Description
This lemon blueberry cake starts with a moist & tender lemon cake that’s dotted with juicy blueberries. Then it’s topped with cream cheese frosting that has just a hint of lemon.
Ingredients
Lemon Blueberry Cake:
- 3 cups cake flour (360 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup buttermilk (180 ml), room temperature
- 1/3 cup lemon juice (80 ml), freshly squeezed
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams), softened to room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (350 grams)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups blueberries, fresh recommended
- 2 teaspoons cake flour, or all-purpose flour (for coating blueberries)
Cream Cheese Frosting for a 9×13 inch Cake:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 grams), softened
- 8 oz brick-style cream cheese (226 grams)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 – 4 cups powdered sugar (330–440 grams), sifted
- 1 tablespoon whipping cream, as needed
Cream Cheese Frosting for a Layer Cake:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (168 grams), softened
- 12 oz brick-style cream cheese (340 grams), full fat
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 4 1/2 – 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar (495 – 605 grams), sifted
- 1–2 tablespoons whipping cream, as needed
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch cake pan, or line and prepare three 8-inch round pans if making a layer cake.
2. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk and set aside.
3. Combine the buttermilk and lemon juice. Whisk with a fork and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
5. Add the vanilla extract and beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
6. With the mixer on low speed, beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix in 1/2 of the milk and lemon juice mixture. Scrape the bowl. Repeat the process and finish with the last 1/3 of the flour mixture. Do not overmix.
7. Toss the blueberries with 2 teaspoons of flour. Gently fold into the batter.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake 30-35 minutes for a 9×13 pan or 25-30 minutes for round cakes. A toothpick should come out clean.
9. Cool the cakes in the pan. Do not invert while hot.
10. For the frosting, beat butter until soft, then beat in cream cheese.
11. Add lemon juice and 3 cups powdered sugar. Start on low speed, then beat on medium.
12. Add remaining powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until desired consistency. If too thick, add 1 tablespoon whipping cream.
13. For a 9×13 cake, frost cooled cake and optionally decorate with blueberries and lemon slices.
14. For layer cake, ensure layers are fully cooled and level. Assemble with frosting between layers and frost sides and top. Chill crumb coat before final frosting.
15. Slice with a thin, sharp knife.
Notes
• If you don’t have cake flour, substitute with 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour plus 1/3 cup cornstarch. Sift together 3 times.
• Buttermilk can be replaced with whole milk if needed.
• Use about 3 large lemons for zest and juice.
• Ensure butter, eggs, and buttermilk are at room temperature.
• Fresh blueberries work best. Frozen berries may sink and bleed color.
• Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese for best texture.
• Nutrition info is an estimate based on one slice from a 9×13 cake cut into 15 pieces.
• Store unfrosted cake at room temp overnight or refrigerate. Frosted cake can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freeze unfrosted layers individually wrapped for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 534
- Sugar: 50g
- Sodium: 198mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 71g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 116mg