• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
Sugar Spun Run
  • All Recipes
  • Desserts
    • Cookies
    • Candy
    • Bars & Brownies
    • Cake
    • Pies
  • Breads
  • Savory
  • Breakfast
    • Muffins
    • Scones
  • Seasonal
    • Cozy Winter / Holiday Treats
    • Easter / Spring
    • Fall Recipes
    • Summer Recipes
  • Shop
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Me
  • All Recipes
  • Contact/Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
  • ร—
    Home ยป Desserts ยป Cake

    Lemon Blueberry Cake

    April 11, 2022 By Sam 307 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    collage of lemon blueberry cake

    This Lemon Blueberry Cake is the perfect dessert for spring celebrations and get-togethers! Each layer is studded with blueberries and frosted with a bright and refreshing lemon icing. Recipe includes a how-to video!

    close-up view of a thick slice of lemon blueberry cake frosted with lemon frosting

    All the Flavors of Spring in One Slice

    So many of you have requested this lemon blueberry cake, and I am excited to finally share it with you today! With lemon notes in both the icing and the cake and a bounty of blueberries throughout each layer, this cake is so fruity and light. It’s absolutely perfect for spring and would be a very welcome addition to your Easter dessert table this year.

    What’s So Great About This Lemon Blueberry Cake:

    • It’s a lemony, perfectly tart variation of my vanilla cake with just the right amount of sweetness.
    • A soft, plush crumb suspends at least some of the berries, thanks to the reverse creaming method (like I did with my chantilly cake!).
    • We’re icing it with the lemon frosting I just shared last week, which makes it both refreshing and beautiful!

    What You Need

    overhead view of ingredients including buttermilk, blueberries, and lemons, and many others

    Here are the key ingredients that ensure every bite of this cake is flavorful and light:

    • Blueberries. I use fresh blueberries, but frozen will work too. If you use frozen, don’t thaw them first–just add them right into the batter.
    • Lemon juice. For the most flavorful lemon blueberry cake, use fresh squeezed lemon juice.
    • Lemon zest. Make sure you zest your lemons before you juice them! It will be quite a challenge to zest a juiced lemon.
    • Buttermilk. While I love using my buttermilk substitute in a pinch, I actually don’t recommend using it for this cake. Stick with real buttermilk!
    • Cornstarch. This helps achieve a soft, plush cake.

    SAM’S TIP: While my lemon frosting complements this cake beautifully, you can make a cream cheese frosting variation that also tastes fantastic. To make this, follow the recipe for my lemon frosting, but add 4 oz of softened cream cheese in with the butter. You may need to add up to an additional cup of powdered sugar to get it the right texture!

    Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

    How to Make It

    collage of four photos showing a lemon cake batter being prepared using the reverse creaming method
    1. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
    2. Add the butter one tablespoon at a time, using an electric mixer on low speed to mix after each addition.
    3. Slowly drizzle in the oil.
    4. Combine the remaining wet ingredients in a separate bowl, then slowly drizzle them into the batter.
    collage of four photos showing blueberries being stirred into lemon cake batter before being divided among pans, baked, and frosted
    1. Use a spatula to gently fold the blueberries into the batter.
    2. Divide the batter among your prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes.
    3. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10-15 minutes before inverting the cakes onto a cooling rack.
    4. Frost and decorate your cooled cakes, slice, and enjoy!

    SAM’S TIP: If you only have two cake pans (or your oven only fits two pans at a time), you can let the remaining batter sit on the counter while the others are baking. If you do have three pans and they can all fit in your oven at the same time, definitely keep a close eye on them while they bake–most ovens do not cook evenly, and some may be done before others.

    slice of cake consisting of three layers of lemon cake studded with blueberries layered with a homemade lemon icing

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use frozen blueberries?

    Yes! Just add them in frozen (no need to thaw) and bake as normal. Note that if you use wild blueberries, these tend to streak the batter and turn it purple. If you don’t mind that look (it’s almost like a tie dye effect), feel free to use them as well!

    How do you keep blueberries from sinking in a cake?

    While many (but not all) of your blueberries will sink, you’ll still get a nice distribution of blueberry to cake in the final result, especially since the cake layers are fairly thin. I made several variations of this cake where the crumb was dense enough to suspend blueberries evenly throughout, but the cake itself ended up gummy, dense, flavorless, and just all-around lackluster. I don’t know about you, but I’ll take flavor and texture over perfect looks any day! Note: While some people like to toss their berries with cornstarch or flour to help keep them suspended, I found it made no difference here.

