This better-than-ever lemon blueberry layer cake is bursting with sunshine-sweet taste and crammed with juicy berries in each chunk. Its tender, moist crumb is completely balanced with a vivid, zesty lemon taste. Completed with a wealthy and creamy cream cheese frosting, it is a delightfully contemporary and luscious dessert that’s excellent for spring and summertime.
I initially revealed this recipe in 2014 and have made a couple of small updates to supply a lighter, softer cake with simply as a lot unbelievable taste.
This cake has grow to be certainly one of my favourite spring dessert recipes and Easter dessert recipes—and for good causes. It boasts a vivid, superior lemon taste; bursts with blueberries in each single chunk; has a superbly tender crumb; and is completed with a tangy cream cheese frosting that ties all of it collectively.
I initially revealed the recipe in 2014, however after receiving combined suggestions through the years, I knew it wasn’t fairly excellent but. Whereas many readers liked the flavour and appreciated the denser-style crumb, others merely discovered it too heavy.
After I see a sample of evaluations with issues over the identical factor, I’ll revisit the recipe and check out making numerous tweaks till I’m assured I’ve mounted the problems. After experimenting a number of variations of at the moment’s cake, my crew and I found 3 small tweaks that made a giant distinction within the cake’s texture. The consequence? A softer, lighter crumb whereas holding all the identical sunshine-sweet taste.
The up to date recipe is under, with the sooner model within the Notes—simply in case you really liked the unique!
3 Small Recipe Updates = Spectacular Modifications
- Sub in some oil: The recipe initially referred to as for 1 cup of butter. Whereas creaming butter with sugar produces a mushy, ethereal base for muffins and cupcakes, if the opposite elements within the batter are additionally heavy (buttermilk, flour, eggs), an excessive amount of butter will merely weigh the whole lot down. I eliminated half of the butter (1/2 cup), and subbed in 6 Tablespoons of oil. Not a 1:1 swap as a result of we didn’t need an excessive amount of liquid within the batter.
- Sub in some baking soda: The cake referred to as for 1 Tablespoon of baking powder, which wasn’t the best quantity for its heavy crumb. As an alternative of accelerating the baking powder, which might depart us with a chemical aftertaste, I subbed in some baking soda. Combining baking powder and baking soda enhances each the rise AND the flavour of the cake.
- Barely scale back the buttermilk: Scale the buttermilk down to three/4 cup, as an alternative of 1 cup. The cake remains to be extraordinarily moist with out tasting heavy and moist.
Key Components in Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Granulated & Brown Sugar: Use a mixture of sugars. Brown sugar supplies moisture and a little bit 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 chunk.
- Buttermilk: Identified for offering distinctive moisture in baked items, buttermilk leaves every chunk tender. If you happen to don’t have buttermilk, there’s no must make a buttermilk substitute. You should use entire milk with no different modifications 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.)
- Contemporary Lemons: Use contemporary lemon juice and lemon zest within the cake batter. A citrus juicer and citrus zester are equally useful right here!
- All-Function Flour: All-purpose flour is right on this batter; skip cake flour as a result of it’s just too mild to carry as much as the heavy butter, oil, buttermilk, and blueberries.
- Contemporary Blueberries: I strongly suggest utilizing contemporary blueberries. Frozen blueberries usually let off an excessive amount of moisture, which can overwhelm the cake’s crumb.
I 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’ve a skinny batter, heavy fruit or add-ins will sink to the underside. Nonetheless, toss the blueberries in a little bit 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 at the moment’s lemon blueberry layer cake. Retailer-bought pre-cut parchment rounds are handy, but it surely’s very easy to hint your pan on parchment and minimize it out. You possibly can minimize the precise pan measurement you want, whether or not you’re making a 6-inch cake, an 8-inch cake, or a 9-inch cake.
Very frivolously 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 on your cake. The cake gained’t persist with the pan, and the parchment spherical gained’t persist with the cake.
