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This easy Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake is bursting with fresh blueberries and lemon flavor. Topped with homemade cream cheese frosting, this classic cake recipe is perfect for summer!
Fresh and Easy Lemon Blueberry Cake
This Lemon Blueberry Cake recipe was meant for summer. This cake is seriously SO moist, tender and full of amazing lemon flavor. Add plenty of fresh blueberries to the mix and you have a classic cake that pretty much represents the best of summer, in cake form!
When working on this recipe, I started with my lemon poppyseed cake, because that cake has been so well loved and is my favorite lemon cake at the moment. However, the blueberries initially sank because the batter is a little thin for holding the blueberries and the cake is so light.
To fix that, I added some additional flour and replaced some of the milk with sour cream. Sour cream adds a similar moisture, but it’s thicker so your batter isn’t as thin. I also used buttermilk instead of regular milk, to help tenderize the cake. After making those changes, the cake wasn’t quite as moist as I wanted and the texture wasn’t quite perfect.
My next step was to add some additional sugar. It’s a common misconception that sugar only lends sweetness to a recipe. When sugar melts, it’s liquid, so it actually adds moisture and can greatly affect texture. The additional sugar I added gave the cake just enough moisture and the BEST texture, without compromising the blueberries ability to stay “afloat” in the cake batter. That first bite of the final version of this cake was heaven and I knew I had it just right.
Recipe Ingredients
In this recipe, simple ingredients come together to make the perfect lemon blueberry cake. Here’s what you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder and Baking Soda: The combination of the two is perfect. The baking soda helps with the acidity in the lemon juice and the baking powder lends a nice texture.
- Salt
- Unsalted butter, room temperature + vegetable oil: The combination of butter and vegetable oil adds moisture to the cake. I love the combination because you get the benefit of the buttery flavor and the moisture of the oil.
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Sour cream and Buttermilk: The combination gives the cake plenty of moisture without thinning out the batter so much that the blueberries sink
- Eggs
- Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest: Lots of lemon flavor in this cake!
- Fresh blueberries
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake
Don’t let the number of steps in this recipe intimidate you. This is a classic lemon cake recipe that is actually easy to make, especially if you break it down into small steps like I have done for you in this recipe!
1. Prep your tools. Prepare three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
2. Mix the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
3. Beat the sugar. Add the butter, oil, and sugar to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
4. Add the vanilla extract and sour cream and mix until well combined.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until mostly combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
6. Start mixing wet and dry ingredients. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
7. Add lemon flavor. Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest and milk then slowly add the mixture to the batter and mix until well combined.
8. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
9. Toss the blueberries with 1/2 a tablespoon of flour and gently toss to combine, then add the blueberries to cake batter and fold to combine.
10. Pour into cake pans and bake. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a just few crumbs.
11. Cool. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
Once the cake is cooled and ready, you can make the Cream Cheese Frosting. Cream cheese frosting can be a little tricky if you aren’t used to working with it. The cream cheese tends to be softer than a butter based frosting, so be sure to check out my post on it for some tips.
Best Lemon Blueberry Cake
The final cake is seriously the best! The most amazing flavor, a wonderful texture and loads of blueberries. This cake is not “fluffy,” but it’s also not pound cake-like dense. It has the perfect balance of both worlds! It can’t be too fluffy or the blueberries will sink. So it’s just dense enough to support the blueberries, while also being as light as possible. Trust me, if you are looking for an easy dessert that will have everyone coming back from another slice, this cake is it. Make it for backyard picnics, make it for Sunday brunch, just make it! You won’t regret it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reduce the amount of powdered sugar used in the frosting?
Cream Cheese frosting can be tricky – it’s tempting to reduce the powdered sugar, but your frosting might end up too thin if you reduce it and not stay in place on the cake. I don’t recommend it.
Can I use frozen blueberries?
I recommend fresh blueberries, but in a pinch you can use frozen. I would just recommend thawing them and patting them dry first. Otherwise, the frozen blueberries (when added to the batter frozen) add additional water to the batter and thin it out as it bakes. As a result, not only does the final texture of the cake change a bit, but the blueberries sink.
