Truly simple in flavors, the taste of blueberries and sweet vanilla shine
through in this Buttermilk Blueberry Bread. With its moist and tender vanilla-packed crumb loaded with fresh
blueberries, it's easy to see why this tasty quick bread is a beloved
favorite.
I came by this Buttermilk Blueberry Bread recipe quite by accident, and it's
now one of our family's absolute favorites. When I make a loaf, in fact, our
daughter pretty much claims it for herself and finishes it off in two days
flat.
With its moist and tender vanilla-packed crumb loaded with fresh blueberries,
it's easy to see why this tasty bread is loved so much. It's truly simple in
flavors, with blueberries and sweet vanilla shining through. No spices, no
fancy flavorings -- Just straight-up sugar, blueberries, and vanilla to create
its fabulous flavor.
And while it's squarely a quick bread, Blueberry Buttermilk Bread borders on
tasting reminiscent of a soft pound cake. Which is perhaps why our
daughter loves it so much? -- Perhaps it makes her feel like Mommy's letting
her eat cake for breakfast.
The first time I made this bread, I made a mistake. -- Which is how this
specific Buttermilk Blueberry Bread recipe came to be.
With its moist and tender vanilla-packed crumb loaded with fresh blueberries, it's easy to see why this tasty bread is loved so much.
I was testing out a blueberry bread recipe for the first time, and the recipe
made two loaves. Since it was a first-run, I didn't want to make two loaves.
-- Who wants to be stuck with two loaves if the recipe turns out to be a flop
or not quite to your liking, right?
So I decided to halve the recipe and make just a single loaf. Well, in
going about my batter prep, I was happily halving-along -- Until I got to the
milk. When it came time to add the milk, I accidently forgot to
halve. It wasn't until I already had everything stirred together that I
realized I'd included the amount of milk called for in the full 2-loaf recipe.
Oops.
So what did I do? Well, I decided to bake the batter anyway, just to see
what would happen. -- And hoped it would bake into something at least edible
so I could salvage the ingredients.
The result was wayyyy more than edible! The result was this soft and tender
loaf that quickly became a new family-favorite. Without the additional milk,
this bread would be much more biscuit-like than the soft and tender loaf it
is.
On subsequent runs of the recipe, I changed the recipe's regular milk to
buttermilk to add the moisture and richness that only buttermilk can bring. --
And increased the amount of vanilla to further amp up the bread's vanilla
deliciousness. The result was even better than the accidental original loaf.
Blueberry Buttermilk Bread is for sure a treat our family is always happy to
see coming out of the oven.
Buttermilk Blueberry Bread Ingredients:
There's nothing fancy in this quick bread's ingredient list. -- Just basic
baking ingredients, buttermilk, and blueberries. To whip up a loaf,
you'll need:
- All-purpose flour - Serves as the base of the bread.
- Baking powder - The bread's leavening agent.
- Salt - As in all baked goods, enhances the blueberry bread's flavor.
- Granulated sugar - Serves as the bread's sweetener.
- Butter - Use unsalted real butter for the best result.
- Eggs - Helps create the structure of the bread as it bakes.
- Buttermilk - Brings moistness and tenderness to the baked loaf.
- Vanilla extract - Combines with the sugar to create the bread's sweet vanilla flavor.
- Fresh blueberries - Fresh blueberries work best in this recipe. I do not recommend using frozen berries due to the extra liquid they bring.
How to Make Buttermilk Blueberry Bread:
The method for making Buttermilk Blueberry Bread is a bit different than
most quick breads I've made. Rather than creaming together the butter and
sugar to start, the butter in this recipe is cut into the dry ingredients --
much like when making a biscuit or pie crust dough.
To get this bread started, combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing
bowl. Then drop in softened butter that's been chopped into small
cubes, and cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture
resembles sandy crumbs.
You can use two knives, a pastry cutter, or a hand-held electric mixer on
low speed to cut the butter in. I use a hand-held mixer because it works super easy! With this method, you
just need to keep the mixer speed on low and stop as soon as the mixture
resembles sandy crumbs. -- We're going for crumbs here, not a dough or
batter.
Rather than creaming together the butter and sugar to start, the butter in this recipe is cut into the dry ingredients -- much like when making a biscuit or pie crust dough.
In a separate bowl, lightly beat together the wet ingredients with a
whisk. Then stir the blueberries into this wet mixture.
