This better-than-ever lemon blueberry layer cake is bursting with sunshine-sweet taste and full of juicy berries in each chunk. 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 recent and luscious dessert that’s good for spring and summertime.
I initially revealed this recipe in 2014 and have made a number of small updates to supply a lighter, softer cake with simply as a lot unimaginable taste.
This cake has grow to be one among 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 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 good but. Whereas many readers beloved the flavour and appreciated the denser-style crumb, others merely discovered it too heavy.
Once I see a sample of opinions with considerations 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 now’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 preserving 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 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 muffins and cupcakes, if the opposite elements within the batter are additionally heavy (buttermilk, flour, eggs), an excessive amount of butter will merely weigh every thing 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 continues to be extraordinarily moist with out tasting heavy and moist.
Key Substances in Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Granulated & Brown Sugar: Use a mixture of sugars. Brown sugar offers moisture and a little 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 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 complete 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 recent lemon juice and lemon zest within the cake batter. A citrus juicer and citrus zester are equally useful right here!
- All-Goal Flour: All-purpose flour is good 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 recent blueberries. Frozen blueberries usually 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’ve a skinny batter, heavy fruit or add-ins will sink to the underside. Nonetheless, toss the blueberries in a little 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 count on thinner layers.
Use Parchment Paper Rounds for Muffins
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 now’s lemon blueberry layer cake. Retailer-bought pre-cut parchment rounds are handy, nevertheless it’s very easy to hint your pan on parchment and lower it out. You possibly can lower 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 calmly 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 atmosphere on your cake. The cake received’t follow the pan, and the parchment spherical received’t follow 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 a fair floor. A flat high ensures a sturdier and extra steady layered cake. Right here’s my assemble and beautify a layer cake video and tutorial in order for you further assist.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Silky cream cheese frosting is the right of entirety on this mushy 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 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 recent lemon juice and a pair of Tablespoons of lemon zest. To extract that a lot juice, 3 or 4 medium to massive lemons is normally sufficient. For the zest, you’ll solely want about 2. Zest the lemons first, after which lower 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 photographs. 9-inch pans can work in a pinch, however the cake layers might be thinner than what’s pictured, and the cake might 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 full of juicy berries in each chunk. 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 recent and luscious dessert that’s good 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 & put up.)
- Make the cake: Utilizing a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on excessive till clean 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 thing 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 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.
- 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: (Be aware: See my assemble and beautify a layer cake video & tutorial in order for you further 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. Prime with 2nd layer, extra frosting, then the third layer. Prime with frosting and unfold across the sides. The recipe doesn’t make a ton of frosting, simply sufficient for a light-weight frost. Prime with blueberries or lemon garnish if desired. Refrigerate for a minimum of 45 minutes earlier than chopping or else the cake could collapse as you chop.
- 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 upfront. Maintain 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 will probably 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 Massive 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 means of. It additionally suits properly right into a 9×13-inch cake pan. Bake for about 30–35 minutes or till cooked by means of.
- Bundt Cake: I like to recommend making my lemon poppy seed Bundt cake recipe. You possibly can 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 use all blueberries.
- Cupcakes: Listed here 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 helpful 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 whenever 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 complete milk as an alternative. No want for a buttermilk substitute. You should use lower-fat or nondairy milks in a pinch, however the cake received’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: 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, 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 identical.