More Lemon Desserts to Try:
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Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake is bursting with fresh blueberries and lemon flavor. Topped with cream cheese frosting, this cake is perfect for Summer!
Ingredients
Lemon Blueberry Cake
- 2 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp (374g) all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 3/4 cups (362g) sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 tbsp (86g) sour cream
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon zest (about 3 large lemons)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) buttermilk
- 1 3/4 cups (about 260g) blueberries
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz (452g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (224g) butter, room temperature
- 11 cups (1265g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Lemon slices
- Blueberries, for decorating
Instructions
To make the cake layers
- Prepare three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- Add the butter, oil, and sugar to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
- Add the vanilla extract and sour cream and mix until well combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until mostly combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
- Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest and buttermilk then slowly add the mixture to the batter and mix until well combined.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
- Toss the blueberries with 1/2 a tablespoon of flour and gently toss to combine, then add the blueberries to cake batter and fold to combine.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a just few crumbs.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
For the frosting
- Add the cream cheese and butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until well combined and smooth.
- Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth. Add more or less powdered sugar, as desired for consistency purposes.
- To put the cake together, use a large serrated knife to remove the domes from the top of the cakes so that they’re flat, if needed.
- Place the first cake on a serving plate or a cardboard cake round.
- Spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly on top of the cake,
- Add the second layer of cake and another cup of frosting.
- Top the cake with the remaining layer and frost the outside of the cake. Refer to my tutorial for frosting a smooth cake, if needed. To make the line pattern in the side of the cake, run a 9 inch offset spatula around the outside of the cake will turning your turntable. Start with the line at the bottom and work your way to the top.
- Pipe swirls of frosting on the top of the cake and decorate with lemon slices and blueberries, if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 967
- Sugar: 122.5 g
- Sodium: 242.9 mg
- Fat: 41.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 147.1 g
- Protein: 7.4 g
- Cholesterol: 140.4 mg
Keywords: lemon blueberry cake, lemon and blueberry cake, lemon blueberry layer cake
Do you think I could bake this in a half sheet pan, “18×13”, and then punch out the layers with a circular cutter?
That should be fine.
I would like to bake this cake in 6 inch pans, how long do you think it would take to bake?
It depends on how you go about it. If you use the full amount of ingredients and divide it between three pans, it would take longer to bake and I have never made it that size so it’s hard for me to say. Maybe 30 to 40 minutes? But if you cut the recipe in half, which is what I would do, and divide it between three pans, the bake time would be more like 15 to 20 minutes. It depends on how tall you want the cake to be. I hope that helps.
I made this cake for my dad’s birthday in June. He loved it, and so did the rest of my family. Gotta make this cake next year!
Awesome! I’m so glad it was a hit!
Will I have to refrigerate the cake after frosting are will it be okay to keep at room temperature
With the cream cheese frosting, you will want to refrigerate it. But I do recommend serving it at room temperature or slightly cool.
Hi
Just wondering if I could make the cake in advance and freeze United?
Yes, that should be fine if you make the layers ahead of time and freeze them. Just wrap them well and then thaw them in the fridge before using.
have you tried reducing the sugar a little? I don’t like sugar substitute but the 11 cups in the frosting seems like a lot. Any thoughts on how much I could reduce without losing too much flavor?
You can definitely reduce the powdered sugar. I like a thicker frosting that is pipe-able. If you don’t, you can reduce the amount of powdered sugar. I also tend to use a good bit of frosting. If you like a thinner layer, feel free to reduce the overall amount of frosting. You could easily cut it by 1/3 in that case, maybe more.
This cake is perfect! I need to make one ahead for an event. Will these layers freeze ok?
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed it! I haven’t tried freezing the layers before. I hesitate a little with the fruit it, since those can be mushy when thawed sometimes, but you could try it.
Hi Lynn
I am also wanting to bake the cake ahead and freeze un iced. Did you try?