• Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Grease and line base and sides of a 23cm x 13cm (9 x 5 inch) loaf tin with baking paper (or grease and flour).

To make the loaf:

• Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. Add vanilla, lemon zest, poppy seeds and a pinch of salt and mix to combine.
• Add eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is well combined before adding the next (don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled, it will smooth out again).
• In a separate bowl, sift flour and baking powder together and stir to combine. Using a metal spoon, fold half the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Then fold through half the milk. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and milk.
• Spoon half the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and sprinkle a layer of blueberries over top. Add the remaining mixture over top (I found it easiest to dollop spoonfuls over top and gently level it off – this avoids disturbing the layer of blueberries), then top with remaining blueberries – these will sink into the batter while baking.
• Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

To make the syrup:

• Place lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan and heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Pour or brush syrup (it seems like a lot, but use it all) over loaf while loaf is still hot. Cool in tin before turning out onto a wire rack.

To make the blueberry icing:

• In a food processor blitz together icing sugar, blueberries and lemon juice. Spread icing over cooled loaf. If you’ve got blueberries left over, you can decorate the top with them if you like, then serve.