I’m excited to share my Blueberry Lemon Cake Recipe, a sunshine-sweet lemon blueberry layer cake dotted with juicy berries and topped with lush cream cheese frosting.

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I still get a little giddy when I make this Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake. Bright lemon zest cuts through sweetness and fresh blueberries pop like little surprises in every forkful.

It looks like a showstopper, yet somehow I find messy edges more honest and interesting. Folks searching One Bowl Fluffy Lemon Blueberry Cake or Blueberry Lemon Cake Recipe online expect perfection, but I love the tiny flubs that make it feel real, they somehow tell a story I cant explain why.

You’ll wanna see how the layers hold together and which bites surprise you, those blueberry bursts are kinda addicting.

Ingredients

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All-purpose flour: Gives structure and carbs, makes cake tender when measured right, not very nutritious.
Unsalted butter: Adds richness, fat and flavor, helps browning and moistness, and carries sweetness.
Eggs: Provide protein, structure and lift, they also help emulsify batter, yay.
Lemons (zest and juice): Bright sour punch, vitamin C, balances sweetness, makes the cake taste fresh.
Blueberries: Bursting with antioxidants and fiber, add little tart-sweet pops and color.
Sour cream: Adds tang, moisture and tender crumb, a little helps keep cake soft.
Cream cheese (for frosting): Gives creamy tangy frosting, adds richness and slight saltiness to balance sugar.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens and stabilizes frosting, very refined carbs so use mindfully, pure sweetness.

Ingredient Quantities

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (to coat blueberries)

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3 to 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (for frosting)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)

pinch of fine salt

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Grease and flour three 8 inch round pans and line bottoms with parchment rounds so cakes come out easy.

2. Whisk together 3 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl.

3. In a large bowl cream 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter with 2 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes; beat in 3 large room temperature eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl, then stir in 2 tablespoons lemon zest.

4. Mix 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a measuring cup, then add the wet mix to the butter mixture in two parts, alternating with the dry ingredients and beginning and ending with the dry; mix just until combined, dont overmix or the cake gets tough.

5. Toss 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries with the reserved 1 tablespoon flour so they dont all sink, gently fold the berries into the batter, divide batter evenly between the three pans and smooth tops.

6. Bake at 350F for about 22 to 26 minutes, rotating pans halfway if your oven is uneven, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

7. For the frosting beat together 8 ounces softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter until silky, then add 3 to 4 cups sifted powdered sugar a cup at a time until you reach your desired sweetness and thickness; beat in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of fine salt. If frosting feels too soft chill briefly.

8. Level cake layers if needed, place first layer on your serving plate, spread about a third of the frosting, top with second layer and more frosting, then add last layer. Apply a thin crumb coat, chill 15 to 30 minutes to set, then finish frosting smoothly.

9. Garnish with remaining blueberries and extra lemon zest if you like, refrigerate the finished cake for 30 to 60 minutes to help the frosting set before slicing. Store leftovers covered in the fridge.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (set to 350F)
2. Three 8 inch round cake pans, plus parchment rounds to line them
3. Mixing bowls, at least one large and one medium
4. Electric mixer (stand or hand) — wait, cant use em dash; use comma instead: stand or hand mixer
5. Whisk and rubber spatula for folding and scraping
6. Measuring cups and spoons, plus a liquid measuring cup
7. Sifter or fine mesh sieve for powdered sugar
8. Cooling racks to cool the layers completely
9. Offset spatula and bench scraper for spreading a smooth frosting
10. Serrated knife or cake leveler and a toothpick to test doneness

FAQ

Q: How do I keep the blueberries from sinking to the bottom?

A: Toss the berries in that 1 tablespoon flour before folding them into the batter, fold very gently so you dont smash them, and divide batter evenly between pans. Chilling the berries for 10 minutes helps too. These little tricks really help them stay suspended.

Q: Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh?

A: Yes. Do not fully thaw them, just rinse and pat dry if needed, then toss in flour and fold in cold. Frozen berries can bleed a bit making the crumb purple, but the flavor is great. You might need a few extra minutes of bake time.

Q: My frosting is too soft or too stiff, how do I fix it?

A: If too soft chill it 15 to 30 minutes and then beat again, or add a bit more sifted powdered sugar. If too stiff add 1 teaspoon of milk or lemon juice at a time till it loosens. Make sure cream cheese and butter are same temp before you start so it mixes smooth.

Q: Can I make the cake ahead, and how should I store it?

A: Yes. Unfrosted layers wrap tightly in plastic and freeze up to 2 months, thaw in the fridge overnight. Fully frosted cake keeps in the fridge 3 to 4 days covered. For transport let it sit at room temp 30 minutes before serving so the frosting isnt rock hard.

Q: My cake domed or cracked on top, what went wrong?

A: Common causes are oven temp too high or overmixing. Use an oven thermometer to verify temp and dont overbeat after adding flour. Trim domes with a serrated knife or invert and press down when slightly warm, it still tastes the same.

Q: How do I get perfectly even layers?

A: Weigh the batter or eyeball equal amounts into each pan, tap pans on the counter to pop big bubbles, and rotate the pans halfway through baking if your oven heats uneven. After cooling level with a serrated knife or cake leveler for neat stacking.

Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: cake flour is the easiest swap, use it cup for cup for a softer crumb. If you dont have cake flour, make a DIY version for the full 3 cups by removing 6 tablespoons of the AP and whisking in 6 tablespoons cornstarch, then sift; this gives a lighter texture. Or try substituting up to half with whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier cake, but the batter might need a touch more milk.
Unsalted butter: if you only have salted butter, use the same amount and cut the recipe salt from 1 teaspoon down to about 1 quarter teaspoon. For a dairy free cake, stick margarine or a vegan spread works 1 to 1, though flavor changes a bit. You can also use neutral vegetable oil for moister crumb, about three quarters cup oil for 1 cup butter, but note you wont be able to cream it the same way so the cake may be denser.
Sour cream: plain full fat Greek yogurt is a perfect one to one swap and gives the same tang and moisture. Buttermilk can also replace sour cream, use one cup but expect a thinner batter so reduce the milk a little. For a lower fat option, use Neufchatel cheese blended smooth, about the same amount.
Fresh blueberries: frozen berries work great, fold them in straight from the freezer and toss with an extra tablespoon or two of flour so they dont sink or bleed. If you want a different fruit note, use raspberries or chopped strawberries, but be gentle since theyre softer. For dried blueberries, rehydrate briefly in warm water and drain before folding in, theyll be chewier and sweeter.

Pro Tips

– Bring eggs, butter and cream cheese fully to room temperature before you start. Warm ingredients emulsify better so the batter and frosting are smoother and you get fewer lumps.

– Keep the blueberries from sinking by folding them in at the very end and using a light dusting of flour on them. If you have very ripe or large berries, halve or freeze them briefly so they release less juice and stay suspended.

– Don’t overmix once the flour goes in. Switch to a spatula for the final folds and stop as soon as streaks disappear. Overworking develops gluten and gives a dense, chewy cake.

– Chill the layers slightly before leveling and doing the crumb coat. A slightly firm cake is easier to trim and transfer, and a cold crumb coat sets fast so the final frosting goes on smooth.

– If your frosting seems too soft, chill it briefly rather than adding a lot more sugar. For extra stability in warm conditions, whisk in a teaspoon of powdered gelatin dissolved in a tablespoon of warm water or a tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in a little milk, then chill to set.