Lemon Blueberry Cake
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This lemon blueberry cake is moist, tender and dotted with juicy blueberries. Then it’s topped with cream cheese frosting that has just a hint of lemon. It’s a simple recipe that’s perfect for spring and always gets rave reviews. Make it as a 9×13 inch sheet cake, or as a showstopping layer cake!
**This post was updated April 2, 2025 with new photos and options to bake as a sheet cake or as a layer cake**
This lemon blueberry cake is the perfect dessert for spring and Easter. I originally published this recipe in 2018 as a sheet cake made in a 9×13 inch pan. It quickly became a reader favorite because of it’s moist cake crumb, bright lemon flavor and juicy berries throughout. I’ve updated the recipe so that it can easily be made as either a sheet can or a beautiful layer cake. The recipe has remained essentially the same, but just scaled up. I’ve also included more recipe tips and detailed step-by-step photos to help ensure success.
Why You’ll Love this Lemon Blueberry Cake
It has a deliciously tender & soft texture, zero dry cake crumbs, a sunshine-y lemon flavor, and tons of juicy blueberries. The cream cheese frosting is creamy, slightly tangy and not too sweet. It pairs perfectly with the bright lemon flavor.
If you’d like a slightly less tedious recipe, then I recommend making it in a 9×13 inch pan since you won’t need to worry about cake layers.
Step-by-Step
Feel free to click the link below to get straight to the recipe (with amount, etc) – but I recommend reading through and having a look at the photos for tips and advice.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and prepare your pans.
- If using a 9×13 inch pan, lightly grease and flour the bottom and sides.
- If making a layer cake, line the bottom of the pans with rounds of baking paper and grease and flour the side. Be sure to line the bottom of the pans (don’t just grease and flour) – otherwise the cake layers can get stuck.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then give them a whisk. Be sure to sift first – as cake flour can be very lumpy.
- Combine the Milk and Lemon Juice. Whisk together with a fork and set aside.
- Cream the Butter, Sugar and Lemon Zest. They should be fluffy and have lightened in color when you’re done – about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in the Eggs. You’ll add in the vanilla, and beat in the eggs 1 at a time. It’s important to do this 1 at a time to avoid overmixing.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients and Milk into the Butter Mixture, Alternating between Additions. Mix in about 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by about 1/2 of the milk. Then you’ll repeat the process. Alternating between additions helps to avoid overmixing and gives the cake a more uniform crumb. I recommend doing a few stirs by hand each time.
- Toss the Blueberries in Flour, then Fold into the Batter. Tossing in flour first helps to avoid the berries bleeding color and helps to avoid them dropping to the bottom of the pan. Fold them into the batter very gently.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. If making a 9×13 inch cake, the bake time will be about 35-40 minutes. If using three 8-inch round pans, it will be about 35-30 minutes.
Frosting the Cake
After the cake is baked and cooled, it’s time to get on with the frosting. It’s creamy, velvety smooth and has the most delicious hint of tang. I like to add a tiny bit of fresh lemon juice to the frosting to really complement the lemon flavor of the cake. I wouldn’t say its enough to a call it a lemon frosting – just a hint.
If making a layer cake, I recommend wrapping the cooled cake layers tightly and placing in the fridge overnight before frosting. When the cake layers are cold, they’re easier to trim and frost. If the tops of the cakes are domed, you’ll want to gently saw off the rounded cake tops before assembling so that the layers sit flat on top of each other.
Recipe Tip
If making a layer cake, after stacking the cake layers you’ll want to frost a thin layer of cream cheese frosting on the cake. Then place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. This is called the crumb coat and will seal in the crumbs so that you don’t cake cake crumbs in your frosting. Then you’ll swirl a thick layer of frosting on the sides and top.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Real butter – not margarine, not that 50/50 stuff. We use real butter for the most flavor. Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature but not melting.
- Cake flour for an extra soft, never dense cake crumb. I realize that not everyone has cake flour on hand in their kitchen, so I’ve included a substitute in the notes using all-purpose flour and cornstarch, although I definitely recommend using cake flour if possible. DO NOT substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour as a 1:1 ratio. Otherwise, the cake with be dry and dense.
- Buttermilk for a moist, tender, super soft cake. Make sure it’s room temperature first – by either leaving it on the counter for 15 minutes to warm up, or microwave in short 10 second bursts on low-medium power. If you don’t have buttermilk, I’ve included a substitute in the notes. But I really recommend using buttermilk if possible.
- Lemon juice & lemon zest for that delicious flavor. Make sure to use lemon juice from freshly squeezed lemons as opposed to the stuff from the bottle for a tart, bright flavor that doesn’t taste sour.
- Fresh berries for best results. I find frozen berries are more likely to sink to the bottom and bleed color throughout the cake. If using frozen, do not thaw them first.
FAQs
Now for a few common questions:
Can I make a 9-inch round cake? Yes. It’s enough for a 2-layer 9-inch layer cake. Line the bottom of the cake pans first, then grease the sides. They’ll take about 21-25 minutes to bake.
Can I turn this recipe into lemon blueberry cupcakes? Yup. Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 fulls, and bake at 350F for for 16-20 minutes. You’ll end up with about 24 cupcakes total.
