Lemon Blueberry Cake with Whipped Lemon Cream Frosting
This lemon blueberry cake is a show stopper! Soft, fluffy and perfectly lemony, the cake is perfection, and the whipped lemon frosting is divine.
For an unabashed chocolate lover, I can humbly and easily admit that this lemon blueberry cake is one of my very favorite cakes of all time.
I’ve been making it for a couple of years now, and I don’t want to oversell it here, but…it’s absolutely one of the best cakes in the history of ever.
Simple Cake Batter
The batter for this lemon blueberry cake is pretty straightforward.
A few things that set it apart are:
- the fresh lemon zest and lemon juice in the batter – YUM
- buttermilk (makes the cake crumb soft and fluffy!)
Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
Fresh OR frozen blueberries can be used in this cake. Don’t thaw the frozen blueberries before using.
Frozen blueberries might make the cake batter slightly wetter and/or slightly blue-hued, but the cake will bake up just fine.
Tossing the blueberries with a bit of flour helps them not to sink while baking. Although whenever I make this cake, some of the blueberries inevitably sink. Don’t panic! The cake tastes great no matter where the blueberries end up.
Subbing in Other Fruits
This cake also works really well with raspberries and blackberries.
Trish in the comments wrote: Wow, Mel! This cake is absolutely fabulous! I tried it with raspberries for a teachers’ luncheon, and it was a hit!
Marilyn says: Since I always have raspberries in the freezer (I have a wonderful raspberry patch) I used them instead! Absolutely yummy! Definitely a hit with the group I made it for!
Whipped Frosting
The frosting for this cake is a lemony whipped cream cheese frosting.
It’s creamy, luscious and divine.
The lemon flavor comes, again, from fresh lemon zest, and also a touch of fresh lemon juice.
A Perfect Cake
This lemon blueberry cake is a cake for all seasons and all events. I’m telling you, it’s perfect.
And it’s a showstopper every single time.
Not only is it refreshingly pretty, it tastes amazing: bright, fresh lemon flavor (in the cake and the frosting) with juicy blueberries and that divine whipped lemon frosting.
Many people have made this cake in a 9X13-inch pan as well as baking the batter as cupcakes with great results!
What You Need to Bake This Lemon Blueberry Cake:
- Offset spatula for frosting. These little tools make frosting a cake super easy. I have several in my drawer because I use them all the time.
- I recommend light-colored aluminum baking pans (not dark, nonstick pans) with at least 2-inch sides. These ones are fantastic (with great reviews).
- For this cake, a zester is indispensable. I have this rasp grater (going on four years now) and it’s inexpensive and fabulous.
- I also use a handheld lemon juicer. It’s easier and less messy than pulling out an electric juicer for just a few tablespoons of lemon juice.
What Others are Saying
This cake is a tried-and-true favorite that has stood the test of time. Not just for me but for many of you!
Julie wrote in the comments: I’ve never really liked cake. But this was a HUGE exception. It was so incredible! We used frozen blueberries in the cake batter and fresh on top. Thanks for another outstanding recipe, Mel.
Jenn says: I have never left a comment online before, however I made this cake today and have to report that it is simply amazing! I did not have buttermilk so I substituted heavy cream with teaspoon of lemon juice mixed in. It is delicious!!! I am new to baking/cooking and even “I” pulled it off. Thanks so much for this new family favorite!
Erin commented: This is my “show-stopper” cake when I want to impress people. I make this for easter every year and for guests on special occasions. Favorite cake recipe EVER.
Two Years Ago: My Go-To Fried Rice Recipe {Easy Ham Fried Rice}
Three Years Ago: Salted Caramel Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
Four Years Ago: Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Five Years Ago: Lemon Cream Cheese Crumb Muffins
Six Years Ago: Turkey and Brown Rice Taco Burritos
Seven Years Ago: My Favorite Peanut Butter Cookies
Eight Years Ago: Lemon Drop Sugar Cookie Bars
Nine Years Ago: Candy Apple Pie
Ten Years Ago: Peanut Blossom Cookies
Lemon Blueberry Cake with Whipped Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup (227 g) butter, softened to room temperature (I use salted)
- 1 ¾ cups (371 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 4 large eggs (200 g, out of shell), room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups (355 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk (see note)
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice, from about 3 lemons
- 2 cups (340 g) fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw if frozen)
- 2 tablespoons (18 g) all-purpose flour
Whipped Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, softened to room temperature (I use salted)
- 4 ½ cups (513 g) powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Garnish:
- Fresh lemon slices
- Fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and coat with nonstick cooking spray. The cake can also be baked in a 9X13-inch pan (metal pan is recommended – if using glass, bake at 325 degrees F). Set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer (or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well-combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Stir the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until partly combined. Large dry streaks are ok.
- Add the buttermilk and lemon juice to the batter, and stir by hand, folding the batter until just combined.
- In another bowl, toss the blueberries with the 2 tablespoons flour. Add the blueberries and flour to the batter and fold in by hand with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Don't over mix.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pans and bake for 25-35 minutes until the top springs back lightly to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the cakes cool for 5-10 minutes in the pans before turning them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. (I don't turn the cake out if baking in a 9X13-inch pan.)
- For the frosting, whip the softened cream cheese and butter together with a handheld electric mixer or with an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice and mix on low speed (so the powdered sugar doesn't fly everywhere) until it starts to come together. Increase the speed and mix until light and creamy, 2-3 minutes.
- When the cake has cooled completely, place one round on a platter or plate and spread the top evenly with frosting. Place the other cake round upside down on the frosting and press just lightly. Continue frosting with a thin spatula or offset spatula until the top and sides of the cake are evenly frosted. Garnish with blueberries and lemon slices, if desired.
- This cake, once frosted, lasts very well in the refrigerator for several days (I've made it up to two days in advance before serving). Take it out an hour or two before serving or serve chilled, your choice!
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (adapted and combined these three recipes: Epicurious, Sally’s Baking Addiction, Cooking Classy)
Recipe originally posted March 2016; updated April 2022 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.
Here’s a throwback to 2016 when we made this cake for our sweet neighbor, Carol (who has since passed – we miss her so much! She was like another grandma to my kids 💗).
578 Comments on “Lemon Blueberry Cake with Whipped Lemon Cream Frosting”
I have been va king for 40 years The cake does not cook Well. It went in the garbage bin. It was all wet and VERY heavy.
Have you ever done these in cupcakes?
I haven’t but I believe others have with good results.
Fabulous recipe! My family went nuts over this!
I made this cake for company this weekend. The only change I made was to add 2 TBS of lemon juice to the frosting to give it more lemon flavor. The cake was a HUGE hit! I don’t care for.most cake, but this one is an exception. I love the dense, moist texture, as well as the blend of flavors. I will definitely make it again!
I’ve never made any baked recipe with salted butter. To anyone who has done this recipe, can you confirm that salted butter works okay? Is there a particular brand of salted butter? Not all butters have the same amount of salt.
Hi Mark, I only use salted butter in baking and it works just fine in this recipe. I use the Kirkland brand of salted butter from Costco, but I’ve made this cake with many brands of salted butter and there isn’t a noticeable difference. If you are more comfortable using unsalted butter, increase the salt in the recipe by 1/2 teaspoon.
Will this work as cupcakes?
I believe several people in the comment section has made this cake as cupcakes with good results!
Mine had good flavor but the density was more like a muffin, not light and fluffy. Not sure why? I did use frozen berries tossed with flour, maybe fresh are better? The cakes were kind of flat and heavy. I tried twice to follow the directions exactly. Frosting was perfect!
Absolutely delicious and beautiful cake! Kind of a long process to prep (zesting and juicing the lemons, rinsing, drying and tossing the blueberries in the flour) but worth it. I didn’t have buttermilk so I subbed 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt and 1/4 cup milk mixed together. I baked it in two square pans so I could serve one at a meeting I hosted for my church women’s ministry leadership team and the other one I took to a friend who recently had a baby. The lemon slice twist in the center of the frosting with fresh blueberries dropped onto the top looked lovely and gave the hint of the cake flavors. I will definitely make this again.
I made this recipe a few years back and it was AMAZING. My husband’s birthday is in a couple days, and he’s blueberry fan, so I’m going to make this for him. I’m looking at your notes and see that it says the original
frosting called for 12 ounces of cream cheese and 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Is that extra 4 ounces of cream cheese in addition to the butter, or instead of the butter? Thanks!!
Hi Mel, I’m curious if I bake it as a 9 x 13, can you suggest the baking time? Is it the same as the round double layer or longer? Thank you so much and Happy Holidays.
Hi Stella, I’m guessing you’ll need to bake it anywhere from 28-35 minutes in a 9X13-inch pan.
Thanks I needed 34 minutes and nay I say this is the BEST cake ever. I had my eye on this cake forever and boy it did not disappoint. Simply the BEST.
Mel, I just think this is the best cake! I just made it for my parents’ 40 year wedding anniversary and it was a big hit!
