Lemon Blueberry Marbled Loaf

Ingredients:

For the Lemon Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt (for moisture)
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Blueberry Swirl:

• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, to thicken)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the Oven:
   • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a loaf pan (8×4 inch).
2. Prepare the Blueberry Swirl:
   • In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir occasionally and cook for about 5 minutes, until the blueberries start to break down and release their juices.
   • If you want a thicker swirl, add cornstarch (dissolved in a tablespoon of water) to the mixture and cook for another 2-3 minutes until it thickens. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. Make the Lemon Cake Batter:
   • In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
   • In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
   • Stir in the sour cream (or yogurt), lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
   • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
4. Assemble the Marbled Loaf:
   • Spoon about half of the lemon cake batter into the prepared loaf pan.
   • Add a few spoonfuls of the blueberry mixture on top of the batter. Then, add the remaining lemon cake batter over the blueberry layer.
   • Using a knife or skewer, swirl the blueberry mixture through the lemon batter to create the marbled effect. Don’t over-swirl, just a few gentle swirls to get the pretty marble effect.
5. Bake:
   • Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (or with a few moist crumbs). If the top is browning too quickly, cover the loaf loosely with foil in the last 15 minutes of baking.
6. Cool and Serve:
   • Let the loaf cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!

Tips:

• If you’d like an extra lemony punch, drizzle a simple lemon glaze (powdered sugar and lemon juice) over the cooled loaf.
• Frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh, and won’t make your batter too watery if added directly frozen.