Add the wet mixture to the dry flour mixture and quickly stir everything
together by hand until the two mixtures are just combined. -- There may
still be some lumps, and that's okay. The key here is to not
over-mix.
Immediately pour the batter into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan and get it
into the oven. For the baking powder to do its thing in creating the
bread's nice rise and tender crumb, you want to get this batter into the
oven quickly once its been mixed.
Bake the loaf until it's a nice golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the center
comes out clean.
Then store it at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the refrigerator
for up to 5 days.
If you're finishing up your Buttermilk Blueberry Bread within about a day or
so, it's fine to store it at room temperature. If it'll be enjoyed for
longer than that, store it in the refrigerator. -- The blueberries in the
bread are a bit "fragile" and do best when refrigerated.
Once the bread is completely cooled, you're ready to enjoy its
deliciousness. And oh, what wonderful deliciousness it is.
Truly simple in flavors, the taste of blueberries and sweet vanilla shine
through in this Buttermilk Blueberry Bread. With its moist and tender vanilla-packed crumb loaded with fresh
blueberries, it's easy to see why this tasty quick bread is a beloved
favorite at our house. -- And we hope it will be at your house, too.
Check out these other super tasty quick breads:
Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love to have
you back soon!
Yield: 1 loaf
Buttermilk Blueberry Bread
Truly simple in flavors, the taste of blueberries and sweet vanilla
shine through in this Buttermilk Blueberry Bread. With its moist and
tender vanilla-packed crumb loaded with fresh blueberries, it's easy
to see why this tasty quick bread is a beloved favorite.
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 60 MinTotal time: 1 H & 19 M
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 T. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3/4 c. + 1 T. granulated sugar
- 6 T. butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- 2 c. buttermilk
- 1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 c. fresh blueberries
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar until well combined.
- Chop butter into small cubes (about 30 pieces, or so). Scatter into the mixing bowl and cut into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles sandy crumbs. -- You can use two knives, a pastry cutter, or a hand-held electric mixer on low speed to cut the butter in.
- In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs with a whisk. Add buttermilk and vanilla; whisk until well combined. Stir in blueberries.
- Add buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Quickly stir together by hand until mixtures are just combined (there may still be some lumps, and that's okay).
- Immediately pour batter into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan and place in a preheated 350℉ oven.
- Bake at 350℉ for 60-65 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then remove from pan to cool completely.
- Store at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
TRACEY'S NOTES:
- I use a hand-held mixer on low speed to cut the butter into the flour mixture, and it works super easy! With this method, you just need to keep the mixer speed on low and stop as soon as the mixture resembles sandy crumbs. -- We're going for crumbs here, not a dough or batter.
- If you're finishing up this bread within about a day or so, it's fine to store it at room temperature. If it'll be enjoyed for longer than that, store it in the refrigerator. -- The blueberries in the bread are a bit "fragile" and do best refrigerated.
Tracey, our ADRIENNE has chosen your recipe to be featured in our next Blogger's Pit Stop.
ReplyDeleteKathleen
Your awesome post is featured on Full Plate Thursday, 532 this week and we are pinning your post to our Features Board . Thanks so much for sharing your talent with us and come back soon!
ReplyDeleteMiz Helen
Your recipes always look so good Tracey -
ReplyDeleteCongrats - you are one of our Featured Guests at Inspire Me Monday at Create With Joy! :-)
I only have frozen blueberries! Could they be added to the batter frozen so they wouldn't spread as much, maybe bake a little longer?
ReplyDeleteWe suggest you do not use frozen ingredients.
DeleteJust came across your recipe and am excited to try it. I wondered your thoughts on using this bread to make blueberry french toast. Do you think it would hold up dredged in the egg mixture?
ReplyDeleteWe have never tried it. It may not hold up to the egg mixture.
DeleteCan you use an aluminum pan or a ceramic pan?
ReplyDeleteYes, either pan will work fine; we hope you enjoy!
DeleteJust made this recipe today! It’s a keeper, that’s for sure. How long do you wait before putting into a bread bag / what kind of container do you use to store it? Still warm after a few hours but don’t want it to dry out over night! (Don’t expect an immediate response but good to know for next time!)
ReplyDeleteHi, it would be best if you waited until the bread cooled so you do not have condensation in the container. We store outs in a plastic bread bag.
DeleteCan this recipe be made as muffins and if so, how many muffins ?
ReplyDeleteWe did not test making muffins with this recipe so we cannot vouch for how they would turn out. Please stop back by and tell us how the muffins turned out.
Delete