Having made it a bunch of times now (and eaten a whole lot of leftovers) I think that this cake is best on the second day after baking it. In other words, best to bake it 48 hours before serving. Next time, I plan to make it 2 days before. But it’s still tremendous day of, or one day before!
This is the BEST cake my family has ever eaten. We all adore it!!! Was gone in a matter of minutes. Everyone just raved about how good it was!!!!! Was surprised at the weight of it. LOL Course I have only made box cakes…never again!!!! It was just Sooooooooooooooo good. The flavors just work together. Can’t say enough good things about it. Thank you!!!
Love this so much turned out great!
This cake is absolutely amazing! I’ve made it several times and everyone raves about it. I have a question though…Even though I follow the directions to a T, I can never get the frosting what you would call fluffy. No matter how long I beat it, it is more runny than fluffy so when I frost the cake, it runs down the cake. This time when I made it, I put the frosting in the freezer for a while and it helped the thicken it so it would spread easier but it still wasn’t fluffy. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi, Nicole – you could try cutting the cream cheese back to 4 ounces and then increasing the powdered sugar by a cup and see how that goes?
OMG!! I love a lemon drizzle cake, but this is next level delicious. Will definitely be baking it again. I’ve even turned a chocolate sponge girls head!!
I made this recipe with Xylitol as my husband is diabetic. He said it was very delicious, rates close to chocolate cake (his favorite). Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Really good, The cake has a similar texture to carrot cake. I used insulated cake strips atround my cake pans so it took quite a bit longer to bake but the bake was beautifully even. I cut my cakes in half horizontally to make a 4 layer cake. Skimmed the sides and piped the top to make it fancy.
It was a hit on Mother’s Day.
Looks delicious!
Question though, can I leave out the blueberries and still make the lemon cake?
I’m thinking of making a blueberry compote for between layers instead of putting the blueberries in the cake.
Thanks!
I haven’t tried that, but it should work!
I have been making this recipe for YEARS, probably since you first put it out in 2016. It’s my favorite and I’m gluten free so I’m able to sub out 1:1 just fine.
Question for you, do you think this would bake well in a bundt pan? Wanting to do a bundt style for Mother’s Day and I’m curious if this would bake well like that. Thanks!!
I haven’t tried it in a bundt pan, but several others have and commented it worked great as long as the bundt pan was very well greased and floured.
I want to make this again, but GF. What gf flour do you feel works best?
I made this cake this wknd and it is absolutely hands down the best cake I’ve ever made. I’m so pleased with the result and it wowed the crowd I served it to. I love that I can say I made it from scratch too. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe. It’s FABULOUS!!!!
Love this cake. I always do it with raspberries. FYI I baked it in a cookie sheet the last time. Thrilled with the way it turned out. Made it a little less fussy for big family dinners. I thought it would be to much so I had a small pan ready for what didn’t fit but I didn’t need it.
Made this cake for Easter. Absolutely delicious. Thank you for posting recipe.
This cake was so easy to make! Frosting tip – make and freeze the cake layers in plastic wrap the night before you want to frost and you won’t risk getting any crumbs in the frosting. This also locks in the moisture of the cake!
I have made this cake several times and just love it. I like the old version of the frosting that has the heavy cream in it. Really sets it apart.
I included the original frosting in the notes!
Yes, I saw that. Thanks for doing that!
When I bake cakes, muffins, or just anything with blueberries, I have great success by not folding them into the batter. I sprinkle the berries over the top of the batter in the pans. The berries sink just enough to suspend in the batter, but not sink all the way down.
I too am a chocolate loved and almost never make a vanilla or white cake unless requested by one of my family members. But….. I had a craving for a lemon cake and stumbled upon this recipe. Oh. My. Goodness. It is absolutely perfect. Lemony, light, fruity, sweet but not too sweet and looks gorgeous. Just made it this morning for my mother in law’s birthday. Second time requested in a couple weeks. Thank you, Mel!!!
Do you think I could use a 9″ x 13″ baking dish for the lemon, blueberry cake? Thank you. P.S., great lemon recipes!
Several people have made it in that size of pan with good results!
My son loves blueberries so I made this cake last weekend. My family raved and my husband who is a chocoholic pronounced this cake as the best cake he had ever had. It was beautiful and moist with a light lemony flavor and so delicious. I will definitely make it again.
It seemed labor intensive to this very average cook but should be easier next time I make it. I only baked it 33 minutes.
Yum!!! I made this cake 2 days ahead of time and it was so delicious! Moist, dense, citrusy, and just the right amount of sweet. my family said it was professional level and gma (who turned 84) said it was the best cake she ever had! Would definitely make again. Would do 2/3-3/4 of the frosting recipe since I had extra.
This cake is perfect. It’s so bright and fresh. As per the note I didn’t use the full amount of frosting (2/3 the recipe was perfect for me). This is going into the special event rotation!
My absolute favorite cake. Its truly a ( big) slice of everything i expect when consuming that amount of calories!
Cheers,
Lori
I was looking up blueberry recipes and saw this one. As I scrolled through it, I saw my sister in law’s beautiful mother pictured with this cake. It just happened to be the day she passed away. Now it is featured again the day before her funeral. Definitely will have to make this one in memory of her. Love that you are honoring her this week.
I made this last night and I really don’t post much.I did make just a few changes to the frosting,I did use an 8×3 Winton round cake pan,I followed the cake recipe EXACTLY as posted,it was thick and I was worried that I forgot some liquid somewhere in the recipe but I didn’t, so instead of going with my stomach and adding more liquid I just baked as instructed,2 cakes, 1 a little bit less in (3cps) batter, baked 30 min.PERFECT cake 2 about 4 pcs batter baked 40-45 min.PERFECT,THE FROSTING I had about 7 oz that I beat with 6 tbsp of butter and beat approximately 3-4 min until very lite and fluffy then I only added (2cps) of powdered sugar)and the other ingredients as instructed and i beat 4-5 min.You can see how fluffy the frosting gets.it will definitely be enough to put a layer in the middle and frost the whole outside.it was DELICIOUS
Im making a fault line cake with piped flowers. Im wondering if i can use 2 8-inch and 1 6-inch pan. Is the frosting good for piping?
The frosting is probably too soft for piping.
The icing is a little soft for decorating but I was able to pipe stars using the 21 Wilton tip to give it a little extra pizazz. Once the icing chilled the stars held. I can’t post a picture in the comments or I would.
I love this cake was very easy to make For a friend’s birthday everybody loves is delicious.
How can I reduce this recipe so it works for 2 6 inch pans?
I’m not sure, I haven’t tried that. Sorry! You’ll have to experiment with the ingredients (maybe start by making 2/3 of the recipe and see if that fits in the 6-inch pans?).
This cake was truly outstanding!! My husband who is a critic LOVED it…my family and co-workers.
So first, the cake is delicious! It’s got a ton of lemon flavor and the fresh blueberries in it compliment it so well! Second, I don’t know if it’s because it’s August in Texas and it’s hot as heck here but the frosting was an absolute nightmare to work with. It was super runny and I kept having to throw the cake in the refrigerator to keep the frosting on the cake at all. Don’t get me wrong, the frosting was delicious but it’s just too runny. Also, the cake was described as light but mine was heavy and dense, lol. I cook it a little longer per my oven and took it out when it had a few light crumbs on the cake tester. Overall, would make again though I’ll probably use another cream cheese frosting recipe next time.
Mine was dry and dense too (made it twice). Today i found a similar recipe that only called for 21-25 minute bake time instead of 35-40 minutes stated on here, so I’m going to try 21-25 minutes next time. The runny frosting sounded like it maybe had too much butter and/or heavy cream… start with less butter and heavy cream and just keep adding to desired consistency.
Do you think I could split this into two loaf pans?
I think you probably could!
I did make this and also infused some lavender buds into the cake because my son who is the one requesting a blueberry lemon lavender cake!! I used only two 9” pans. But my icing is kind of floppy! I don’t know if it’ll hold its shape on the sides. I put in refrigerator until the layers cool on the rack. Any suggestions would be welcomed!! I could put more powdered sugar I suppose. What do you think??? Thanks for any help! 8/12/21
Hi Mel! Thank you for the wonderful recipes. Want to try this recipe for the weekend. Have you made it with raspberries before, instead of blueberries? Or with a mix of blueberries and raspberries? Thank you! 😉
I haven’t, but a lot of people in the comments have used raspberries with great results!
I am wondering of this recipe can be made in a 13×9 baking pan. If so, would the baking time be the same or different? Thanks. So excited to try it. It looks super delicious
I believe lots of people have baked this in a 9X13-inch pan. The baking time will probably be 25-35 minutes.
Sounds more like your profession is selling products, then baking. I got frustrated and left ur site.
I had to ignore all the selling of products and come back and try this recipe because the ingredients looks very tasty, so I tried the cake and have to admit: IT’S THE BEST TASTING BLUEBERRY LEMON CAKE THAT I’VE EVER BAKED!!!! Thank you so so so so much!!!! Love, love, love this recipe and I didn’t change one thing.
How much should we charge to make these? I’ve been asked to make some!!! Please help me with a price please
Oh goodness, I honestly don’t know. I’m sorry!
