Description
This lemon blueberry cake is bright, moist, and bursting with flavor. It starts with a soft and tender lemon cake, packed with juicy blueberries, and finishes with a tangy cream cheese frosting with a hint of lemon. Perfect for spring and summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Lemon Blueberry Cake
3 cups cake flour (360g)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk (180 ml), room temperature
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (80 ml)
1 cup unsalted butter (226g), softened
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (350g)
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 teaspoons cake or all-purpose flour (for coating blueberries)
Cream Cheese Frosting
For 9×13 inch cake:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (112g), softened
8 oz brick-style cream cheese (226g)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 to 4 cups powdered sugar (330–440g), sifted
1 tablespoon whipping cream, if needed
For Layer Cake:
3/4 cup unsalted butter (168g), softened
12 oz brick-style cream cheese (340g)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar (495–605g), sifted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch pan or three 8-inch round pans. If using round pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides.
In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk and lemon juice. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract, then mix in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
With the mixer on low speed, beat in one-third of the flour mixture. Then mix in half of the buttermilk-lemon juice mixture. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture, then the rest of the buttermilk mixture, followed by the last third of the flour. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix just until combined.
Toss the blueberries with 2 teaspoons flour, then gently fold them into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and smooth the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes for a 9×13-inch cake or 25 to 30 minutes for layer cakes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top feels slightly springy.
Cool the cake completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, beat the butter until soft, then mix in the cream cheese until smooth and well combined. Add in the lemon juice. Beat in the powdered sugar, starting with 3 cups, and adding more as needed. If the frosting seems too thick, add a little whipping cream.
For a 9×13-inch cake, frost the top of the cooled cake and decorate with blueberries or lemon slices if desired.
For a layer cake, wrap and chill the cake layers before frosting to make assembly easier. Level the tops if needed. Place one cake layer on a cake stand, frost with about 3/4 cup of frosting, and repeat. Apply a thin layer of frosting (crumb coat) around the outside and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes before applying the final layer of frosting. Decorate as desired.
Notes
To make cake flour at home, measure 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour and 1/3 cup cornstarch. Sift together 3 times.If you don’t have buttermilk, whole milk can be used, but the texture will be slightly different.You’ll need about 3 large lemons for zest and juice. Zest before juicing.Use room temperature ingredients—eggs, butter, and buttermilk—for best results.Fresh blueberries work best. If using frozen, do not thaw them.Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese only. Avoid tub or spreadable cream cheese.Unfrosted cakes can be stored covered overnight at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Once frosted, store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Unfrosted cake layers can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: ~400
- Protein: ~4g