This better-than-ever lemon blueberry layer cake is bursting with sunshine-sweet taste and crammed with juicy berries in each chew. Its tender, moist crumb is completely balanced with a shiny, zesty lemon taste. Completed with a wealthy and creamy cream cheese frosting, this can be a delightfully contemporary and luscious dessert that’s excellent for spring and summertime.

I initially printed this recipe in 2014 and have made a number of small updates to provide a lighter, softer cake with simply as a lot unbelievable taste.

This cake has grow to be one in every of my favourite spring dessert recipes and Easter dessert recipes—and for good causes. It boasts a shiny, superior lemon taste; bursts with blueberries in each single chew; has a superbly tender crumb; and is completed with a tangy cream cheese frosting that ties all of it collectively.

I initially printed the recipe in 2014, however after receiving combined suggestions through the years, I knew it wasn’t fairly excellent but. Whereas many readers cherished the flavour and appreciated the denser-style crumb, others merely discovered it too heavy.

After I see a sample of opinions with issues over the identical factor, I’ll revisit the recipe and take a look at making varied tweaks till I’m assured I’ve fastened the problems. After experimenting a number of variations of right this moment’s cake, my crew and I found 3 small tweaks that made an enormous distinction within the cake’s texture. The outcome? A softer, lighter crumb whereas retaining all the identical sunshine-sweet taste.

The up to date recipe is beneath, with the sooner model within the Notes—simply in case you liked the unique!

Key Elements in Lemon Blueberry Cake

• Granulated & Brown Sugar: Use a mixture of sugars. Brown sugar supplies moisture and just a little additional taste. White granulated sugar provides sweetness with out weighing the cake down.
• Eggs: You want 4 eggs, which give construction, improve the cake’s rise, and create a richer, extra flavorful chew.
• Buttermilk: Identified for offering distinctive moisture in baked items, buttermilk leaves every chew tender. In case you don’t have buttermilk, there’s no have to make a buttermilk substitute. You should use entire milk with no different adjustments to the recipe as a result of there may be sufficient acid within the lemon juice and brown sugar. (For the baking soda to react.)
• Recent Lemons: Use contemporary lemon juice and lemon zest within the cake batter. A citrus juicer and citrus zester are equally useful right here!
• All-Objective Flour: All-purpose flour is right on this batter; skip cake flour as a result of it’s just too gentle to carry as much as the heavy butter, oil, buttermilk, and blueberries.
• Recent Blueberries: I strongly advocate utilizing contemporary blueberries. Frozen blueberries typically let off an excessive amount of moisture, which is able to overwhelm the cake’s crumb.

I really like this lemon blueberry cake as a result of the blueberries DO NOT sink to the underside of the cake. Why not? The batter is thick. When you could have a skinny batter, heavy fruit or add-ins will sink to the underside. Nonetheless, toss the blueberries in just a little flour… for additional insurance coverage!

I like to recommend utilizing 8-inch spherical cake pans, which produce thick, lofty cake layers. 9-inch pans can work in a pinch, however count on thinner layers.

Use Parchment Paper Rounds for Desserts

Line your cake pans with parchment paper rounds. I do that each single time I bake a spherical cake, whether or not I’m making a 1-layer sprinkle cake, a 9-layer Smith Island cake, or right this moment’s lemon blueberry layer cake. Retailer-bought pre-cut parchment rounds are handy, however it’s very easy to hint your pan on parchment and lower it out. You possibly can lower the precise pan dimension you want, whether or not you’re making a 6-inch cake, an 8-inch cake, or a 9-inch cake.

Very evenly grease the cake pan with butter or nonstick spray. Place the parchment paper spherical inside, after which grease the parchment, too. Sure, you grease the pan and then additionally grease the parchment. This creates an ultra-nonstick setting in your cake. The cake received’t stick with the pan, and the parchment spherical received’t stick with the cake.

As soon as the desserts have baked and cooled, trim the tops utilizing a cake leveler or a big serrated knife to create a good floor. A flat prime ensures a sturdier and extra steady layered cake. Right here’s my tips on how to assemble and beautify a layer cake video and tutorial if you’d like additional assist.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Silky cream cheese frosting is the right completion on this tender lemony cake—it tastes like spreadable cheesecake!

It’s gentle and creamy, so it glides onto the cake fairly effortlessly. I take advantage of a giant flat icing spatula to frost the layers and exterior of the cake.

Crumb coat? When you can definitely add one, there’s no want for a crumb coat; the cake isn’t tremendous crumbly and the frosting is extremely tender and creamy.

Beautify with blueberries, lemon zest, lemon slices, florals, coconut, and/or no matter you want!

Want cupcakes as a substitute? Use my recipe for lemon blueberry cupcakes. Or maybe breakfast? Strive my lemon blueberry muffins. How about pie? My lemony blueberry galette will hit the spot!