How can I make this recipe ahead of time? Make the cake and frosting up to 1 day in advance. Cool the cake completely then wrap tightly and store at room temperature or in the fridge, and store the frosting in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to frost, let the frosting warm up to room temperature first. You may need to beat the frosting again with the mixer if it seems too hard/thick to frost. Unfrosted cake can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge.
Lemon Blueberry Cake
Equipment
- 9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan* or
- 3 8-inch round (20 cm) cake pans
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 teaspoos vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups blueberries, I recommend using fresh
- 2 teaspoons cake flour, or all-purpose flour
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 ounces 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 tablespoon whipping cream, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch cake pan. For a layer cake, line the bottom of the cake tins with rounds of parchment paper. Then grease and flour the sides of the pans.
- In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
- Combine the buttermilk and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Whisk with a fork and set aside.
- In a large bowl beat together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until fluffy. (About 2-3 minutes).
- Add in the vanilla extract and beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
- With the mixer on low speed, beat about 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Then mix in about 1/2 of the milk and lemon juice mixture. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Repeat the process – beat in about 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by the rest of the milk and lemon juice mixture. Lasty, beat in the last 1/3 of the flour mixture. Do not overmix.
- Toss the blueberries with the 2 teaspoons of flour, then gently fold into the batter with a spatula or rubber spoon.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan/pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes for a 9×13 inch pan, or about 25-30 minutes for layer cakes. When done baking, the top should look set and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. If you gently press on the top of the cake it should feel firm and slightly springy to the touch, but not gooey.
- Cool the cakes in the pan. If making a layer cake, be very, very careful when inserting the pans. Do not try to invert the cake pans while they are still hot.
Cream Cheese Frosting (same process for a 9×13 inch and a layer cake)
- Beat the butter until soft, then mix in the cream cheese.
- Add in the lemon juice and mix in 3 cups of the powdered sugar, starting with the mixer on low speed and then turning up to medium as it starts to combine.
- Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time until the desired sweetness and thickness is reached. If the frosting seems too thick, beat in 1 tablespoon whipping cream.
Decorating
- For a 9×13 inch cake, frost the cooled cake and optionally decorate with blueberries and lemon slices.
- For a layer cake, ensure that the layers are fully cooled first. (I recommend wrapping in plastic and refrigerating so that the layers are slightly firm). If the tops are domed, use a serrated knife or cake leveler to gently cut off the rounded top. Place one cake layer on the plate or cake stand that you plan to serve it on. Frost the top with about 3/4 cup frosting. Place the second cake layer on top and frost the top with another 3/4 cup of frosting. Then place the third cake layer on top. Frost the sides of the cake with a thin layer of frosting – the crumb coat – and place in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes. Once the thin layer of frosting has hardened, frost the sides and top of the cake with swirls of frosting. Optionally, decorate with blueberries.
- Slice with a thin, sharp knife.
Notes
- Cake Flour: If you don’t have cake flour, measure out 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour. Add in 1/3 cup cornstarch (AKA cornflour in the UK). Sift together 3 times before using.
- Buttermilk: Can be substituted with whole milk if needed.
- Lemons: You will need about 3 large lemons for this recipe. Zest first, then squeeze the juice.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: The butter, eggs, and buttermilk should be at room temperature before using.
- Blueberries: I do not recommend using frozen blueberries because they are more likely to sink to the bottom of the cake and bleed color. They will also increase the bake time. If using frozen berries, do not thaw.
- Cream Cheese: Be sure to use full-fat, brick style cream cheese.
- Nutrition: Details are an estimate only, based on 1 slice of a 9×13 inch cake with frosting, assuming the cake is sliced into 15 uniform slices.
- Storage: Unfrosted cake cane be stored covered at room temperature overnight or wrapped tightly and stored in the fridge overnight. Frost the day you plan to serve. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Fresh cake is always best. Unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped tightly (I recommend wrapping each layer individually so that they don’t stick together), then placed in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge.
Nutrition
This cake is absolutely delicious. My oldest granddaughter, now sixteen, has requested it for her birthday three years in a row. The only thing I change is the frosting. She wants Lemon Buttercream.
I’d love to make this for Easter. I have some cream cheese haters so wondering if you have a recommendation for an appropriate icing recipe without it?
Thanks!
I’d make a buttercream frosting with a touch of lemon. I’d use
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
5-6 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (or omit and add in an extra 2 extra tablespoon of whipping cream)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons whipping cream, as needed
The process will be the same as the recipe states, just omitting the cream cheese. I hope this helps.
Just made this today & it came out so delicious!! I cut the recipe in half because it’s just the two of us & baked it in an 8 by 8 inch baking dish for 40mins at 350 degrees. It came out PERFECT!! I also added more fresh lemon juice to the frosting a little at a time while tasting it. Thanks for the awesome recipe!! Will definitely be making this again!! 😋👍🥰
This cake is amazing! Wonderful moist texture and “party in your mouth” lemon flavor. I used a favorite lemon cream cheese icing. Great for pot luck dessert.
THIS IS AMAZING. So well balanced, texture is perfect and taste is bang on.
This is the best! I give it a 10
This cake is just amazing! I increased lemon juice in the icing to about 1 TBSP, added more powdered sugar.
Thanks so much for the feedback and trying the recipe 🙂