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 brilliant, zesty lemon taste. Completed with a wealthy and creamy cream cheese frosting, this can be a delightfully recent and luscious dessert that’s excellent for spring and summertime.
I initially revealed this recipe in 2014Â and have made a couple of small updates to supply a lighter, softer cake with simply as a lot unimaginable taste.
This cake has develop into one among my favourite spring dessert recipes and Easter dessert recipes—and for good causes. It boasts a brilliant, superior lemon taste; bursts with blueberries in each single chew; has a wonderfully 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 blended suggestions over time, 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 critiques with considerations over the identical factor, I’ll revisit the recipe and check out making varied tweaks till I’m assured I’ve fastened the problems. After experimenting a number of variations of in the present day’s cake, my staff and I found 3 small tweaks that made a giant distinction within the cake’s texture. The outcome? A softer, lighter crumb whereas conserving all the identical sunshine-sweet taste.
The up to date recipe is under, with the sooner model within the Notes—simply in case you liked the unique!
3 Small Recipe Updates = Spectacular Adjustments
- 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 desserts and cupcakes, if the opposite substances within the batter are additionally heavy (buttermilk, flour, eggs), an excessive amount of butter will merely weigh every part 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 perfect 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 cut back the buttermilk: Scale the buttermilk down to three/4 cup, as an alternative of 1 cup. The cake continues to be extraordinarily moist with out tasting heavy and moist.
Key Elements in Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Granulated & Brown Sugar: Use a mixture of sugars. Brown sugar supplies moisture and a bit further taste. White granulated sugar provides sweetness with out weighing the cake down.
- Eggs: You want 4 eggs, which offer 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. If you happen to don’t have buttermilk, there’s no must make a buttermilk substitute. You should utilize entire milk with no different modifications to the recipe as a result of there’s sufficient acid within the lemon juice and brown sugar. (For the baking soda to react.)
- Contemporary Lemons:Â Use recent 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 mild to carry as much as the heavy butter, oil, buttermilk, and blueberries.
- Contemporary Blueberries: I strongly advocate utilizing recent blueberries. Frozen blueberries typically let off an excessive amount of moisture, which is able to crush 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 have got a skinny batter, heavy fruit or add-ins will sink to the underside. Nonetheless, toss the blueberries in a bit flour… for further 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 anticipate thinner layers.
Use Parchment Paper Rounds for Truffles
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 in the present day’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’ll be able to 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 to your cake. The cake gained’t persist with the pan, and the parchment spherical gained’t persist 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 fair floor. A flat prime ensures a sturdier and extra secure layered cake. Right here’s my how one can assemble and embellish a layer cake video and tutorial if you would like further assist.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Silky cream cheese frosting is the proper of completion on this mushy lemony cake—it tastes like spreadable cheesecake!
It’s mild 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? Whilst you can definitely 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 recent lemon juice and a pair of Tablespoons of lemon zest. To extract that a lot juice, 3 or 4 medium to giant 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 pictures. 9-inch pans can work in a pinch, however the cake layers can be thinner than what’s pictured, and the cake can be shorter.
Sure, completely! Identical 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? 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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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 brilliant, zesty lemon taste. Completed with a wealthy and creamy cream cheese frosting, this can be a delightfully recent 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 desserts seamlessly launch from the pans. (If it’s useful, see this parchment paper rounds for desserts video & put up.)
- Make the cake:Â 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 every part 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 substances to the moist substances. 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 utterly 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: (Word: See my how one can assemble and embellish a layer cake video & tutorial if you would like further 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 light-weight frost. High with blueberries or lemon garnish if desired. Refrigerate for no less than 45 minutes earlier than slicing or else the cake might crumble as you narrow.Â
- Cowl leftover cake tightly and retailer within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
Notes
- Make Forward & Freezing Directions: Put together desserts and frosting 1 day upfront. Preserve 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 it is going to 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 convey to room temperature, if desired, earlier than serving.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): 8-inch Spherical Cake Pans | Electrical Mixer (Handheld or Stand) |Â Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cake Turntable, Cake Stand, or Massive Serving Plate | Straight Icing Spatula | Offset Icing Spatula | Cake Provider (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 via. It additionally matches properly right into a 9×13-inch cake pan. Bake for about 30–35 minutes or till cooked via.
- Bundt Cake: I like to recommend making my lemon poppy seed Bundt cake recipe. You’ll be able to omit the poppy seeds and add 1 and 1/2 cups (210g) recent blueberries. I even have a lemon berry yogurt cake recipe. You should utilize 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, lowering 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 utilize 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 offers the frosting the creamiest texture. Milk will work in a pinch!
- Up to date in 2025: Primarily based on reader suggestions concerning 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, omit 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 similar.
