I’ve got a thing for blueberries and lemons, and they definitely belong together in the form of a lemon blueberry loaf, using coconut flour.
After playing around with lemon muffins and blueberries I decided to turn the recipe into a cake. This tastes very much like a lemon pound cake so if you prefer you can omit the blueberries and have just that. I do recommend adding about 1/2 tablespoon more lemon juice to the mix for tenderness that the blueberries provide.
I added a lot of blueberries here but you can easily dial it down to about 3/4 cup of blueberries and have quite enough in each slice. I used fresh blueberries but frozen will work as well.
Lemon Blueberry Loaf
Updates on 4/23/21: I removed 1 tablespoon of vanilla from the recipe because I haven't been using it and didn't see a difference. I also reduced the maple syrup (or honey) from 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons to just 1/4 cup, and reduced the butter or oil from 1/3 cup to 1/4 cup. I tested it with coconut oil and it worked well with 1/4 cup of coconut oil.I highly recommend storing this loaf in the refrigerator so it can firm up, and then it slices well. To make this Keto, replace the honey with the equivalent amount of your favorite low-carb sweetener plus 1/4 cup of dairy-free milk or yogurt.I used a smaller baking pan measuring 7.5 inches x 3.75 inches. You can use a slightly larger pan and the loaf will be flatter, or increase the recipe size, or double it and make a loaf and muffins.I added a lot of blueberries here but you can easily dial it down to about 3/4 cup of blueberries and have quite enough in each slice. I used fresh blueberries but frozen will work as well.Applesauce is a great alternative to oil or butter. One reader used lemon curd with success.
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 153kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted or coconut oil or applesauce
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1/4 cup lemon juice about 2 lemons
- 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C, or gas mark 4).
- Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- Combine all the coconut flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and blend with a whisk or fork.
- Add the eggs, butter, honey, lemon juice, and blueberries to the dry ingredients and whisk to blend well.
- Add the batter to the baking pan and bake for about 50 minutes or the loaf is starting to turn golden around the edges.
- Cool for 30 minutes or so and then store in the refrigerator for a few weeks, or freeze for a few months. It slices better after being in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Nutrition
Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 77mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 307IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
I followed the recipe exactly and after 50 minutes+ an extra 20, it looks like it never went in the oven. What happened?
My oven is well-calibrated so maybe your oven is off? Try increasing the temperature and leave it in longer. Others have had success as well, so I don’t think it’s the temp or time. Or reduce the liquid and read the notes and reader comments.
Thanks. I put it in the fridge and will try again in the morning. I am new at this. I have a three rack oven. Where should I place the loaf?
middle is best. no worries, also for some reason some folks have trouble with this recipe and I can’t figure out why. Did you use coconut oil? Also, if you’re ok using coconut flour + almond flour, the blueberry bundt cake is an option next time.
I used coconut flour, coconut oil, and apple sauce instead of egg. I have used the apple sauce in place of egg in other recipes and it works fine.
Oh, ok. I don’t know if that would work with this recipe.
If no sugar is added, it will cook but won’t brown.
I don’t understand why this recipe didn’t work for some folks…..I made it exactly as directed and it turned out perfectly. I used Bob’s Red Mill organic coconut flour, melted butter, honey and frozen wild blueberries. YUM !!! Thanks, Erica.
Thank you! Great to hear 🙂
Hi Erica,
Can I add chopped walnuts and pecans to your almond and blueberry cake? Can I use all egg whites instead of whole eggs?
Hi Sophia! Not sure which blueberry cake, the one in my SCD cookbook? I haven’t tried using just egg whites so not sure.
My teenage daughter has SIBO and is on a restrictive diet at the moment which excludes all sweeteners except stevia. Could I replace the honey/maple syrup with this? In which how much should I use? Or could I forego sweeteners altogether? Thanks
Yes, if you use Stevia you’ll need to replace the volume from the honey. I haven’t tested it yet but others have had success using Stevia plus collagen powder (or other protein powder) to make up the bulk. I explain this in my Keto baking cookbook as well.
Sorry your daughter is sick. What about using true monk fruit for your daughter? My teenage neice has MAST cell syndrome, cant use sweeteners either, only monk fruit in its pure liquid form. In recipes I make for her because of lack of liquid content when using monk fruit ( sweet factor is intense a little goe a long ways) I increase liquid content with additional shredded fruit (apple) or veggie (zucchini)
I just made this recipe, super easy and quick. I waited for it to cool for 30 mins after coming out of the oven as suggested, then I tried a piece, it had a very strange taste and very wet/moist/oily? So will see how it is after being in the fridge overnight tonight. Any suggestions or updates to this recipe, open to hear! X
Yes, I have extensive notes in the recipe so hopefully it works for you.
This looks sooooo yummy!!!
Thank you!
I was looking at the site and this recipe just caught my eye!
I am so doing this recipe!
I’m working on a modified version that is less wet and stays together well. Stay tuned 🙂
Is honey necessary? May I replace it with for example banana puree?
I used lemon curd instead of butter or oil, and I added just 1 lemon juice and it works very well!!! Inside of the cake was moist, but not too soft, it was perfect!! Thank you Erica for the recipe.
Great idea! So want to try this 🙂
Would you thaw frozen blueberries first? Thank you!
I’ve used fully frozen and thawed. The advantage of thawed is you can drain excess liquid if the blueberries are on the wet side.
