Let’s bake this bright and moist Lemon Blueberry Bread:

1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Loaf Pan:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Grease an 8×4-inch or 9×5-inch loaf pan thoroughly with olive oil (as suggested) or your preferred grease. You can also line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy removal of the bread later.

2. Combine Dry Ingredients:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and ¾ teaspoon sea salt until well combined. Set aside.

3. Prepare Lemon Sugar and Wet Ingredients:

• In a separate large bowl, place the ½ cup of cane sugar. Add the 1 tablespoon of lemon zest.
• Using your clean fingertips, rub the lemon zest into the sugar until the sugar is fragrant and slightly moist, and the zest has released its oils. This step significantly boosts the lemon flavor!
• To the lemon sugar, add the ¾ cup whole milk Greek yogurt, ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 large room temperature eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Whisk these wet ingredients together until thoroughly combined and smooth.

4. Combine Wet and Dry (Gently!):

• Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the bowl containing the dry ingredient mixture.
• Using a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, stir just until combined and most of the flour streaks are gone. Do not overmix! A few small lumps are perfectly fine; overmixing will result in a tough bread. The batter will be thick.

5. Fold in Blueberries:

• Add the 1 ½ cups of blueberries (fresh, or frozen – do not thaw frozen ones) to the batter.
• If using frozen blueberries, toss them with 1 tablespoon of flour from your measured amount before adding to prevent them from sinking and bleeding too much color.
• Gently fold the blueberries into the thick batter with the spatula until they are evenly distributed.

6. Bake the Bread:

• Pour the prepared batter into the greased (and lined, if using) loaf pan.
• Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly and smooth the top.
• Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes.
• The bread is done when it’s golden brown on top, and a wooden toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached.

7. Cool Completely:

• Let the Lemon Blueberry Bread cool in the loaf pan on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes.
• Carefully remove the bread from the pan (using the parchment sling if you used one) and place it directly on the wire rack to cool completely before slicing or glazing. This may take 1-2 hours.

8. Optional Glaze and Serve:

• If desired, once the bread is completely cool, prepare a simple lemon glaze. Whisk together about 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice until smooth and drizzly. Add more sugar or lemon juice to reach desired consistency.
• Drizzle the lemon glaze over the top of the cooled loaf. Let the glaze set for about 15-20 minutes.
• Slice and serve.

Patience during cooling ensures the bread slices neatly!