I have made this cake several times and it was a hit every time. I want to make cupcakes. Do you know how many this recipe will yield?
I’m not entirely sure, but I’m guessing it will be right around 24.
This cake is amazing! I’ve been making it for years. It’s always a hit no matter who I’m serving it to!
I’ve never really liked cake. But this was a HUGE exception. It was so incredible! We used frozen blueberries in the cake batter and fresh on top. Thanks for another outstanding recipe, Mel. {I have a Mel’s tag on all of the recipes that I have saved from you. I just saw this is recipe #68 from you!!}
Hi I made this cake but it came out very dry. Can you clarify the speeds of the electric mixer when mixing the ingredients in steps 2,3,4,5 & 9. Does it need to be in high, medium or low to make the cream light & fluffy. Also what do I need to do to make sure it doesn’t come out dry. Let me know soon, I want to make this for my son birthday on Monday.
Hi there, every mixer is different, so I’d suggest using medium speed throughout. If it was dry, it was likely baked too long or the dry ingredients were measured with a heavier hand – so if possible, keep a diligent eye on the baking time and make sure the dry ingredients aren’t packed into the measuring cup.
I’ve made this cake 3 different times. It. Turned out different each time. It was delicious all three times but the texture was different and it didn’t rise the same. The icing was wonderful but it varied in flavor with thee taste of thee lemons. It was so good each time. I really can’t complain. Just wonderful.
This cake is a favourite of ours for summer birthdays! So many fresh and wonderful flavours.
Could I use lemon extract instead of vanilla to get more of a lemon flavor?
Sure!
How long will the extra frosting last in the fridge?
Probably up to a week.
Amazing!!! I made this for Mother’s Day and it was a hit! Everyone, including my 2 and 6 year old nieces, ate every last bite! My sister said it might be her new favorite cake and I think I agree with her! I made the cake and frosting the night before, wrapped the cakes individually in plastic wrap and refrigerated them overnight. I assembled it this morning and it was perfect! The lemon frosting held up well in the fridge and didn’t even need to be re-whipped. Definitely making it again!
I didn’t see what kind of butter you used for the cake and the frosting. Is it unsalted butter sticks for both?
I use salted butter
Can you make the cakes ahead of time and freeze them or store them in the fridge (unfrosted)?
Yes, you definitely can. I let them cool and wrap them in plastic wrap to store in fridge or freezer.
How many ounces (or cups) does one batter makes?
I haven’t measured exactly, but looking at the ingredients, it should be around 9-10 cups.
Thanks so much for this recipe Mel. Made this for my nana’s birthday last week, and it tasted glorious.
Just wondering whether you or anyone else might have any advice on UK substitutions for AP flour?
We live in the UK and only have UK ‘plain flour’ to hand (?lower protein / gluten than AP). My cake came out much denser than the pictures, especially after the gravity of sandwiching the layers, and I suspect this is why. (My buttermilk cakes always seem to).
It was still a hit anyway, but I’d love to be able to achieve a light tender crumb for this cake!
I was considering experimenting mixing UK bread flour with plain flour c. 50:50? Or subbing out the buttermilk for regular milk to reduce the heaviness?
Thanks for any ideas!
Reporting back!
Tried again with homemade buttermilk and it was much, much lighter!
Happily, even more so after day 2 or 3!
Even after stacking the layers it didn’t become dense – I kept one single-layered ‘control’ piece by to compare the effects of gravity 🙂
Conclusion: UK store-bought buttermilk must be thicker than US (more like a spoonable Greek-style yoghurt. It comes in a yoghurt tub rather than a carton.)
(My nana really liked it BTW, even the dense one, which she politely said was ‘so moist’…! She called it a ‘cheesecake’).
I made this cake for a baby shower and it was fantastic! Everyone loved it! The only thing I found different was cooking time for the cake was about 5 minutes less than suggested time.
Do you by chance have any suggestions on how to alter this to accommodate gluten-free flour? I’ve never baked gluten-free before but I love this recipe and would love to make it for someone who happens to have celiac’s
I think others have made it with 1:1 substitution of gluten free flour and it’s worked pretty well (I haven’t tried that myself).
Hello Mel –
Will it be okay to use unsalted butter for this recipe?
Yes, just increase the salt in the recipe by 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon
Made this cake for my supper club as a test run for Easter. I do bake quite often. I absolutely loved the flavor and the frosting was Devine! My cake was a tad dense. I did substitute cake flower instead of all purpose so I’m not sure if that’s what caused it. I don’t think I over mixed since I was careful after the butter/sugar stage. But will try next weekend with Less mixing.
If anyone has advice on Cake flour , let me know. I thought that would help make it fluffier.
My granddaughter requested a lemon blueberry cake for her thirteenth birthday. I used your recipe and followed the directions. Haven’t baked a cake in years but this turned out great. Everyone at the party loved it especially the Birthday Girl.
Hello I can’t wait to make this cake for Easter! Just wondering if you use salted or unsalted butter?
I use salted
This cake is so delicious! I followed the recipe exactly until it came to the blueberries! I totally thought I had some in my freezer but when I went to grab them they were gone! Since I always have raspberries in the freezer (I have a wonderful raspberry patch) I used them instead! Absolutely yummy! Definitely a hit with the group I made it for! Thank you for sharing your great recipes Mel! You make me look good!
How long do you recommend baking it for if you do 3 round 8in pans?
I’m not totally sure, but I’d check after about 22 minutes.
Excellent recipe! I followed it to a T and it could not have been better. I added a homemade lemon curd in between the layers for an extra lemon punch. I will definitely be making this again.
Made this today for my husband’s birthday to rave reviews! Thank’s for the perfect recipe! I made it exactly as written, and got exactly the cake I wanted. I don’t bake cakes often, so I was thrilled with the results. Well done!
Made this for my husband’s birthday – he loved it, we all loved it! I made no changes to the recipe, it was perfect as is, followed the directions exactly. Thank you!
So I’ve never baked a cake ever in my life but this looked so good that I just had to try it today and oh my gosh! It was amazing! My family finished the whole thing immediately! Some of the comments about overmixing/density and the frosting being runny made me very nervous as I obviously had no experience whatsoever in how to spot or stop that but I made the frosting first and left it to chill in the fridge whilst I did everything else, and used a wooden spoon for the cake batter, only using the mixer on low for the first butter/sugar/zest creaming and it turned out great- light and fluffy! I also only had 2 8 inch tins, both an inch and a half high but I just put the remained of the batter into 4 little cupcakes and it was fine! Thank you so much for this recipe its made me feel so confident and exciting to bake again!
I have made this several times. It is my “go to” cake. I have made it just as recipe is but I have also used strawberries in place of blueberries and it was divine.
I made this cake last night. I guess I overmixed. The cake is a bit dense bit still delicious I have to make two more so this was my test run to work out the kinks. I will cream the butter and sugar and zest with my mixer then mix every thing else by hand the next time. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
My family loves this Cake recipe!! when we have a family get together. This is always requested. My husband found the recipe in a magazine. My sister in law told me all she wanted for her Birthday was this cake. Thank you!! Telisa VanWinkle.
It is delish,very tasty!
This recipe was awesome!! I actually made cupcakes and then candied some lemon peel for the garnish! There was not a cupcake left over!
How many cupcakes did it make, and how long did you bake them?
Made this for my mom’s birthday. She absolutely loved it!!!
Hi Mel. Thanks again for another great recipe. We really liked the flavor of this cake, but as an experienced baker I want to pass on a few observations for others who might make it. First, I followed the recipe exactly. I think my oven is properly gauged, but this took at least 5 minutes over the recommended time. And there was still a little bit that was gummy/not fully baked. Second, I thought the icing was too gooey, it slid a little off the cake, so I chilled the icing and that fixed the problem. Another fix would be to either do 8 oz cream cheese/8 oz butter. Or add the lemon and cream a little at a time at the end, until the icing hits the right consistency. I see others have had a similar problem, as did my daughter, so just my thoughts. I’m in search of 3 great, reliable cakes that I would serve others. This is on the list of possibles! We loved the lemon/berry combination.
Hi! I hope you can see my question.
Is it okay if I omit fresh blueberries in the batter? It’s not commonly found here in our country, hence I’ll be topping it with blueberry jam instead. Thanks!
Hi Mel! I hope you see my question.
Is it okay if I omit fresh blueberries in the batter? It’s not commonly found here in our country, hence I’ll be topping it with blueberry jam instead. Thanks!
Yes, that should be ok!
Hi! This looks delicious, but I just wanted to let you know that I found this post through another post that copied almost word for word your post and recipe AND used your pictures! Wasn’t sure if you were aware. But here’s the blog post https://nabilakitchen.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-best-lemon-blueberry-cake-with.html?m=1
I will be deleting the other pin and pinning from your site!
Thanks for the heads up! Frustrating when this happens! I’ll file a DMCA report and hopefully have it taken down.
