Lemon Blueberry Cake

Lemon blueberry cake is the perfect spring or summer cake! Light & fluffy lemon cake studded with fresh blueberries and frosted with lemon cream cheese frosting. This cake is sweet, tart, and unbelievably delicious!

Ingredients for Lemon Blueberry Cake

Lemon blueberry cake

• Unsalted butter: Room temperature for easy creaming.
• Granulated sugar: To add sweetness to the cake layers.
• Eggs: Room temperature for easy emulsification with the butter.
• Sour cream: Room temperature to add moisture and tang.
• Vegetable oil: For additional moisture. You can use any neutral oil.
• Cake flour: Cake flour creates a tender cake because it contains less protein than all-purpose flour.
• Baking powder: Leavening agent to help the cake layers rise.
• Salt: Enhances the flavor of the cake.
• Buttermilk: Room temperature for moisture and tang.
• Lemon juice: Fresh squeezed please!
• Lemon zest: Zest your lemons before you juice them!
• Blueberries: Fresh blueberries only!

Lemon cream cheese frosting

• Unsalted butter: Room temperature for easy creaming.
• Cream cheese: Room temperature to easily combine with the butter.
• Salt: Omit if using salted butter.
• Powdered sugar: No sifting required!
• Lemon juice: Again, fresh is best!
• Lemon zest: And again, zest before you juice!

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Cake

To make the cake batter, I recommend using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for the best results. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use an electric hand mixer.

1. Preheat oven to 335 degrees F and prepare cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and parchment circles.
2. On medium speed, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Continue to mix and add eggs, sour cream, and vegetable oil.
4. In a separate bowl, add the cake flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine.
5. In a liquid measuring cup, combine buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
6. On the lowest speed, add the dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk mixture: 1/3 dry ingredients, 1/2 buttermilk, 1/3 dry ingredients, 1/2 buttermilk, and 1/3 dry ingredients.
7. Once all the ingredients are added and combined, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for an additional 30 seconds. Be careful not to overmix the batter!
8. Add in blueberries and fold into the batter using a spatula until the blueberries are dispersed.
9. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Use a kitchen scale to create even layers.
10. Bake the cake for approximately 35-40 minutes. You will want to bake the cake layers until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or the cakes bounces back when gently touched.
11. Cool the layers in the pans for about 30 minutes and then remove to a wire cooling rack.

How to Make Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

To make the lemon cream cheese frosting, I recommend using a  stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use an electric hand mixer.

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and cream cheese.
2. Whip on medium speed until smooth.
3. Add in the powdered sugar in two batches, mixing on low speed in between each addition.
4. Add in the salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest and continue to mix. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
5. Whip the frosting for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until smooth.

Assembling the Lemon Blueberry Cake

1. Place one cake layer on an 8 inch cardboard cake circle.
2. Add a desired amount of lemon cream cheese frosting and spread evenly using an offset spatula.
3. Place the next cake layer on top of the frosting and repeat adding frosting.
4. Place the final cake layer on the top. Ensure that the cake is even horizontally and vertically.
5. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the top and sides of the cake to create a crumb coat.
6. Chill the cake for 30 minutes in the refrigerator or 15 minutes in the freezer.
7. Frost the top and sides of the cake in a thick layer of cream cheese frosting using an offset spatula.
8. Create a rustic look by spinning the cake on a turntable and gently pressing the spatula into the frosting while turning.
9. Use a Wilton 1M tip to create small swirls of frosting around the top edge of the cake.
10. Decorate with blueberries and lemon slices if desired.