Extra Lemon Recipes For You

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Description

This better-than-ever lemon blueberry layer cake is bursting with sunshine-sweet taste and crammed with juicy berries in each chew. Its tender, moist crumb is completely balanced with a shiny, zesty lemon taste. Completed with a wealthy and creamy cream cheese frosting, this can be a delightfully contemporary and luscious dessert that’s excellent for spring and summertime.

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 8-inch spherical cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the desserts seamlessly launch from the pans. (If it’s useful, see this parchment paper rounds for desserts video & submit.)
2. Make the cake: Utilizing a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on excessive till easy and creamy, about 1 minute. Add granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium-high velocity till mixed, about 2 minutes. Add the oil and beat till mixed and lightweight and creamy, about 3 extra minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat on medium velocity till all the things is totally mixed, about 1 minute. Scrape down the edges and backside of the bowl as wanted.
3. In a big bowl, whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry substances to the moist substances. Beat on low velocity for a number of seconds, then beat within the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice *simply* till mixed. Toss the blueberries with 1 Tablespoon of flour and gently fold into the batter. Batter is thick. Don’t over-mix.
4. Spoon batter evenly into ready cake pans. Bake for about 22–26 minutes or till a toothpick inserted within the middle comes out clear. Take away from the oven and permit to chill fully within the pan earlier than assembling and frosting.
5. Make the frosting: Utilizing a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter collectively on medium velocity till no lumps stay, about 3 full minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer working on low. Flip mixer as much as excessive velocity and beat for 3 minutes.
6. Assemble and frost: (Be aware: See my tips on how to assemble and beautify a layer cake video & tutorial if you’d like additional assist with this step.) First, utilizing a big serrated knife, slice a skinny layer off the tops of the desserts to create a flat floor. Place 1 layer in your cake stand. Evenly cowl the highest with cream cheese frosting. High with 2nd layer, extra frosting, then the third layer. High with frosting and unfold across the sides. The recipe doesn’t make a ton of frosting, simply sufficient for a lightweight frost. High with blueberries or lemon garnish if desired. Refrigerate for not less than 45 minutes earlier than chopping or else the cake could crumble as you chop. 
7. Cowl leftover cake tightly and retailer within the fridge for as much as 5 days.

Notes

1. Make Forward & Freezing Directions: Put together desserts and frosting 1 day prematurely. Maintain desserts at room temperature, coated tightly. Refrigerate ready frosting in an hermetic container till prepared to make use of. Carry frosting to room temperature earlier than spreading as will probably be fairly stiff after refrigerating. (Add a splash of cream or milk to skinny out, if wanted.) Frosted or unfrosted desserts could also be frozen for as much as 2 months; thaw in a single day within the fridge and produce to room temperature, if desired, earlier than serving.
2. Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): 8-inch Spherical Cake Pans | Electrical Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cake Turntable, Cake Stand, or Giant Serving Plate | Straight Icing Spatula | Offset Icing Spatula | Cake Service (for storage) | Citrus Juicer | Citrus Zester
3. Sheet Cake: The batter makes an ideal sheet cake! Merely unfold right into a 12×17-inch half sheet/jelly roll pan and bake for about 20 minutes or till cooked by way of. It additionally matches properly right into a 9×13-inch cake pan. Bake for about 30–35 minutes or till cooked by way of.
4. Bundt Cake: I like to recommend making my lemon poppy seed Bundt cake recipe. You possibly can miss the poppy seeds and add 1 and 1/2 cups (210g) contemporary blueberries. I even have a lemon berry yogurt cake recipe. You should use all blueberries.
5. Cupcakes: Listed here are my lemon blueberry cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting.
6. 6-Inch Cake: Use my lemon blueberry cupcakes batter and comply with my 6-inch cake baking directions.
7. Eggs: Room-temperature eggs are really useful as a result of they combine simply and shortly into the cake batter, lowering the chance of over-mixing. Place eggs right into a bowl of heat water for five minutes earlier than utilizing or set the eggs out whenever you set out your cream cheese and butter for the recipe.
8. Buttermilk: Buttermilk helps produce a supremely moist cake. In case you don’t have buttermilk, use entire milk as a substitute. No want for a buttermilk substitute. You should use lower-fat or nondairy milks in a pinch, however the cake received’t style practically as wealthy and moist.
9. Cream Cheese: Use brick-style cream cheese, not cream cheese unfold.
10. Heavy Cream: Heavy cream with 30% or extra milk fats offers the frosting the creamiest texture. Milk will work in a pinch!
11. Up to date in 2025: Primarily based on reader suggestions in regards to the cake baking up flat and tasting too heavy, I made 3 small tweaks. The up to date recipe is what you see above. To make the unique recipe, miss the oil and baking soda. Enhance the butter to 1 cup (226g/16 Tbsp), the baking powder to 1 Tablespoon, and the buttermilk to 1 cup (240ml). The bake time is identical.