    What’s the best way to store lemon blueberry cake?

    This cake can sit at room temperature for a few hours, but after that, it will need to be stored in the fridge in an airtight container.

    slice of lemon cake studded with blueberries missing several bites

    And in case you are wondering, this cake is different from my (well-loved) lemon cake. While that one is divinely light, fluffy, and perfect in all its lemon splendor, today’s recipe was designed specifically to be a bit denser so that not all of the blueberries sink straight to the bottom (which would happen with my lemon cake).

    Enjoy!

    Letโ€™s bake together! Iโ€™ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook

    close-up view of a thick slice of lemon blueberry cake frosted with lemon frosting

    Lemon Blueberry Cake

    This lemon blueberry cake is the perfect dessert for spring celebrations and get-togethers! Each layer is studded with blueberries and frosted with a bright and refreshing lemon icing.
    Recipe includes a how-to video!
    4.99 from 233 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Cake, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 331kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
    • 1 ยฝ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
    • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
    • ยฝ teaspoon table salt
    • ยฝ cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened and cut into 8 pieces
    • ยฝ cup (120 ml) canola or vegetable oil
    • ยพ cup (180 ml) buttermilk
    • 2 Tablespoons lemon zest zest lemons before squeezing
    • ยผ cup (60 ml) lemon juice fresh-squeezed preferred
    • 4 large eggs room temperature preferred
    • ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 ยฝ cups (340 g) blueberries see note (12 oz)
    • 1 batch lemon frosting or preferred frosting

    Recommended Equipment

    • 8" round cake pans
    • Mixing bowls
    • Electric mixer
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350F and line three 8โ€ round cake pans by lightly but thoroughly greasing and flouring the sides and lining the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
      3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, 1 ยฝ cups (300 g) granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ยฝ teaspoon baking soda, ยฝ teaspoon table salt
    • Using an electric mixer, add softened butter, one tablespoon at a time, adding the next tablespoon only after the first is combined. The mixture will appear sandy in texture.
      ยฝ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
    • While mixing on low-speed, slowly drizzle in oil.
      ยฝ cup (120 ml) canola or vegetable oil
    • In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, lemon zest, lemon juice, eggs, and vanilla extract until combined.
      ยพ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, 2 Tablespoons lemon zest, ยผ cup (60 ml) lemon juice, 4 large eggs, ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • With mixer on low-speed, slowly drizzle in the buttermilk mixture until the batter is smooth and completely combined.
    • Use a spatula to stir in blueberries.
      2 ยฝ cups (340 g) blueberries
    • Evenly divide batter into prepared cake pans and transfer to 350F oven (if your oven is not large enough for all three pans or if you only have two pans, it is fine to let the remaining batter sit on the counter while the first two pans bake. If all of your pans do fit in the oven, make sure to keep an eye on them as most ovens do not cook evenly and some pans may be done sooner than others). Bake for 30 minutes or until the surface of the cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
    • Allow cakes to cool in cake pans for 10-15 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen cakes and carefully inverting onto a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
    • Once cooled completely, decorate the cake using lemon frosting (or preferred frosting).
      1 batch lemon frosting or preferred frosting

    Notes

    Blueberries

    I prefer to use fresh blueberries but in a pinch frozen blueberries will work instead. You do not need to thaw before using. Note that if you opt to use “wild” blueberries, they may streak your batter purple.

    Storing

    Store tightly covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (note that the refrigerator does tend to dry out cakes the longer they are in there).ย 
    ย 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 234mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 358IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

    More Recipes You Might Like

    • Slice of lemon pound cake on a white plate.
      Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
    • blueberry muffin on white marble
      The Best Blueberry Muffins
    • lemon cake on white plate
      Lemon Cake
    • Overhead of blueberry lemon tarts
      Lemon Blueberry Tarts (in Mason Jar Lids)
    « Lemon Frosting
    The Best Scone Recipe (with Video!) »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Andrea

      March 19, 2024 at 9:39 pm

      5 stars
      Fantastic recipe, my first time making a cake with the reverse method. Loved it (I made it for my birthday yesterday) can highly recommend it.

