This zesty lemon blueberry loaf is made entirely without eggs and dairy free (so vegan!) yet rises so beautifully. It’s tender, moist, and bursting with fresh blueberries!

sliced lemon blueberry loaf on parchment paper

Why you NEED to try this vegan lemon blueberry loaf:

Lemon blueberry is truly one of the most satisfying flavor combinations. I have a lemon blueberry coffee cake, lemon blueberry cake, even lemon blueberry sweet rolls – we’re a little lemon blueberry obsessed.

So I thought we needed something even easier for when you want an easy breakfast treat or citrus-y and bright dessert when you’re not craving chocolate.

Enter in this lemon blueberry loaf. It’s full of fresh lemon zest, bursting with juicy blueberries, and deliciously moist and tender with bright lemon and sweet berries with every bite!

sliced vegan lemon blueberry loaf with milk jug next to it

Plus, it’s incredibly easy- you only need a bowl and a whisk (no need for a stand mixer to reverse cream or any specific specialty equipment). It’s truly one of the easiest quick bread recipes to exist (along with my vegan banana bread!).

You don’t even need to whisk the dry ingredients separately. Just whisk and bake into the most deliciously rich yet light lemon blueberry loaf cake recipe- all dairy free and unbelievably vegan!

Topped with a fresh vegan blueberry frosting, you’re seriously going to be speechless after one bite of the lemon blueberry bread recipe!

What makes it vegan? 

So you might be wondering how the heck we get this vegan lemon blueberry loaf to rise without eggs and dairy.

I’m not going to hide it, this recipe took me 5 attempts in order to FINALLY get a rise I was proud of. We had to switch up the leavening agent ratios (baking powder and baking soda) a ton, along with the wet to dry ratios, etc. 

Well, we finally did it. By swapping in dairy free yogurt for eggs (one of my favorite vegan egg replacements), along with dairy free milk for regular dairy and using a neutral oil or olive oil for butter, we achieved a texture that no one would believe is vegan. 

sliced blueberry bread

Baking issue solved: How to FINALLY get your lemon loaf to rise:

So have you noticed, whether you’ve baked a vegan lemon loaf or a regular one, the loaf will often struggle to rise? The top with be very flat and it won’t dome at all. 

This is because we’re adding too much lemon juice to the batter. It took me a while to realize this, because traditionally, (vegan) buttermilk is such a great ingredient for helping cakes and loaves rise, and it’s very acidic (to make it homemade, you would actually use lemon juice or a vinegar).

However, with this vegan lemon blueberry loaf, because we’re adding lemon zest and yogurt instead of eggs, it reacts TOO much with the baking soda. A little is good, which can help activate the baking soda, but too much, and it won’t rise at all.

lemon blueberry loaf batter
baked lemon blueberry loaf
frosted lemon blueberry loaf bread

Additionally, baking soda neutralizes acidity, which means that the lemon flavor wasn’t coming through EVEN THOUGH there was tons of lemon juice in the batter. 

So instead of adding lemon juice to the batter, we’re making a lemon syrup instead to drizzle over top. The lemon zest adds a ton of flavor to the batter, then we brush on a homemade lemon syrup that really drives home the flavor. 

That way, your lemon blueberry bread can rise AND still be bursting with fresh lemon flavor!

Topping ideas:

I love topping this fresh lemon blueberry bread with my homemade vegan blueberry frosting (made from real blueberries- no food coloring necessary for that beautiful vibrant color!). 

You can also do a simple lemon glaze of powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Alternatively, you can just enjoy with the lemon simple syrup brushed on top!

Can I use frozen blueberries?

Yes absolutely! I would recommend NOT using frozen wild blueberries, however, as they’re more likely to run streaks throughout the batter. The larger blueberries may still do that frozen, but will maintain more of the desired look that fresh blueberries achieve.

I would make sure not to thaw the frozen blueberries too, as this will definitely lead to streaking.

slice of lemon blueberry bread with lemon next to it

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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sliced lemon blueberry loaf on parchment paper

MOIST One Bowl Vegan Lemon Blueberry Loaf Recipe – No eggs!

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 16 reviews
  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 65
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x
  • Category: Quick Breads
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This zesty lemon blueberry loaf is made entirely without eggs and dairy free (so vegan!) yet rises so beautifully. It’s tender, moist, and bursting with fresh blueberries!

Ingredients

Scale

Lemon Blueberry Bread:

  • 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour*
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup (113 g) neutral oil
  • 1 cup (200 g) organic granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp dairy free yogurt, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cups (180 mL) dairy-free milk, room temperature
  • 1 pint fresh blueberries, rinsed
  • 1 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp lemon zest (from 1–2 large lemons)
  • 1/2 batch vegan blueberry frosting

Lemon Simple Syrup:

  • 1/4 cup (50 mL) lemon juice (1–2 large lemons)
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F, and line a pound loaf pan (about 8″) with parchment paper. Measure out all ingredients. Toss the blueberries in the extra tablespoon of all purpose flour and set aside.
  2. Rub the sugar with the lemon zest: In a large bowl, rub the sugar and the lemon zest together between clean fingers to help bring out the lemon oil and flavors.
  3. Make the batter: Add in the oil, dairy free yogurt, vanilla extract, and salt, and whisk just until mixed. Then add in the baking powder and baking soda, and whisk again.
  4. Finish the batter: Add in the flour and dairy free milk, and whisk JUST until the flour is combined. Pour in the blueberries, and fold evenly into the batter.
  5. Bake: Pour the blueberry lemon loaf batter into the prepared pan, and place onto a baking sheet just incase of any extra spillage. Bake for 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. If you notice that your loaf is browning too much towards the end you can cover it with parchment paper.
  6. While the loaf is baking: Make the lemon syrup. In a small saucepan, heat the lemon juice and sugar until dissolved. Then pour into a heat-safe jar and let cool while your lemon blueberry loaf bakes.
  7. Cool: Once out of the oven, brush the loaf with the lemon syrup and let cool completely before you frost or ice.
  8. Make the frosting: Prepare the frosting according to instructions and frost. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

All purpose flour: For gluten free, swap in King Arthur measure for measure gluten free flour.

Dairy free milk: You can use almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, or your favorite.

Dairy free yogurt: You can use any dairy free yogurt or dairy free Greek yogurt here or even vegan sour cream.

Blueberries: Swap in raspberries or blackberries instead if desired!