Lemon and Blueberry Loaf

Yesterday was ma mamas birthday so I thought I'd make a little something for her. I definately did not inherit my sweet tooth from my mum, and although she likes a little sweet treat, I dont think she would have quite appreciated the chocolate cheesecake cake that I made for Jess's birthday.

So, with my audience in mind, I set about making this delicious lemon and blueberry loaf. The lemon syrup that is poured over the top after baking keeps the loaf super moist and tangy and the lemon glaze adds a sweetness and a crunch that makes this loaf so good. 

It's safe to say that it went down very well, as I came to have some this morning only to find one very empty tin and no loaf in sight. 

Luckily I had managed to sneak a test slice before giving it away as it didn't stick around for long! 

Ingredients:
For the Loaf:
1 1/2 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup greek yogurt
1 cup caster sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (approximately 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
For the Lemon Syrup:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup caster sugar
For the Lemon Glaze:
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon water

To Make:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease bottom and sides of a loaf pan; dust with flour, tapping out excess.
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil. 
• Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. 
• Fold the blueberries very gently into the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

• Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. 

• Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing loaf to a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.
• While the loaf is cooling, make the lemon syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together the lemon juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. 
• Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside.
• Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the warm loaf. 
• Brush the top and sides of the loaf with the lemon syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. 
• Let the cake cool completely.

• To make the lemon glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together the icing sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of the lemon juice and the vanilla and water. The mixture should be thick but pourable. Add up to another tablespoon of lemon juice if the mixture is too stiff. 
• Pour the lemon glaze over the top of the loaf and let it drip down the sides. 

• Let the lemon glaze harden before serving.