This cake is now our family favorite!! I absolutely love it and so does anyone who tries it. I do have a question though. Can this cake be frozen whole? A friend has asked me to make this for her birthday, but she’s be traveling and wants to make sure it will keep. She will be packing it in ice, in an insulated bag, but will be transporting it for about 6 or 7 hours before she can get it into a refrigerator. Could this be frozen and then transported in an insulted bag without losing its structure and freshness?
Do you mean if it can be frozen after it is frosted? I’m not sure about that. I worry when thawed the frosting will get a grainy, runny texture.
I made this cake today in a 9 by 13 pan and baked for 40 minutes. I cut the sugar in the frosting by 1/2 cup and used 1/2 of the cream. It turned out really good. Next time, though, I may cut down the sugar even more as it was very sweet or just use a glaze.
do have any nutritional information
The cake is amazing
I have never left a comment online before, however I made this cake today and have to report that it is simply amazing! I did not have buttermilk so I substituted heavy cream with teaspoon of lemon juice mixed in. It is delicious!!! I am new to baking/cooking and even “I” pulled it off. Thanks so much for this new family favorite!
This cake is delicious. Made just as recipe says. Had it for my wife’s birthday. Everybody loved it. Thanks for a great recipe.
Has anyone tried strawberries in place of blueberries?
Hello! I look forward to making this recipe this weekend! I’m hoping I can use the batter for a one layer cake and then the remainder for cupcakes. Any thoughts if that might work?
I think that would work great!
Please let us know how the cupcakes turned out. I am thinking of doing the same thing this weekend. Thank you!
And I see that many others in the comments have baked cupcakes with success, so that’s great to hear 🙂 Thank you!!!
4 1/2 cups confectioner sugar is 36 ounces !! Not 18
Would you adjust the baking temp for cupcakes? Please let me know!
The baking temp stays the same for cupcakes (but the baking time will be shorter).
Trying this out today, but in a 9×13 pan. Hoping it turns out!! 🙂
I made this for my 19th birthday and it was an amazing success! Love it!!
Made this tonight with my 3 year old daughter. So incredible, oh my goodness this is amazing and I don’t even personally enjoy eating cake but this one, wow! Super easy recipe and fantastic results following recipe exactly as written.
Can this cake be made in a bundt pan?
I haven’t tried it, but I believe others have down below in the comment thread.
Hi there! I’m baking this today for Father’s Day I have cake flour on hand. Can I use it & expect the same / better results or do you think al
Purpose is the way to go? Thanks! Kathryn
Sorry for the delay in responding – I haven’t tried cake flour. Did it work out?
I love your lemon/blueberry cake. Can you make the same cake with raspberries? Are there any adjustments that need to be made?
I haven’t tried it, but I believe others have reported back in the comment thread they used raspberries with great results!
First and foremost lemon and blueberries are my favorite, so I looked for a recipe to make a cake and oh my goodness I found the right one. My cake came out so moist and delicious ….I will be making this cake for all events that I’m invited too. Thank you so much for sharing….
I’ve made this cake and is DELICIOUS but I want to make pretty decorations with the frosting, however this one is too liquid for that. Do you recommend I put this frosting and freeze it and add another sugar frosting on top of it to do more elaborate decorations with a decorating kit and pastry bag? Or do you recommend I put another frosting altogether instead? Thanks!
For piped decorations, I think you’d have the best luck using another frosting (more of a standard buttercream).
My husband and I both had the Covid 19 virus in March and we hadn’t seen our son and his wife since February. We finally got together last night and I made this cake. It was a REAL hit and I will be making it again, I’m sure. Your hints were so helpful and the cake was DEEEEEEEEEEELICIOUS! I will be following you for more wonderful recipes.
Can I use dry blueberries instead of fresh ones? I have only that available. And I need to bake one tomo. Please tell me how to use the dried ones
I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure. Definitely worth experimenting though!
My husband’s birthday is June 5th and I’m going to make this for his birthday and top it with macarons!! I’d love to share pics of the cake when I’m finished if that’s possible!!
Hands down this cake was AMAZING!!! I’ve been Wanting to make it and finally did for this Memorial Day weekend and this will def not be the last time I make this. Thx for sharing this great recipe. My family & I truly enjoyed it!
Mel, by the 4 eggs you have 7 ounces. Is that the weight of the eggs with or without the shells?
Without the shells.
I served this to a master baker who’s on lockdown with us. It was a hit!
The key to this cake turning out moist and fluffy is to not overmix. Don’t worry if the flour isn’t 100% incorporated. It will get there when you gently and barely fold in the buttermilk. Put the batter in the pans and THEN drop the blueberries on top, gently pat them down.
Cake was tough!! Way too much sugar in frosting! Followed recipe to a T.
I’m confused for the frosting it says 4 1/2 cups of powdered sugar then (18oz) but wouldn’t that be 36 oz of sugar? Please help lol
The ounces refers to the weight of the powdered sugar (not the measurement in cups).
Have you tried this in a Bundt cake pan? Think it will bake properly?
I haven’t, but I think it would work out quite well!
today i decides to do this recipe i did it in a bunt pan and i had two major setbacks even after following the instructions and measurements to the T! first one who’s is definitely my fault my batter mix turned purple after adding the berries completely my fault i forgot to place the frozen berries in the freezer so the were thawed out causing berry juice and second i put it to bake for 40 min and it was super water no all the bunt but just like in the center and outline of the bunt was watery and i gave up anybody know why ?
Can we use swerve sugar substitute?
I’m not sure as I haven’t used a sugar substitute – sorry!
I’ve tried using sugar substitutes and it doesn’t always work well. You usually have to adapt the entire recipe and end up using a sugar blend because cakes need sugar to bake properly. The substitute will probably make a delicious cake but the consistency will usually be completely different than normal. I’m not familiar with Swerve but this is my experience with Splenda, Stevia etc
Hi,
I am so eager to make this recipe. I’m just concerned if the measurements would be different with UK measuring spoons/cups etc.?
I’m not sure since I don’t own UK measuring spoons and cups – sorry!
Amy, Try this conversion chart…
https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5490-baking-conversion-chart
What if we only have 8 oz of cream cheese?
The frosting may not turn out the same – but you can experiment. 🙂
I only had 8oz cream cheese! I cut the butter down by 2 tablespoons and I used to 3 cups of sugar! Left the lemon the same. Turned out great and I had plenty of frosting for the cake.
Is the butter salted or just unsalted?
I use salted butter.
This cake is really delicious!! Espcially wonderful right now since we are all SIP. I do have a question—my cake came out rather dense and did not rise much at all. What could I do to change that next time? It is very tender but dense and flat.
Hi Lisa – several factors can contribute to this. Over mixing or over baking. Also if your leavening agents are expired that can cause dense cakes.
This is my “show-stopper” cake when I want to impress people. I make this for easter every year and for guests on special occasions. Favorite cake recipe EVER. My only sadness about this cake is that it’s not my own “secret” recipe. 🙂
Thank you for the great recipe!
I’d love to make this for Easter but do not have any cream cheese…and didn’t want to run to the store for just that with our current SIP. Any suggestions on what other frosting might work?
What about a basic buttercream – and maybe add lemon zest and lemon juice? https://www.melskitchencafe.com/perfect-vanilla-buttercream-frosting/
I have made this cake every Easter for 4 years now. It is the. best. cake. I’ve ever made. It’s delicious, moist, looks fantastic and has the perfect balance of lemon and blueberry and cream cheese. I’ve never once had an issue with the frosting being runny (make sure your ingredients are cold!) I recommend this recipe to everyone when they want to bake a new cake!
Can I make this just as a lemon cake(omit the blueberries)? Same recipe right?
I think so!
Did you try this? I want to do the same. Did it work out?
This was my first attempt on a “fancy” cake wanted to impress my chief. It was an absolute hit. I fell in love with the frosting. I felt my heart sink as I disposed of the remaining frosting that I didnt get a chance to use. I will admit the frosting was a bit soupy not that bad i just frosted the cake overnight and problem solve. Im a fan girl…!♥️
The cake is great but the frosting shouldn’t be considered a frosting at all. Even if you follow the recipe it ends of being a runny mess. I literally had to spoon it on the cake and the top layer kept sliding around. Tried to add ingredients to thicken it and tried chilling it. It ends up more as an icing than a frosting. I would highly recommend using a different
Frosting recipe if you are looking for a true frosting. If you are ok with it being more of an icing then it will work out ok.
This cake was delicious. It stayed nice and moist. I substituted raspberries for the blueberries and it tasted like raspberry lemonade in a cake. Amazing! My frosting was also a little runny, but I think next time I will put it in the fridge for an hour before serving to help it harden and it will be perfect.
This cake was exceptional! Seriously, this was so good that family and friends who claim that they do not like cakes, absolutely loved this recipe. I have been growing/nursing a little Meyer lemon tree through the hot days of summer outside and the cold days of winter inside and it produced 23 lemons this year! I used them in this recipe and it made the cake taste even better knowing that it was “our” own lemons. I have been a huge fan of yours for years and I forget to come back and comment about all the wonderful recipes that you have shared and that my family has loved over the years. Thanks so much for all you do to research and report your great findings and creations with your readers. You are a gem!