      Reply
    2. Mandy

      March 17, 2024 at 6:16 pm

      5 stars
      I made it and it was delicious ๐Ÿ˜Š

      Reply
    3. Kristie Hayes

      March 11, 2024 at 11:20 am

      Can this be made in three 9 inch round cake pans? We could not find the 8 inch pans nearby. We have made the recommended frosting yesterday and ready to do the cake today. Thought Iโ€™d double check before proceeding. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 11, 2024 at 11:32 am

        Hi Kristie! It can be made in 9 inch pans your bake time will be slightly reduced. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    4. Pam Mangan

      March 11, 2024 at 10:49 am

      Hello, why 3 cake pans; could I use 2 and cut each horizontally? Or is there a reason for a thicker layer?

      Thanks so much! Pam

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 11, 2024 at 10:52 am

        Hi Pam! If your cake pans will hold all of the batter you can certainly bake it in 2 pans. The bake time will certainly be longer. This does make a lot of batter though. If you don’t have 3 pans I would just let the batter rest while the other 2 cakes bake. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    5. aimee

      March 10, 2024 at 5:51 pm

      4 stars
      Great flavor and moist texture. I tried to use Bundt pan and it stuck terribly.

      Reply
    6. Christian

      March 10, 2024 at 7:08 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe! Wonderful with the recommended icing as well. One small tip – toss the blueberries in some of the flour mixture before folding in. It helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.

      Reply
    7. Angela Valdez

      March 06, 2024 at 9:11 pm

      can I use 9ร—13?

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 07, 2024 at 9:43 am

        Hi Angela! This will fit in a 9 x 13, but the berries are likely to sink. A few may stay suspended. I know others have done it in a 9 x 13 with success, but I donโ€™t know what the bake time would be. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
        • Angela

          March 09, 2024 at 6:37 pm

          Thank you!

    8. Kelsey Hill Hill

      March 05, 2024 at 1:23 pm

      Have you used Raspberries in this recipe?

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 05, 2024 at 3:16 pm

        Hi Kelsey! I have not tried it personally, but I know others have replaced the blueberries with raspberries with success ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    9. NA

      March 01, 2024 at 6:37 pm

      Can I omit the blueberries completely and bake it plain?

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 03, 2024 at 9:25 pm

        That should work fine. The cake will take less time to bake. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    10. Kelsie

      February 24, 2024 at 5:25 pm

      Could you make this into cupcakes and how much of the batter would you need to make 12??
      Iโ€™d love to take this into work but itโ€™s just be easier as cupcakes

      Reply
      • Sam

        February 24, 2024 at 8:53 pm

        Hi Kelsie! This can work as cupcakes. Bake time would likely be close to 17 minutes. I think half the recipe will give you about 12. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    11. Soma

      February 24, 2024 at 1:23 pm

      Hi can I use frozen strawberries instead of blueberries?

      Reply
      • Sam

        February 25, 2024 at 9:23 pm

        Hi Soma! Strawberries can hold more moisture than blueberries, so without having tried it I can’t say for sure how it would turn out.

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

    Most Popular

    flaky biscuit on white cloth

    Easy Homemade Biscuits

    Pizza dough in glass bowl, after rising

    The Best Pizza Dough Recipe

    one bite missing from a slice of vanilla cake with chocolate frosting

    The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe

    Slice of cheesecake

    The Best Cheesecake Recipe

    Potato soup in bowl, with toppings

    The Ultimate Creamy Potato Soup

    Stack of cookies made from this chocolate chip cookie recipe with melty chocolate chips and a bite missing from the top cookie

    The WORST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

    Cozy Soups

    Bowl of broccoli cheddar soup with a spoon scooping out a bite.

    Broccoli Cheddar Soup

    Close-up view of chicken pot pie soup with shredded chicken, carrots, potatoes, green beans, and other veggies.

    Chicken Pot Pie Soup

    Bowl of cream of crab soup topped with old bay, parsley, and crab meat.

    Cream of Crab Soup

    Overhead of two bowls of corn chowder

    Summer Corn Chowder

    lasagna soup in white bowl

    Lasagna Soup

    bowl of chicken corn chowder topped with bacon and green onions

    Chicken Corn Chowder

    places sugar spun run has been featured (Women's Day, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, Country Living, the huffington post, People, Delish, MSN, TLC, Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed)
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube

    Privacy Policy|Accessibility Statement

    Footer

    โ†‘ back to top

    ABOUT

    • About Me
    • Policies, Disclosure & Privacy
    • Terms of Use

    CONTACT

    • Contact
    • Work with Me!

    ยฉ 2020 Sugar Spun Run. All Rights Reserved

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    Name and email are required