Easy Lemon Blueberry Cake recipe with fresh ingredients, detailed instructions, and tips for perfect layering and 2 types of frosting: creamy lemon buttercream and vanilla cream cheese-ideal for beginners looking to impress family and friends, just like Lemon Curd Cake and 2 Ingredient Lemon Bars.
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Learn how to prepare a stunning Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake, from batter to frosting, with expert tips on storage, substitutions, and decorating ideas.
Easy Lemon Blueberry Cake
Lemon Blueberry cake is mouthwatering and oh so delicious, essentially it’s a combination of a lemon cake and a blueberry cake. The cake is fluffy, tangy, and simply divine! Bonus? The cake is simpler to make than you’d think, and so very pretty with the colors of blueberries.
Here we have 2 layers of light and fluffy lemon cake swirled with a mix of fresh blueberries and topped with lemony perfection frosting. Every bite is layered with fresh berries, hints of lemon, and filled with creamy buttercream. It’s so moist, just perfectly sweet, and has a hint of lemon flavor throughout.
What I like the best about this cake batter is the combination of the fresh lemon zest and lemon juice in the batter, and buttermilk makes the cake crumb soft and fluffy!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Choose one of 2 delicious lemon frostings: Each cake layer is frosted generously with whipped lemon buttercream or you can choose to use vanilla cream cheese frosting instead. No special ingredients, nothing fancy, just pantry staples, and a whole cup of blueberries.
- Buttermilk is like magic: I love to use buttermilk for its ability to make my cakes more tender and moist since buttermilk helps break down long strands of gluten and proteins in baked goods.
- Fresh flavor galore: To get a really intense blueberry and incredible lemon flavor, I used fresh blueberries and fresh lemon. So yes, that’s double the blueberry lemon action, and yes, every bite literally bursts with berries and it’s maybe one of the best things you will ever eat.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Butter: Always softened to room temperature so it’s easy to mix and to keep the cake nice and tender.
- Buttermilk: The key to a moist cake. I also used buttermilk in my Blueberry Scones.
- Sugar: both regular granulated and powdered sugar to add sweetness and a little extra moisture to the cake batter and the frosting.
- Eggs: Have 4 large ones ready at room temperature-they help hold everything together and make the cake rise.
- Vanilla extract: Don’t forget a splash of pure vanilla extract for some subtle flavor in the frosting-just about a tablespoon altogether.
- Dry ingredients: On the dry side, you’ll use 3 cups of all-purpose flour, plus a teaspoon or two of baking powder and a pinch of baking soda and salt to give the cake a good lift and balance the flavors.
- Liquid ingredients: To make the cake moist and flavorful, you’ll add buttermilk, lemon zest , and the fresh lemon juice.
- Berries: Of course, fresh blueberries are a must-about 1 ½ cups-to get those juicy bursts of flavor. To keep the blueberries from sinking, toss them with a tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter.
- For cream cheese frosting: Cream cheese and butter, both softened, plus a few cups of powdered sugar for sweetness, heavy cream to make it creamy, vanilla extract, and just a pinch of salt to cut through the sweetness.
- Buttercream frosting: Made with just a few simple ingredients that come together to create a smooth, creamy topping for your blueberry lemon cake. It starts with soft butter, which is whipped until smooth and fluffy. Then powdered sugar is added gradually to sweeten and thicken the mixture. A splash of vanilla extract adds even more flavor, while a tiny pinch of salt balances the sweetness.
Equipment
- 2 round 9 inch cake pans
- Food processor
- Spatula, measuring spoons and cups
How to Make Easy Lemon Blueberry Cake
When it comes to making cake batter I like to keep my cake recipes pretty straightforward by illustrating the baking process with photos. The actual recipe with measurements is in the recipe card.
1. Mix Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. Make Lemon Sugar
Process or blend granulated sugar with lemon zest until the mixture is pale yellow and fragrant.
3. Cream Butter and Lemon Sugar
After I process sugar and lemon zest for about 30-60 seconds, I combine it with the softened butter until smooth and slightly fluffy.
Add Eggs
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Before fully combined, add buttermilk and fresh lemon juice. Mix just until incorporated.
5. Prepare Blueberries
Toss blueberries with a bit of flour to prevent sinking.
Mix blueberries with batter: Gently fold blueberries into the batter.
6. Divide Batter and Bake
Evenly distribute the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake until the cakes are golden and a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs.
7. Cool Cakes
Cool the cakes in the pans briefly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Make the Lemon Buttercream Frosting
The lemon butter cream for this lemon blueberry cake is pretty straightforward as well.
Simply beat the butter with a hand mixer until creamy and then gradually add the confectioner’s sugar, one cup at a time. Finally add lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting is smooth, fluffy, and spreadable.
9. Make Cream Cheese Frosting
Using a handheld mixer, beat cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until no lumps remain, about 3 minutes.
Add powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Turn mixer up to high speed and beat for 3 minutes.
10. Assemble the Cake
Step 1: Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a generous layer of lemon buttercream or cream cheese frosting on top.
Step 2: Place the second layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake.
Step 3: Garnish with fresh blueberries, thyme sprigs, and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Easy Lemon Blueberry Cake
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Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups cake flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon white vinegar, rested 5 min)
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1½ cups blueberries
- 1 tablespoon flour (to toss with blueberries)
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 6 cups confectioners sugar sifted if needed
- 6 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (adjust to taste – you can add up to 8 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz full-fat brick cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Garnish
- fresh blueberries
- thyme sprigs
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Cake
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
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Dry ingredients In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
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Lemon sugar: In a food processor, blend the sugar and lemon zest for about 30-60 seconds, until the mixture is pale yellow and fragrant.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, and lemon sugar and use a spatula to cream them together until smooth and slightly fluffy.
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Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly with the spatula after each addition.
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Stir in the dry ingredients gradually using the spatula. Before it’s fully combined, add the buttermilk, vanilla and lemon juice. Mix just until incorporated.
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Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon of flour, then gently fold them into the batter using a spatula.
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Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
Bake
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Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the tops are golden, the edges pull slightly from the sides, and a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs (but no wet batter).
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Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
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In a large bowl, beat the butter with a hand mixer until creamy.
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Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar, one cup at a time, mixing on low.
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Add lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting is smooth, fluffy, and spreadable.
Cream Cheese Frosting
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Beat cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until no lumps remain, about 3 full minutes.
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Add powdered’ sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Turn mixer up to high speed and beat for 3 minutes.
Assemble
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Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous layer of lemon buttercream on top.
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Place the second layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake.
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Garnish with fresh blueberries, thyme sprigs, and a dusting of powdered sugar.