That is amazing about your sweet little lemon tree!!
The cake is sensationally soft. Thanks for a wonderful recipe and such clear directions!
The frosting was a slight disaster. I followed it to a T but was so runny! Any ideas why? I tried to correct with more double cream and then cornflour but no joy! Was a slippery sloppy mess sadly.
Do you think this would work with a 8×12 pan?
Thank you
I haven’t tried it, but I think it might be too much batter.
I’d consider myself a seasoned baker and I struggled with this recipe quite a bit. When I did the toothpick test, it came out really wet (not moist/baked) for an hour and a half instead of 40 min! And then it ended up tasting great but the texture was SUPER dense and almost dough-y rather than moist and cake-like. The saving grace was that it was absolutely stunning on the outside, I decorated it with lemon zest, blueberries, and flowers 🙂 Wishing the best to others making it, I might give it another try if I can figure out what went wrong.
35 minutes baking was too long. Edges of cake were harder than I prefer. I would say bake for 25 minutes. Otherwise came out good
How pipe-able is the frosting? I want to make rosettes all over the cake. Also, assuming I’d have to double the frosting to cover a 9 inch cake, if I’m piping it.
The frosting is pretty soft – I haven’t piped with it but I’m not sure it would work so well.
Used the leftover batter to make cupcakes. Great flavor (i would probably add more lemon zest but I love tart things) but the cakes were very dense (cakes didn’t really rise and neither did the cupcakes…). Not sure if it’s because I did a double batch and had one heck of a time folding in my buttercream and lemon juice, but I’ll try it again as a single recipe and see.
If I only have 1 9″ pan, will the batter get icky if I have to wait to bake the second until after the first one is done?
The blueberries might bleed a bit more in the batter, but it should be ok.
what is icky?
Can you make this recipe for a wedding cake? 3 tier? I am afraid it would be too soft.
I made this for their housewarming and they loved it so much they want me to make it for their wedding cake.
I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure – sorry I’m not more help!
Tried a double batch of this tonight. Used the leftover batter to make cupcakes. Great flavor (i would probably add more lemon zest but I love tart things) but the cakes were very dense (cakes didn’t really rise and neither did the cupcakes…). Not sure if it’s because I did a double batch and had one heck of a time folding in my buttercream and lemon juice, but I’ll try it again as a single recipe and see.
Made this cake last night for a get together today. Followed the directions, exactly down to mixing for the exact time stated and the cake turned out perfect! The icing was oh so delicious and I had a little leftover that I saved and dipped a graham cracker in for a treat!
Have you ever tried this in a Bumdt pan?
I haven’t, but I believe others have in the comment thread below. 🙂
Can I make this in a 13×9 pan ? Would I be able to flip this cake , cut in half and use frosting ? I want to take this to a picnic. Ty.
I haven’t tried that, but I think you could definitely try it.
Hi there! Quick questions…would these make good cupcakes? And would half the recipe be good for 24 mini cupcakes?
Thank you!
I think many others in the comments have made cupcakes with good results! I don’t know what the yield would be for mini cupcakes – but I don’t know that you’d get quite that many with a half recipe.
can i make this as a bundt cake?
I think a couple people further down in the comment thread have done that with good results.
Sorry but “yield” is not helpful.
How many does this serve?
Thanks
It all depends on how big/small the pieces are, and it will definitely vary depending on who is cutting and serving. I would say anywhere from 8-12.
My frosting was soooo soupy. Top layer was sliding off when I turned my back to it and I caught it by chance. Hopefully it tastes good it’s a birthday cake!
I just made my frosting and it’s very soupy as well. I added a full extra cup of powdered sugar and it’s still soupy. I’m concerned that it’ll be too sugary if I continue to add more. It’s not “light and fluffy” after beating in the heavy cream (as suggested by the recipe). I’m crossing my fingers. This is for my boss’s birthday tomorrow.
Mine was the same. Tasted great but the whole thing feel apart. Any thoughts on why? I would love to make it again.
There could be a couple different reasons – do you feel like the cake was underbaked? Could it have used a few more minutes in the oven?
The Cake was tasty but dense and tough. I didn’t overmix. I spoon my flour into a measuring cup, then sift. I followed your instructions as to whipping, even though it was more than I even whip a cake before. Do you have any suggestions as to what may have happened?
I’m not sure, Nancy – I’ve never sifted the flour for this (and I measure a little differently than that) so that might have been a factor.
This was a great cake! I made it for a birthday, and it was a crowd pleaser. My only note is that I used 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar instead of the original 4 1/2 cups the recipe called for. It resulted in a slightly more tart frosting, that I personally enjoyed better than the sweeter version. Other than that, it was flawless!
My cake came out very dense almo s t felt like pound cake. GreT flavor but not a good cake.
Hi I want to make this today because I always love and trust your recipes and always get amazing results!!!! Do you think this would be ok to stack into tiers? Or too soft. Trying to make a two tiered lemon cake out of two double layered cakes. Thanks!!
Yes, I think it should be ok!
UPDATE! I made 3 batches of this (worried about confusing baker’s percentages/not big enough mixer etc). 1 batch was for both layers of smaller 9 inch tier and then 2 batches were for each layer of larger 12 inch lower tier. THIS CAKE WAS AMAZING. All batches somehow were baked perfectly in 35 minutes. SO GREAT. I wish I could post a picture here to show you how great it came out– we decorated with candy and lemon slices for my boss’ big birthday party haha.
THANK YOU!
I want to make 10 or 12″ layers would you suggest double recipe and make 2 layers? Do you think it will cook and layer as yours did? Did you double the recipe or make 2 single batches?
Made this wonderful cake for my husbands birthday!
He loved it! I’m a chocolate cake lover but this cake is so good and yummy tasting! So refreshing for the summer months when blueberries are in season! Will definitely make it again! I highly recommend trying this recipe
Absolutely delicious!! My favorite cake I’ve made so far
Made this cake for my brother for Father’s Day. It was my second attempt. First was a different recipe that had no lemon flavor and was stuck in the pan. Found your recipe and it was a massive hit. I could tell because the whole family was completely silent eating it! The two year old nephew had to have two pieces. We loved it! Could not have been yummier!
I made this and it tasted so yummy! But when I was stacking the cakes the top one split right down the middle. Not sure what I did wrong!
This was a delightful cake – moist, bright, cheerfully delicious! Great recipe – thank you for sharing!
Do you think this could be adapted to a large sheet cake for a crowd?
I think so! What size pan are you thinking of using?
what if you only have 2 eggs
I would try to use the full amount of eggs – using less will affect texture, flavor, rise and other variables.
Made this for Mother’s Day and everyone loved it! I will be keeping this recipe! I think next time I will cut down the sugar in the frosting or maybe top it with a non dairy whipped frosting. The cake was sooo delicious! Very moist, perfect for summer and very refreshing cake! Thank u!
First off, I have made this cake several times and it is ALWAYS a hit. So thanks for sharing it!!! I was wondering if you have ever made this into cupcakes? I want to make some for my little one’s birthday and didn’t know if you had tried it before. If so, what was the cooking time?
I haven’t made them into cupcakes but many people in the comments have – I’d check them right around 17-18 minutes.
Hi, is salted butter okay or should it be unsalted? Thanks
I always use salted butter
Oopsie! I forget to give the cake 5 stars!
This cake is delicious! I was trying to be all fancy and add lemon curd in one of the layers…it did not need it; in fact, I think it would have been better without it! The cake was very moist and dense. I’ll be making again this week and will be skipping the lemon curd…and I LOVE lemon curd! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Hi!
Do you prefer frozen berries over fresh?
Also don’t have a paddle attachment (only have a hand electric mixer) would this be an issue?
Can’t WAIT to make this cake
I prefer fresh blueberries if possible. Your handheld electric mixer will be just fine! 🙂
Delicious, made just as the recipe states.
So we sift the flour first and then measure 2 1/2 cups? So it’s 2 1/2 sifted cups? Are fresh blueberries better than frozen. I have a bag of frozen
I don’t sift my flour first, but you can. You want 2 1/2 cups of flour (scoop it lightly into the cup and level).
I’m going to make this cake in a bundt pan. I thought I would make a topping with powdered sugar( icing sugar) and grated lemon and vanilla and milk and just drizzle it over the top. What do you think?
Sounds delicious!
Hi Mel! Thank you for sharing your this recipe. I’ve made this a few times now with and without AP flour (I used cake flour a couple of times). Unfortunately, it came out dry each time and I read that too much flour could do that to cake. Your recipe doesn’t call for sifted flour (cake or AP). I was wondering if that could be it since sifting does change the amount of flour. Also, did you spoon and level your flour? I’m a new baker and still trying to figure things out. Despite the dryness, it still tasted great!
Hi Vanessa, do you have a kitchen scale? That’s the best way to get really precise results, but if you don’t, I usually fluff up the flour in the bin/container really well, scoop in my cup and then level off.
