Lemon Blueberry Cake is made with tender lemon cake layers, juicy fresh blueberries, and a tangy lemon cream cheese frosting. It’s a bright, beautiful dessert that’s perfect for spring and summer celebrations.
This Lemon Blueberry Cake is as beautiful as it is delicious. This cake has layers of soft, fluffy lemon cake studded with plenty of juicy blueberries, and it’s frosted with a rich lemon cream cheese frosting.
The tart-sweet flavor combination is fresh and summery, and the cake is moist and tender with just the right balance of brightness and richness. Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or just want to celebrate blueberry season, this layered cake is sure to impress and delight.
Make it ahead and serve chilled for a refreshing treat that tastes like summer in every bite.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: If you would like to use salted butter, omit the salt in the frosting and in the cake.
- Oil: You can use any neutral oil, like olive oil or canola oil.
- Lemon juice: I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice as bottled lemon juice can have an off flavor to it.
- Milk: Whole milk will give you the softest, richest cake.
- Cream cheese: I like to use full-fat cream cheese in the frosting. It will give you richer, creamier frosting. You could also use 1/3-less fat cream cheese.
How to make lemon blueberry cake
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 8-inch round cake pans or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
Step 3: To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add butter. Beat on high for about 1 minute. Beating the butter will help the other ingredients incorporate better.
Step 4: Add oil, sugar, and lemon zest. Beat until well combined, about 2-3 more minutes. Be sure to scrape down the bowl.
Step 5: Add lemon juice, vanilla, and eggs. Beat again until combined, another 2-3 minutes.
Step 6: Add the flour mixture to the stand mixer. Beat on low, then pour in the milk and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
Step 7: Add blueberries to a small bowl. Coat with 1 tablespoon of flour. Add to the bowl with the rest of the batter. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the blueberries until evenly incorporated. Be sure to gently fold so as not to crush the blueberries.
Step 8: Spoon batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.
Step 9: Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs.
Step 10: Remove cakes from the oven and let cool in the pan completely.
Step 11: Once cakes are cool, make the frosting. Clean the bowl of your stand mixer.
Step 12: Beat cream cheese and butter together with the paddle attachment, until smooth and creamy.
Step 13: Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Beat on high speed until fully incorporated and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.
Step 14: Assemble the cakes by leveling the layers, then placing one cake on a serving platter or cake stand.
Step 15: Add ⅓ of the frosting to the top of the cake. Spread until smooth.
Step 16: Top with the other cake layer.
Step 17: Then frost the entire top and sides with remaining frosting.
Step 18: Top with fresh blueberries and lemon slices.
Step 19: Let chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve, at least 30 minutes so the frosting can thicken before slicing.
Recipe Tips!
- Lemon flavor: If you’d like stronger lemon flavor substitute half of the vanilla extract with lemon extract.
- Make-ahead tips: This cake can be made up to 24 hours in advance and chilled until ready to serve. I recommend setting the cake out about 10-15 minutes before serving to let it come up a bit in temperature.
Storage
Store any leftover lemon blueberry cake in an airtight container. The cake will keep for 3-4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
More summer cake recipes!
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Lemon Blueberry Cake
Equipment
- 2 8-inch round cake pans
Ingredients
Lemon Blueberry Cake
- 1 ⅔ cups sifted all purpose flour properly measured
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest
- ⅓ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice about 2 to 3 lemons
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup whole milk room temperature
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 8-inch round cake pans or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.1 ⅔ cups sifted all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add butter. Beat on high for about 1 minute.½ cup unsalted butter
- Add oil, sugar, and lemon zest. Beat until well combined, about 2-3 more minutes.3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest
- Add lemon juice, vanilla, and eggs. Beat again until combined, another 2-3 minutes.⅓ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 large eggs
- Add the flour mixture to the stand mixer. Beat on low, then pour in the milk and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.¾ cup whole milk
- Add blueberries to a small bowl. Coat with 1 tablespoon of flour. Add to the bowl with the rest of the batter. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the blueberries until evenly incorporated.1 cup fresh blueberries
- Spoon batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs.
- Remove cakes from the oven and let cool in the pan completely.
- Once cakes are cool, make the frosting. Clean the bowl of your stand mixer.
- Beat cream cheese and butter together with the paddle attachment, until smooth and creamy.8 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Beat on high speed until fully incorporated and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.3 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Assemble the cakes by leveling the layers, then placing one cake on a serving platter or cake stand.
- Add ⅓ of the frosting to the top of the cake. Spread until smooth.
- Top with the other cake layer.
- Then frost the entire top and sides with remaining frosting.
- Top with fresh blueberries and lemon slices.
- Let chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve, at least 30 minutes so the frosting can thicken before slicing.
Notes
- Butter: If you would like to use salted butter, omit the salt in the frosting and in the cake.
- Oil: You can use any neutral oil, like olive oil or canola oil.
- Lemon juice: I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice as bottled lemon juice can have an off flavor to it.
- Milk: Whole milk will give you the softest, richest cake.
- Cream cheese: I like to use full-fat cream cheese in the frosting. It will give you richer, creamier frosting. You could also use 1/3-less fat cream cheese.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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