As soon as the muffins have baked and cooled, trim the tops utilizing a cake leveler or a big serrated knife to create an excellent floor. A flat prime ensures a sturdier and extra steady layered cake. Right here’s my how you can assemble and adorn a layer cake video and tutorial if you would like additional assist.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Silky cream cheese frosting is the right final touch on this mushy lemony cake—it tastes like spreadable cheesecake!
It’s mild and creamy, so it glides onto the cake fairly effortlessly. I exploit a massive flat icing spatula to frost the layers and exterior of the cake.
Crumb coat? When you can actually add one, there’s no want for a crumb coat; the cake isn’t tremendous crumbly and the frosting is extremely mushy and creamy.
Enhance with blueberries, lemon zest, lemon slices, florals, coconut, and/or no matter you want!
You want 1/2 cup of contemporary lemon juice and a pair of Tablespoons of lemon zest. To extract that a lot juice, 3 or 4 medium to massive lemons is often sufficient. For the zest, you’ll solely want about 2. Zest the lemons first, after which minimize open to juice them.
I like to recommend utilizing 8-inch spherical cake pans, which produce thick, tall cake layers such as you see within the images. 9-inch pans can work in a pinch, however the cake layers shall be thinner than what’s pictured, and the cake shall be shorter.
Sure, completely! Similar quantity. Toss them in flour earlier than utilizing, simply as you do with the blueberries.
Want cupcakes as an alternative? Use my recipe for lemon blueberry cupcakes. Or maybe breakfast? Attempt my lemon blueberry muffins. How about pie? My lemony blueberry galette will hit the spot!
Extra Lemon Recipes For You
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This better-than-ever lemon blueberry layer cake is bursting with sunshine-sweet taste and crammed with juicy berries in each chunk. Its tender, moist crumb is completely balanced with a vivid, zesty lemon taste. Completed with a wealthy and creamy cream cheese frosting, it is a delightfully contemporary and luscious dessert that’s excellent for spring and summertime.
- 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 muffins seamlessly launch from the pans. (If it’s useful, see this parchment paper rounds for muffins video & submit.)
- 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 the whole lot is totally mixed, about 1 minute. Scrape down the perimeters and backside of the bowl as wanted.
- In a big bowl, whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry elements to the moist elements. Beat on low velocity for a couple 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Assemble and frost: (Notice: See my how you can assemble and adorn a layer cake video & tutorial if you would like additional assist with this step.) First, utilizing a big serrated knife, slice a skinny layer off the tops of the muffins 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 no less than 45 minutes earlier than chopping or else the cake might collapse as you narrow.
- Cowl leftover cake tightly and retailer within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
Notes
- Make Forward & Freezing Directions: Put together muffins and frosting 1 day prematurely. Preserve muffins at room temperature, lined tightly. Refrigerate ready frosting in an hermetic container till prepared to make use of. Carry frosting to room temperature earlier than spreading as it will likely be fairly stiff after refrigerating. (Add a splash of cream or milk to skinny out, if wanted.) Frosted or unfrosted muffins 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.
- 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
- 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. It additionally suits properly right into a 9×13-inch cake pan. Bake for about 30–35 minutes or till cooked by.
- 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.
- Cupcakes: Listed below are my lemon blueberry cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting.
- 6-Inch Cake: Use my lemon blueberry cupcakes batter and comply with my 6-inch cake baking directions.
- Eggs: Room-temperature eggs are really useful as a result of they combine simply and rapidly into the cake batter, decreasing the danger of over-mixing. Place eggs right into a bowl of heat water for five minutes earlier than utilizing or set the eggs out while you set out your cream cheese and butter for the recipe.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk helps produce a supremely moist cake. If you happen to don’t have buttermilk, use entire milk as an alternative. No want for a buttermilk substitute. You should use lower-fat or nondairy milks in a pinch, however the cake gained’t style almost as wealthy and moist.
- Cream Cheese: Use brick-style cream cheese, not cream cheese unfold.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream with 30% or extra milk fats provides the frosting the creamiest texture. Milk will work in a pinch!
- Up to date in 2025: Based mostly 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. Improve 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 similar.