I made this today and it’s delicious! It came out a bit dense, but I realized after baking that my pans were 8″ instead of 9″. It took a bit long to cook, but I think that’s also because of the pan size. The frosting is to die for. I didn’t add the heavy cream though, as I loved the consistency of it before I got to that point.
I also used the extra zest I had leftover and mixed it with sugar to sugar fresh blueberries for the top. 🙂
Hi Mel, I am wanting to try this cake but I was wondering if the butter in this recipe is room temperature or not. In the video I noticed it was cubed so I assumed it was cold.
It should be softened to room temperature.
Hi Mel! How would you store this cake if you make it the night before an event?
I would make it completely (frosting and everything) and store covered (with a cake dome or other loose cover) in the fridge overnight and then take it out several hours before serving so it’s not quite so chilled
Can’t wait to make this.. lemon and blueberry 2 if my favorites
Rather then using 2 9’ round pans can I try using 3 8’ pans?
Yes, I think so!
Mel, I read through all of the comments and I don’t think I saw anything about freezing this cake. Have you ever frozen the layers before? If so, did the cake turn out the same, texture -wise especially?
Yes! The cake layers freeze really well. I found the texture to be the same (tender and moist and delicious). I have always used fresh berries when I’ve frozen the cake layers – not sure if using frozen berries would make a difference (maybe make the frozen layers a bit soggy after thawing?)
Thank you!
This sounds yummy! I want to try to make it for my daughters 5th Birthday. Do you think I could make it into a 2 tiered cake? I wanted to make 2-9” and 2-6”. Also, I don’t typically put my cakes in the fridge, but thinking it might be easier to frost cold.
Yes, I think it would work well for a stacked cake!
Hello. This looks delicious! Could I substitute with a different sweetner rather than refined sugar?
Thank you.
I haven’t tried a substitution but you could experiment!
Does carol have a sister named Lucy and another by the name of Lova? This is a wonderful tasting and very pretty cake
We love this cake! I’ve made it twice in the last couple of years (definitely a “special” treat in our family) and I am planning on bringing it to a dessert auction next week.
I’ve always wondered…Is a zester any different/better than using the small side of a box grater?
Also, how do you get your frosting so pretty? I have an offset spatula but it still doesn’t look as beautiful as yours Just practice? Do you chill the frosting at all before frosting the cake? Or maybe chill the cake and then frosting it?
Hey Kim, I don’t chill the cake or the frosting, but if that might help for an easier application of frosting, I’d say go for it! I think the small holes on a box grater work just fine…I find a zester is a bit easier to use since it’s a bit smaller (and grates the zest more finely)
This is by far the best cake I’ve made to date! I made it for a birthday party – baked the cake on Thursday night, frosted on Friday morning and then took it with us camping at Joshua Tree where we ate it on Saturday night. I was worried it would be dry by the time we cut it but it was amazing!! Better than if we would have cut it fresh. There were 18 of us around the fire and was enough for all of us. It was a huge success and everyone asked for the recipe! Thank you!! This will become a family favorite for sure!
Hi Mel-
Do you think it would work to make this the night before serving it? If so, would you keep it in the fridge and also would you frost it that night or wait to frost it until right before serving? Thank you!
Yes, you could make it the night before; I’d suggest frosting it because it will keep the cake more moist. I’d put the frosted cake in the refrigerator but take it out several hours before serving the next day.
This cake is to DIE for! I, too, am a chocoholic and I LOVE this cake! I had it at my sister’s birthday dinner several years ago made by someone else. We all had seconds even though it was a hot July evening. I’ve been trying to get my family to make it for MY birthday but it hasn’t happened yet so I’m going to make it when I host my Bunko group in April. I can’t wait!
Made this for my coworkers birthday and everyone in the office raved about it! The frozen wild blueberries from trader joes worked perfectly. This is the best cake!
Could this lemon cake be made in a bundt pan?
I haven’t tried it, but I bet it could!
I made this cake last year for my mother-in-laws birthday and I am making it again this year because everyone LOVED it! It could be because I substituted the blueberries for huckleberries. The huckleberries worked so well with the recipe! 5 stars.
Some of the measurements didn’t make sense to me. 2 cups = 12 ounces? I went with the standard measurements and all was well, but you might want to check the Metric measurements. Thanks!
Those measurements are in regards to the weight of the ingredient not the volume of the ingredient. So the 12 ounces of blueberries is how much the blueberries weigh if measuring out 2 cups of them. Does that help?
Oh my gosh! Am I the only person that made this cake with the best of intentions and no one liked it! I followed the directions completely. I even bought new 9″pans that were 2″tall. Followed directions
completely and the cake was very heavy, like it was not cooked completely. I baked it for 40 min’s and the recipe said 35 -40 min’s. The frosting was so sweet! I thought the 4 1/2 cups of powered sugar sounded crazy, but I did it. What went wrong for me ?
Hi Diane – if the cake was heavy, it sounds like the batter may have been overmixed or over floured. Was it doughy inside or fully baked?
Mine was very heavy as well. I mixed as per the recipe. Overall, it turned out well, but 8 probably could have baked it another 10 mins.
I made the lemon blueberry cake last week for my daughter’s birthday. It was the best! Many, many compliments! Thank you for the wonderful recipe–it’s become a new favourite. cheers from New Zealand
Was an office hit. Made it last month and to date they all say this is their favorite. And I love the frosting! Can’t wait to make again.
Can this be made as a single layer cake in a 9×13 cake pan instead? Wanting to make it for a party and that would be easier to transport.
I think others in the comment thread have tried it that way.
If I just want the cake to be blueberry without lemon, what do I substitute instead of juice?
You could possibly try milk but the lemon juice helps with the acidity which makes the cake tender and light.
you could try sour cream for acidity.
I’ve been making cakes professionally for 20 years…this is my hands down FAVORITE!!!
The bake time was too long…even at 27 minutes they were a little overdone
I made this today as my 5 year old son’s birthday cake. My husband doesn’t even like cake but he loved this. Everyone else in the family raved about it as well. I did add more lemon juice to the frosting as I found it a touch too sweet as written, but it was absolutely delicious!!
Hello Mel, I can’t get fresh or frozen blueberries where I live. Can I use canned blueberries in light syrup? I’m thinking of completing draining it and using it in the recipe. Thank you.
It’s definitely worth a try, Abigail! Good luck!
Awesome! Everyone’s loved it. Will be added to my favorite recipe collection, Will for sure make this again!
This is excellent. I made this for Easter earlier this year and it was a hit with the entire extended family. Perfect amount of lemon and creaminess.
Simplemente delicioso!!!! Muy buena receta
This is a great recipe! I just had trouble with the frosting. It was so lose and wouldn’t stay on the cupcake well. What can I do to stiffen it up next time I make this?
You can try decreasing the liquid a bit in the frosting and/or adding a bit more powdered sugar.
Can also add meringue powder to the frosting for stability. I usually use 1 tablespoon to a 1 cup butter/shortening recipe.
I won a blue ribbon at my fair this year with this cake. Amazing cake!
Congratulations, Lacey!
Hi!
Could you prepare the frosting 2-3 days in advance and still have a good result?
Thanks!
I think it’s easier to spread and work with if it’s made fresh but you could try making it ahead of time.
Will this work for cupcakes as well?
I haven’t tried it, but I believe others have with good results!
Hey i cant understand how not to have the berries sink
Dust the berries with flour before tossing in batter. Like a table spoon or so.
Do you have to use parchment paper in your cake pans?
I use it to prevent the cake from sticking on the bottom but you can try without.
Do you have any suggestions for buttermilk replacement? I have a lactose allergy in the family.
You could try almond milk mixed with lemon juice – I haven’t tried that myself, but it may work or at least be a starting place.
use the juice of one fresh lemon . put in a one cup measuring cup fill up to the 1 cup level with EVAPORATED MILK . Stir and let set for about 5 minutes, and it will curdle to buttermilk like.
I live in Denver and am wondering if you have any adjustments to this awesome recipe for the high altitude?
Hi Sandy – you might want to google high altitude cake adjustments (I don’t live at high altitude). Sometimes I’ve heard adding a few tablespoons more flour to the batter and cutting down slightly on leavening (baking powder or soda) can help. Good luck!
Can I bake this in a 9″ spring form pan?
Thank you.
It might be too much batter for that size of pan, Margie – so you may need to bake it in two batches. A lot will depend on how high the sides are of your pan.
Hi, can you tell me if you prefer using salted or unsalted butter for the cake batter & frosting?
I use salted butter.
How many servings does this cake recipe make?
The servings will depend on how big the slices are – anywhere from 10-15.
Took a chance and made this for our wedding cake! It was so delicious! We even made a gluten-free option with King Arthur GF measure for measure flour. Guests were raving and still talking about it days later! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
That’s amazing! And congrats on your wedding!
Seriously the best!! I have now made this 3x and my kids and I and friends drool everytime we have a bite!!! So worth the time and effort!
I agree. I love this cake! I’m glad you and your family have enjoyed it.
Guests were blown away!
I suggest making frosting as soon as cream cheese and butter have reached room temperature then chilling until almost ready to use.
