perfect blueberry muffin loaf
It’s been about what how has it been almost 8 years since I overhauled an old blueberry muffin recipe in the archives to turn them into what I consider the highest calling of the category, perfect in taste (not too sweet, dreamy crumb, lemon scented, absolutely riddled with blueberries, and finished with the crunchiest bronzed lid, perfect for lifting off in a satisfying shell and swiping the underside with salted butter) and ease (one-bowl, hand-whisked, even measurements, fuss free ingredients). Because who cares if a muffin recipe is perfect if I can’t throw it together half-asleep like the zombie I am most mornings? I’m thrilled that so many of you agreed.
And while I know that hundreds of us each year turn them into a blueberry muffin loaf cake simply by pouring the batter into a loaf pan and baking it, I’ve done it too and it’s time to admit that I’m never satisfied with the outcome because the loaf was underfilled and deprived of the muffin top dome on top that’s everything to me.
I mistakenly thought it might need a simple math equation to adjust (1.5x?) and as usual it was more complicated (1.6x butter, 1.3x yogurt, 2x eggs…) and now every surface of my kitchen is covered with rejected muffin loaf tests but it was worth it because this is perfect and I don’t think ever rifle through the cabinets looking for paper liners again. This is everything a perfect blueberry muffin should be in one giant, craggy, crunchy loaf with real “Take me with you!” energy. It’s ready for picnics, friends, tea, brunch, bake sales, teacher and librarian appreciation weeks. It’s also for 90 minutes right now, because we’ve waited long enough.
Podcast! The sixth episode of my new podcast with J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, The Recipe with Kenji and Deb, is out and it’s all about iceberg wedges, one of my forever favorites. You can listen to it anywhere you get your podcasts and I’ve set up a new podcast tab/page where you can keep up on it here, too. We have new episodes every two Mondays. We’ve been working on this behind the scenes for the last year — I hope you enjoy listening along.
Previously
6 months ago: Brown Butter Brown Sugar Shortbread
1 year ago: Smashed Chicken Meatball Sliders
2 years ago: Simplest Mushroom Pasta
3 years ago: Classic Shortbread
4 years ago: How I Stock The Smitten Kitchen
5 years ago: Braised Ginger Meatballs in Coconut Broth
6 years ago: Fig Newtons and Cripsy Tofu Pad Thai
7 years ago: Granola Bark
8 years ago: Caramelized Brown Sugar Oranges with Yogurt and Potato Pizza, Even Better
9 years ago: Why You Should Always Toast Your Nuts (Please!) and Obsessively Good Avocado-Cucumber Salad
10 years ago: Dark Chocolate Coconut Macaroons and Baked Eggs with Spinach and Mushrooms
11 years ago: Spinach and Smashed Egg Toast and Bee Sting Cake
12 years ago: Over-the-Top Mushroom Quiche and Banana Bread Crepe Cake with Butterscotch
13 years ago: Blackberry and Coconut Macaroon Tart
14 years ago: Baked Kale Chips and Almond Macaroon Torte with Chocolate Frosting
15 years ago: Artichoke-Olive Crostini and Chocolate Caramel Crackers
16 years ago: Spring Panzanella and Lemon Yogurt Anything Cake
17 years ago: Arborio Rice Pudding and Gnocchi with a Grater
Perfect Blueberry Muffin Loaf
Note: Very key here is the size of your loaf pan because this will fill out every speck of it before it is done. Mine holds 6 liquid cups; it’s 8×4 inches on the bottom and 9×5 inches on the top. If yours is even slightly smaller or you’re nervous, go ahead and scoop out a little to make a muffin or two on the side. When making this for the first time, place a sheet pan underneath, just in case it spills over but I can promise you that in several tests, mine never has.
- 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup or 115 grams) unsalted butter, cold is fine
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- Finely grated zest from one lemon
- 1 cup (225 grams) plain unsweetened Greek-style yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups (320 grams or 11.5 ounces) fresh or frozen blueberries (no need to defrost)
- 3 tablespoons (35 grams) turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw)
Heat oven to 375°F. Line a loaf pan (see Note up top about size) with one big piece of parchment paper pressed into the corners and up the sides, as shown here. I leave the excess paper extended up over the rim, which also helps protect you against overflow.
Melt butter in a large bowl, then whisk in granulated sugar and zest. Add yogurt and eggs and whisk to evenly combine. Sprinkle surface of batter with baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk thoroughly into the batter, several times more around the bowl than is necessary for it to look mixed. Add flour and berries and use a flexible spatula or spoon to mix them in so that not pockets of flour remain. Batter will be very, very thick.
Spoon into prepared loaf pan and drop it on the counter a few times to make sure there no air pockets. Smooth the top and sprinkle it with turbinado sugar. It will seem like way too much but I beg you not to skimp at all; the batter is not very sweet but the crunchy top the sugar provides is one of the best parts.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into a few places in the loaf come out batter-free. If your berries were frozen going in, this might even need 5 additional minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in pan. Use parchment paper to lift it out of the pan and cut into thick slices.
Do ahead: I use the parchment paper to transfer leftovers back to the loaf pan. Store at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, longer in the fridge. I keep my uncovered/unwrapped which allows the top to retain its crunch. The sides are kept from drying out by the parchment and loaf. The loaf freezes well, wrapped tightly.
P.S. Yes, of course you can use any other kind of berry here. I tested a few rounds with frozen mixed berry mixes, and as long as the strawberries aren’t comically huge (I chopped ones that were), it works great.
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