: Moist but not dense, with soft pockets from blueberries that pop gently as you bite.
Flavor that pops: Bright lemon zest and juice balance banana’s sweetness perfectly, so it never feels heavy.
Everyday ingredients: No fancy items here — just bananas, flour, eggs, and simple add-ins you can easily swap.
Works for any night: Great for using ripe bananas before they’re too mushy, or to turn fresh blueberries into something memorable.

Blueberry Lemon Banana Bread Recipe - Recipe Image — Blueberry Lemon Banana Bread, blueberry banana quick bread, lemon banana loaf, easy blueberry banana cake, fruity banana bread recipe

Ingredient Spotlight

Picking the right ingredients can make or break your Blueberry Lemon Banana Bread Recipe. I always pay attention to fresh lemon zest and just-ripe bananas to get the balance of bright and mellow flavors perfect. Plus, tossing blueberries in a bit of flour before folding them in keeps them from sinking, which is a neat little trick you’ll love.

Bananas: Use fully ripe bananas with lots of brown spots—they mash easily and add sweetness naturally.
Blueberries: Fresh or frozen both work; toss frozen berries in flour so they don’t bleed all through the batter.
Lemon zest & juice: Use fresh lemons for the brightest flavor—bottled juice just isn’t the same here.

Seasonality & Sourcing

Blueberries shine from late spring through summer, so that’s when this bread tastes its absolute best. If you’re baking off-season, frozen berries are a great stand-in if you thaw and drain them well. For lemons, look for ones with smooth, bright skin as they tend to be juicier. Bananas are year-round but try to plan your bread when they’re perfectly spotty for optimum flavor and sweetness without extra sugar.

Step-by-Step: How to Make It

Step 1 — Prep & Preheat

Start by setting your oven to 350°F and lining an 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and makes for easy cleanup. While the oven warms, mash your bananas—overly chunky bits are OK, but you want something pretty smooth for even mixing. One common mistake is mixing the batter too long; just whisk until combined to keep your bread tender and light.

Step 2 — Cook & Build Flavor

Once your wet ingredients (bananas, eggs, maple syrup, coconut sugar, oil, yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla) are whisked together, gently fold in the combined dry ingredients—flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt—and finish by folding in the floured blueberries. Avoid vigorous stirring here to keep the batter airy and the berries intact. Pour batter into your pan, smoothing the top. Bake 50 to 60 minutes; a toothpick should come out mostly clean. If it’s still wet after 60 minutes, bake a few more minutes, but watch closely so it doesn’t dry out.

Step 3 — Finish & Rest

Cool the bread in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes to allow it to firm up, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. This step helps the flavors meld and stops the bread from steaming itself soggy. Once fully cool, you can whisk up the lemon glaze—adjust the consistency with powdered sugar or milk until it’s just thick enough to drizzle—and spread it over the loaf for an extra zing.

Troubleshooting Blueberry Lemon Banana Bread Recipe

If your bread turns out dry, next time reduce the flour slightly or check your oven temperature (too hot can cause dryness). For bland flavor, make sure your lemon zest is fresh and don’t skimp on the banana ripeness. If the bread is soggy or sunk in the middle, it might be underbaked or you added too many wet ingredients—extend bake time in small increments and avoid overmixing the batter.

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Pro Tips

I’ve learned that gentle folding preserves the fluffy crumb and keeps blueberries whole rather than bursting into a purple blur. Also, lemon zest is a flavor powerhouse—don’t leave it out or swap out of convenience.

Heat control: Use an oven thermometer to prevent burning while ensuring full doneness.
Timing window: Baking 50-60 minutes but always start checking at 50 minutes to avoid drying out.
Make-ahead move: This bread gets even better after a day wrapped tightly; flavors deepen overnight.
Avoid this pitfall: Don’t overmix the batter — it toughens the bread and crushes berries.

Variations & Substitutions

You can switch up this Blueberry Lemon Banana Bread Recipe to suit diets or what’s on hand. Swap coconut oil for neutral oils like canola or even melted butter for a richer crumb. For a dairy-free version, use plant-based yogurt. Feel free to swap blueberries for raspberries or blackberries — just adjust the floured-berry step to keep your batter balanced.

Great Debates

One classic debate is butter versus oil in banana bread — I like oil here because it keeps the bread moist longer and plays best with the freshness of lemon and blueberries. That said, butter offers a richer flavor if you’re after a more indulgent loaf. Either choice works, just tweak your expectations on texture: oil yields a tender crumb; butter can give a denser bite.

Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing

This bread keeps well for up to 4 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature, or about a week in the fridge. To freeze, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil—it freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temp, then warm slices slightly in the oven or toaster. The glaze can be added fresh after thawing for best presentation.

Yield & Conversions

This recipe makes one standard 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf, serving about 8 slices. To double, use a larger pan or two loaf pans, and increase bake time by about 10 minutes, testing doneness carefully. For half, you can halve all ingredients and reduce bake time to around 40 minutes. Metric conversions: 1 ½ cups flour equals 190 grams, and 1 cup blueberries approx. 150 grams.

Serving Ideas & Pairings

This bread is lovely on its own, but I often serve it with a smear of softened butter or a dollop of Greek yogurt for creaminess. A drizzle of honey on top adds extra sweetness if you like it more dessert-like. Pair with a cup of strong coffee or herbal tea to balance the citrus and fruit notes. It’s also delightful split and layered with cream cheese for a special treat.

FAQs

Can I use frozen blueberries in the Blueberry Lemon Banana Bread Recipe?

Absolutely! Frozen blueberries work well—just toss them with a teaspoon of flour before adding to the batter to prevent them from sinking and bleeding color.

How ripe should my bananas be for this recipe?

You want bananas with plenty of brown spots, maybe even mostly brown. They should be soft and sweet, which gives the bread great flavor and natural moisture.

Can I make this Blueberry Lemon Banana Bread Recipe vegan?

Yes, swap eggs for flax or chia eggs, use non-dairy yogurt, and replace honey or maple syrup with a vegan-friendly sweetener if needed. The texture will still be moist and delicious.

Do I have to add the lemon glaze?

The glaze adds a delicious tangy sweetness and pretty finish, but the bread is tasty without it, especially if you want a less sweet option.

Notes, Tools & Special Equipment

A standard 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan is ideal for even cooking and that classic bread shape. Parchment paper makes removal effortless and cleanup faster. A digital thermometer helps check doneness to avoid guesswork—your bread’s center should reach about 200°F when perfectly baked. A sturdy mixing bowl and flexible spatula make folding in berries much easier without breaking them.

Printable Recipe 📖