By the time I was ready to frost, icing was so soft that top layer was skidding off the bottom layer.
Thanks for the frosting feedback, Ginette. I’m glad that it was a hit with your company!
U made this for a family reunion. Turned out great. Many compliments.
I’ve made this cake multiple times and it always comes out great! I love the texture and lightness of it. I know this might be a strange questions, but would this recipe work without the blueberries?
Thank you!
I think it would!
Hi
Did you try it without blueberries?
OMG! My friend ‘s soon to be hubby requested a lemon blueberry cake tier, so I googled for a recipe. By the picture, I thought this cake appeared light and fluffy; didn’t have the appearance of a loaf of bread like most. The blueberries were on the bottom, but that’s due to the weight of them. I just rinsed them clean and put them in a baggy with the 2 Tbsp flour, shaking to coat. Making the cake in 3 pans makes the blueberry exactly in the middle of each. This icing recipe is the best I’ve ever had, though it calls for more liquid than a normal batch does. I used low fat cream cheese (won’t next time because it is by nature wetter) and reduced the added liquid to a Tbsp each lemon juice and milk. I wouldn’t add any more than 2 Tbsp .
Can you make mini cupcakes with this recipe?
I haven’t tried, but I think it might work.
I am making this cake as a wedding cake. I am making the frosting tonight and someone is decorating the cake tomorrow. Would you suggest refrigerating the frosting and then leaving it out a bit before frosting?
Yes, that’s probably what I would do. Good luck!
Oh my Goodness Mel! Lovely cake…moist and tasty! I made it for my husband last night and tasted some today. It is so yummy! My frozen blueberries didn’t settle to the bottom either. I made it in a bundt pan and baked it for 60 mins.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Just wonderful, appreciated the advice about not to overbeat the cake…thanks s lo much
Hello Mel,
Have you ever made these as whoopie pies before? Would love to know how they turned out and if you had to adjust at all. I tried the other day, and they went okay but flattened out to pancake size more. I was curious if I should increase temperature or flour to make them hold their shape better.
Thank you!
I haven’t tried that, Sam, but if they flattened, I’d suggest more flour and see how that goes. Good luck!
Thank you!
This recipe is fantastic. The cake is extremely moist, and very lemony. I was even more impressed by the frosting. I feel like I always fight with frosting – it’s either to sweet, or too buttery, and this one was perfect.
Hello,
I have not read through the multitude of comments and my question may have already been answered. If so, I am really sorry for asking again, but can I replace raspberries for blueberries ?
If that is okay, will I need to increase the sugar because raspberries are not as sweet?
Thank you…and absolutely I love your blog!
Warm regards from Australia,
Angela
Hi Angela, I haven’t tried that but I believe others in the comment thread have subbed in raspberries with good results. Good luck! 🙂
Love this cake and frosting. It is my most requested cake to bring to any and all events.
I made this for the office and it was a show stopper! Many said it was the best cake ever. It really could be a signature cake- everyone will remember how delish it was!
The BEST cake ever!!!! Have baked it twice now for family. Everyone loved it and with three boys who are tough critics, I felt I had accomplished a ‘sort of’ miracle!!
Yay!
Just made this today for Mother’s Day. Cake is delicious but the frosting came out more like a glaze. Regardless, my husband who usually doesn’t like lemon cake, went back for seconds.
Yes, when I tried this mine also came out like a glaze. But, I used milk instead of heavy whipping cream and didn’t use a whisk handle.
I made this cake for a family gathering on Easter weekend. I baked it in a 9 x 13 pan. I don’t remember how long I baked it, but I think it took about 40 -45 minutes. I do remember that it got rave reviews from everyone. I found that I only needed half as much frosting for the 9 x 13 cake. (I served from the pan, so I only frosted the top.) The blueberries did sink a bit, but no one complained. Everyone thought it was delicious.
Can this recipe be converted into a 9×13 cake pan? Plz advise how I might do this. I just am horrible with layer cakes and won’t even attempt them again. This does look so DELICIOSO!!
I haven’t tried that, but if you read through the comments, it’s likely someone else has made it that way and reported back. I’m not sure if the amount of batter will fit in a 9X13-inch pan.
We love this cake! It is one of our favorites, and we often sub raspberries in for the blueberries. My sister requests that we make it for her birthday every year!
Lemon is my favorite flavor so I was so excited for this cake. I don’t know if I did something wrong but my cake was too dense and it had an aftertaste. I read that making buttermilk using heavy cream and lemon (I can’t find buttermilk where I live) can have that result (the aftertaste). Any tips or thoughts? Do you recommend a different recipe for a fluffier cake? Thank you!
I think it might have been dense because of the heavy cream you used for the buttermilk. That much fat will weigh a cake down (I usually use milk and lemon juice as a buttermilk sub or sour cream + milk).
Muy buena receta la masa súper húmeda y un sabor increible
I made these into cupcakes, AMAZING!!! Just bake for 17 min or less and that is all you need to change! Don’t change the oven temperature or any of the ingredients!! It has a great spring flavor to it!! Thanks Mel!
How many cupcakes did it make? I’m looking to make them for my niece’s birthday!
I’m making the cake on Monday for a birthday party on Friday night. Does it keep well refrigerated?
That’s a little on the long end – I’ve made this 24 hours in advance, but no more than that.
Visiting my daughter the recipe Facebook looked great so it’s in the oven right now!
Hi, my oven is not very big, with only one shelf. I was wondering if the cakes could be cooked one at a time? Would the batter be ok sitting for the 35-40 mins while the other cake cooked?
Sure, that is probably ok!
Hi this recipe sounds amazing, i’ll be making it today As a brit, could you clarify if ‘all purporse flour’ is self raising or not?
No, it is not self-rising flour. Just every day flour with no add-ins (like baking powder, salt, etc).
Have you ever made this into cupcakes?
I haven’t, but I believe others in the comment thread have.
I made this for Easter and it was AWESOME! It was my first time ever making a layer cake and it turned out great! Thanks for the excellent step by step instructions and recipe! I just may be brave enough to try another layer cake in the future.
Sounds like you are a pro!
Made this for Easter and it was a big hit! Used fresh blueberries, made it in 3 layers and added a skim coat of lemon curd along with the frosting between the layers. My frosting was a little runny so I put it between the layers and on top then put the rest in the fridge for a while so it was easier to work with, to do around the sides. When my son saw I was trying something new, he told me it was a “bold move”…”making something for the 1st time on a holiday!” Glad I did and I know I will be making it again. After he tried it, he said, “good call on the cake, Mom!” Deliciousness!
Haha, love that: bold move! And I extra-love the addition of lemon curd; I’m definitely doing that next time!
So good! Gluten free swapped flour. So good. No one knew it was gf!
Nice!
Mel would it be ok to make the frosting a couple days early? Will it keeps the flavor and freshness
You could make it ahead – but you’ll need to let it come to room temperature and possibly re-whip it to get the same fluffy texture.
Hi Mel!. I am making this cake tomorrow!. Mel Could you please tell me like if this cake’s frosting will hold up well outdoors for 3 or 4 hours, and also if it is possible to have good results in the cake density if a use whole wheat pastry flour instead of all purpose?… I was afraid that WWPF could be too dense for this cake… or maybe use half all purpose and half WWPF? What are your thoughts on this? Thanks in advance!
Sorry for the delay in responding! I haven’t used whole wheat pastry flour so I’m not sure how that would work – it might be too dense. The frosting is pretty soft so if it’s warm outside, I don’t think it would fare too well for that long. It’s best at cool room temperature.
I don’t have pans that are 2 inches high – 1.5 inch high ones won’t work? Could I use 3 of the 9x 1.5 inch high ones?
I would use three pans just to make sure the cakes don’t overflow.
My 9 inch pans are only 1.5 inches high, will that work? Or should I use 3 of these pans?
Mel I made this, along with the Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Mousse amazingness for a baby shower this evening. I am so excited to get all the ooohs and ahhhs from both because they look and turned out beautiful.
I had a little issue with the lemon cream cheese frosting being too soft, after reading the comments I do think it was because my butter and cream cheese had sat out in a pretty warm kitchen for too long. I just frosted what I could (kind of like a crumb layer if you will) and let it be in the fridge overnight along with the bowl of the rest of the frosting. I had to go to bed after working all day. This morning I finished frosting it and decorating with fresh blueberries and lemon slices. It looks perfect!
Happy Easter to you and yours.
Nicole
What a delicious lineup of desserts! Glad the blueberry cake worked out despite the soft frosting. 🙂 Happy Easter!
Hi Mel!. I am making this cake tomorrow!. Mel Could you please tell me like if this cake’s frosting will hold up well outdoors for 3 or 4 hours, and also if it is possible to have good results in the cake density if a use whole wheat pastry flour instead of all purpose?… I was afraid that WWPF could be too dense for this cake… or maybe use half all purpose and half WWPF? What are your thoughts on this? Thanks in advance!
Ok- I just changed the menu for Easter and that is saying a lot since I am not much of a baker!