This recipe is delicious and easy. I actually changed it slightly because I only had one lemon. That gave me 2T lemon juice but I took the zest from it (which packs a flavor punch) and added 2 T almond milk so the liquid would stay the same. The taste is great and the cake is so light and moist. I used maple syrup as sweetener and canola oil for fat. Thanks for this recipe!
Thank you ☺️ Great idea using the lemon zest!
Hi Erica, just followed your recipe ,didn’t change anything and it’s delicious, I mixed it with haft a cup of blueberries instead of one cup..I will try it with nuts next time.
Great to hear! Thanks 🙂
Hi Erica
Can you use egg yolks only, no whites? Would you add anything else?
Thanks I can’t wait to try this.
I’m not sure. I haven’t tried that.
Family loved this – i substituted 1/3 cup butter instead of oil – made ALL the difference in flavor and texture! Does anyone have a source for a small loaf pan so that this will be a taller loaf?
I recommend using a 7.5 long bread pan (usually 3.75 inches tall). There are a variety of them on Amazon and elsewhere, including silicone, non-stick, aluminum, and even paper versions.
I’m so glad I read your comment. Same here! I doubled the recipe as suggested and it’s not even edible. Too eggy, too oily, too wet! I’m so disappointed at all the lost time and money I put into this “bread”. It’s more like a pudding.
Thanks for the feedback. I haven’t tested it with coconut oil but I’m not sure it will work based on these comments.
I haven’t experienced this, but you can try using coconut oil or applesauce. Another reader also mentioned this and the only thing I can think of is that some coconut flour behaves differently because this always works for me.
I used coconut oil. It was terrible. Not taste, but texture. It’s a big wet lump of eggy waste of money.
I haven’t tested it with coconut oil but I’m starting to think it shouldn’t be used because you’re the 3rd person who tried it and had bad results. Thanks for the heads up. Sorry about the trouble but I did note that I haven’t tested it with coconut oil in the comments. I’ll add it to the recipe notes.
Lovely recipe. Perhaps a few less blueberries next time. I also mixed coconut flour with chickpea flour. Worked well, but will try again with only coconut flour. Will also try with banana
Yes, as I mention, you can reduce by 1/4 cup. I love a lot of blueberries.
Thanks for the recipe. Tried today. Good one easier
Great to hear!
Hi,
Can I substitute the eggs with bananas?
… I love your recipes!!
Thanks,
Jenny
I haven’t tried so not sure. If you’re not following SCD, you can try using 2 flaxseed eggs and banana. I’m not sure if bananas are enough to hold it together, but maybe 2 eggs and a banana? Would love to know the outcome if you try it 🙂
Hi:
Just came across this recipe.
Is coconut oil OK as the oil in the recipe?
If I chose to make muffins, would a 6 cup jumbo muffin tin work and how long to bake them instead of a loaf style..
Thanks so much.
Scorpio
Yes, I think coconut oil is fine but I haven’t tested it. I’d estimate it will take about 30 minutes for the muffins. You can refer to my lemon muffins recipe for time as well.
Tried making this today but with slight modification to turn it into a keto loaf and to fit my 8 X 4 inch pan.
Omitted the honey and use sweetener and coconut milk. Came out soft and moist!
Thank you for the recipe!
Great to hear! Which sweetener did you use?
Hi, wild this work with Oats flour or Almond flour?
It would be a different recipe, so you can’t replace the coconut flour using the measurements in this recipe.
Can I make this in a bread pan dish? Thank you
Yes. It’s a small loaf so depending on the dimensions of your dish you may want to increase the batter and bake a bit longer.
Just made it, and it was easy and delicious!
Great news!
Both my lemon loaf and banana bread (coconut flour) tend to be a little too moist on the bottom half of the loaf. Should I add more flour, or cook longer? I did try to cook one about 5 minutes longer, it was still too moist on the bottom but the top and edges got overdone.
I have a few suggestions: It is probably a bit moist. Add a bit more coconut flour or reduce the sweetener (which contributes moisture to the batter). You can bake a bit longer but it is likely a bit too much moisture. Hope that helps!
Erica,
Hello! I just wanted to double-check, the oil is not mentioned in the body of the recipe but is listed under ingredients. I think I left it out the first time but added it to the wet ingredients this time – it is cooking at this time. Was that just an oversight? Just checking – thanks! I loved it so much that I am going to be making this on the reg! 🙂 Thank you!! – Stacey
Thanks! Just added it 🙂
Could you make these in a cup cake pan?
Yes, take a look at my lemon muffins recipe for guidance.
Almost forgot to add the blueberries as none of the steps included that part! Will wait to see how it turns out, a very easy fast recipe !
I made the lemon blueberry and added shredded coconut with a little more lemon because it seemed drier than the first time without the coconut. It was fabulous! Next time I will add chopped walnuts. I also used agave. The sweetness was the same as the first time with maple syrup. Wonderful recipe! Thank you.
Thanks! Yes, if it seems a bit dry just add a bit more lemon juice 🙂
Sooo delicious and so fast to put together! I already ate half the loaf! Also, I used coconut oil.
Great to hear! And good to know it works well with coconut oil. Thank you 🙂
This looks so inviting we wanted to make it immediately. Wish there were an easy “print” button.
Thank you!
Update: I just installed a new plugin for recipes that includes the print button! Best wishes!
I changed the format so there’s no longer a print button, but you can easily print from your desktop by choosing Print in the browser menu.
Hi Erica, it looks delicious 🙂 I’m just wondering how many calories it has and haw the macro looks like?
Just added all of that info in the recipe plugin update! Cheers 🙂