Description
This Lemon Blueberry Cake is a delightful, moist cake bursting with fresh lemon zest and juicy blueberries, topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting. Perfect for celebrations or a fresh springtime treat, it combines tangy citrus flavors with sweet berries for an irresistible dessert.
Ingredients
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)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 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 tablespoons whipping cream (as needed)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch cake pan. For a layer cake, line the bottoms of the cake tins with parchment paper rounds, then grease and flour the sides carefully.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk the mix together and set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and freshly squeezed lemon juice together and set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest together until fluffy and light in color, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the vanilla extract. Then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each egg to incorporate all ingredients evenly.
- Alternate Dry and Wet Ingredients: With mixer on low speed, add about 1/3 of the dry flour mixture to the butter mixture. Then add half of the buttermilk-lemon juice mix. Scrape down the bowl sides and bottom, then repeat: add another 1/3 of dry ingredients, the rest of the wet mix, and finally the last 1/3 of dry flour mixture. Mix until just combined; avoid overmixing.
- Fold in Blueberries: Toss blueberries with 2 teaspoons of flour to prevent sinking. Gently fold them into the batter using a spatula or rubber spoon.
- Bake the Cake: Pour batter into the prepared pan(s). Bake 30-35 minutes for a 9×13 pan or 25-30 minutes for layer cakes. Cake is done when the top is set, a toothpick inserted comes out clean, and the surface springs back when lightly pressed.
- Cool the Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan. For layers, handle with care when removing from the pans and do not invert while warm.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat the softened butter until soft. Mix in cream cheese until smooth.
- Add Lemon and Sugar: Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Add 3 cups powdered sugar gradually with mixer on low then medium speed.
- Adjust Frosting Consistency: Continue adding the remaining powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time until desired sweetness and thickness is achieved. If frosting is too thick, beat in 1 tablespoon whipping cream.
- Decorate 9×13 Cake: Frost the completely cooled cake and optionally decorate with blueberries and lemon slices.
- Decorate Layer Cake: Ensure layers are fully cooled and firm (refrigerate wrapped if necessary). Level domed tops with serrated knife. Frost the first layer with about 3/4 cup frosting, then stack next layer and repeat. Add a crumb coat thin layer of frosting and chill for 20-30 minutes. Finish frosting with swirls and decorate with blueberries if desired.
- Slice and Serve: Use a thin, sharp knife to slice the cake cleanly and serve.
Notes
- For best results, use fresh blueberries; frozen ones may cause the batter to become watery.
- Room temperature ingredients (eggs, butter, buttermilk) help ensure a smooth batter and better rise.
- Do not overmix batter to keep the cake tender and light.
- If using a layer cake, chilling the layers before frosting helps achieve cleaner decoration.
- Adjust the frosting thickness with whipping cream depending on your desired texture.
- Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