Hi Mel i made this Blueberry and lemon cake yesterday and not only was it so fun to make but turned out so good! I love lemons and had a lot of them and wanted to make something with them when i found your recipe. I followed it to the t, the only thing i was missing was the cream cheese, which i shall make the next time i make this cake because i love cream cheese icing:) (I just made buttercream icing with the lemon juice and it was so yummy) I’m glad that i found your page and can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!!
Hi Mel! I’m going to make this for a baby shower on Saturday and it’s baby #5 for my best friend…. and it’s a girl after 4 boys! So I’m thinking decorating the outside with blueberries might not be the right thing to do? Hah, have you made it for a girl baby shower? Would decorating the outside with raspberries be cute or weird?
Oh how fun! I remember that feeling of having a girl after four boys – it seems surreal! I think several people in the comments have subbed out blueberries for raspberries. I think it would be delicious!
This was over-the-top good!
I only had 1 8oz cream cheese so I only used 1 stick of butter for the frosting and it was plenty for my 3 layer (8in) cake!
Thanks for the new family favorite!
Hi Mel,
The recipe looks great! If I omit the lemon juice for a vanilla blueberry cake, will it make a difference in the end result?
I haven’t tried it, Rabia – but you could experiment. Good luck!
Can I substitute lemon extract for lemon juice?
That’s a good question…I’m sure you could experiment but I haven’t tried it so I don’t know what amount would be best.
Looks great! Will it last 24hrs without frosting since I want to bake it one day and decorate it the next. Overall it will be 24 hours without frosting and 24hr with. Will it still taste fresh? Thanks
If it were me, I’d either freeze the cake layers and then frost when you need it (up to 24 hours is fine) or go ahead and frost it two days in advance – it will keep the layers soft so they don’t dry out.
Do you think this frosting would work under fondant or is it too soft
I think it might be a bit too soft for that.
Mel is it okay to add sout cream? I hear it makes it moist.
Could certainly try!
Thanks
Hey Mel,
I have made this cake before and it is incredible. I was actually wanting to make it again soon and was wondering if you have ever made a smaller version? Like a miniature style birthday cake that might feed around 4? The large cake feeds so many, I do not want to waste if I do not have a big group. Do you have any recommendations for this? How much ingredients and what size cake pans? Thank you so much!
I haven’t made it smaller, Rebecca, but I’m sure you could. Maybe halve it and bake it in 6-inch pans if you have them? That’s just a guess…
I have made this cake a few times now and love it. My latest attempt was for my sisters wedding cake and I made it as a three tiered cake using 1 batch for the bottom 9 inch tier (two layers as per your recipe). And another batch for the middle 7inch and top 5inch – both two layers. I used cake boards and supports in the bottom and middle tiers and a thin support all the way through all tiers and it was perfect, delicious and stayed together wonderfully. Decorated with blueberries and raspberrries. Thank you
Wow….that sounds amazing. Way to go
My birthday is coming up and I think I just found my birthday cake! Thanks Mel & Happy New Year
Would this hold up for a 3-tiered cake?
The frosting is on the soft side – but I think it would work if you used a stiffer frosting in between layers and used this frosting on the outside.
I made this just today and it was fabulous!! So delicious! I tweaked it a little bit… I used dried blueberries and soaked them in blueberry yoghurt then added some lemon extract on the batter on top of the lemon juice and zest to give a better taste of lemon… it turned out perfect! Thank you for sharing this recipe and i am pinning it and gonna add this on my cake flav list 🙂
It doesn’t specify on your lemon blueberry cake with whipped lemon frosting whether I should use salted or unsalted butter could you please tell me what kind of butter I use for both the batter and frosting thank you
I use salted butter
Thank you!! I made this before but couldn’t remember what I determined lol. I made this for a potluck at work and you have no idea how many people asked me how much I would charge to make them one !?!?!! They absolutely loved it! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe
I can’t wait to make this. Today I ate at an old Italian restaurant in Nashville Tennessee named Coco’s. I had a cake like this and it was Heavenly. In searching for a recipe for it I came across your recipe which looks a lot like it! The only thing different was they used the frosting only between the layers and on the top was a crumbly mixture like you would find on a coffee cake. No cinnamon though. If anyone knows how to make the crumbly stuff let me know. Maybe butter, flour and confectioners sugar?
I made this cake a couple of weekends ago. I even designed it like the picture. It was so delicious and everyone praised me for it. I added extra lemon zest to the frosting and it had beautiful specks of yellow throughout it. Thanks so much for the recipe. This recipe is a keeper!
I made this cake for my daughters 8th birthday. I’m not normally a baker, but she wanted a homemade lemon blueberry cake. The cake came out great!! Thanks for your step by step directions. She has already requested the cake for next year!
Hello,
Instead of fresh Blueberries can i use tinned blueberries(which are usually soaked in sugary corn syrup) If yes, since they are soaked in sweet water, should i reduce the amount of sugar in the cake batter?
If the blueberries in the tins are really, really soft (like cooked blueberries) it probably wouldn’t work so well. They need to be pretty dried from excess moisture to work the best.
I made this again, but this time I made it with a cream cheese icing. I made my standard cc frosting version and not yours (I didn’t have heavy cream, and I didn’t feel like measuring anything), but WOWZA what a difference! The lemon glaze I made before turned the cake slightly too sweet and tart. The cream cheese frosting balanced out the tartness of the cake, making every bite perfection. It made it taste like a cheesecake. I trust that your frosting probably makes it even better, but I’m in cake nirvana now and I don’t want to change a thing! 🙂
I took it to a church event and they raved over it. I left with an empty cake carrier. They didn’t eat it all at the event, but everyone wanted a piece to take home! 🙂 I’ve been told that I can bring any flavor of cake I want now.
I made this cake a few months ago and it’s DEEEELISH! Huge hit with my crowd and I’m returning to my bookmark to make it again! It’s fresh, pretty and moist. Thank you times ten!
Cake sure looks awesome. Have to trt this
Curious, some cake mixes include xanthan gum as a thickener. I’ve played with it, with scratch-made cakes and have found that a little of it can prevent items like blueberries from falling to the bottom.
Anyone here care to comment on that?
Sounds interesting, Forrest, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s something to that!
Just made this cake! It was delicious and a huge hit. Check it out on my Instagram: niredier
I had a question about your measurements, the weight and cup measurements seem a little off for your flour. Flour is usually 4 or 4.25 oz per cup, which puts it about 10 to 10.5 oz total, you have it listed as 12.5 oz for 2.5 cups.
I use 5 ounces per cup of flour (that’s how all my recipes are written/tested – same recommendations as Cook’s Illustrated and America’s Test Kitchen). Hope that helps!
I made this cake for Easter and it was awesome! My daughter requested this in cupcake form for her upcoming birthday…do you think it can be adapted for cupcakes?
I believe there are others that have left comments up above saying they made it as cupcakes – I haven’t tried it but think it should work really well!
I made this recipe for a baby shower last week and it was AMAZING! I am now addicted to blueberries and lemon together after trying this and your blueberry muffin recipe! It baked up beautifully and everyone loved it. There were only crumbs left. Thank you so much!
Tried this last night with my husband and it was amazing. Our only comment was we would actually like the cake a little more lemony, any suggestions on how to do this without affecting the batter?
You’d have to experiment a little – maybe adding more lemon juice to the batter? I’m not sure how it would affect the rest of the cake; you might need to compensate with a little bit more flour. Good luck!
I made this on 5/21/2016 in a 13×9 pan. It fit perfectly. I also used a dark nonstick pan. It didn’t get too brown or crunchy at all. Next time I will follow directions and line the pans with parchment — I didn’t lose much cake, but some blueberry juice and and a very thin layer of cake was left in the bottom of the pan. Usually I don’t bother because crisco + flour makes a cake slide right on out. When I took the cake out of the oven, it almost seemed underdone. As it cooled, it firmed up into one of the most moist cakes I have ever made. I used cake flour instead of all purpose, so the crumb was fine and the texture was so silky. I had to make a quick lemon glaze for it because I was a dummy and thought that cream cheese would freeze/thaw well. The fat separated out and the whey almost made it like cottage cheese, so the frosting was delicious but had a weird texture — I threw it out. I can’t wait to try this again with the frosting, I bet it will make it even better!
Oh yeah, all of my blueberries sank. I used fresh ones and tossed them with flour while they were still damp from washing.
Wow, Mel! This cake is absolutely fabulous! I tried it with raspberries for a teachers’ luncheon, and it was a hit! I snitched a piece for myself, and then sadly watched the rest of the cake disappear. So glad they loved it, but I kind of wanted to take some home! Lots of compliments, and I always tell everyone about your site!
Thanks for another amazing recipe! I made this for Mothers Day and everyone loved it! Just the right amount of lemon…delicious!
The frosting was also super soupy for me too… I followed the recipe to a T so I’m not sure went wrong?
Hmmm, I’m not sure why this is a problem since the frosting has always set up when I’ve made it but I’m making it again Tuesday so I’ll keep an eye on it and report back.
Mine was rather thin as well…..looked great until I added in the cream…..may just omit that next time. The recipie is a keeper for sure.