This STUNNING lemon blueberry cake – covered in blueberry buttercream – is bursting with fresh blueberries and lemon flavor! Lemon zest and lemon juice add great flavor to the cake batter, while fresh blueberries add a pop of color to the cake layers. Pro-tip: toss the blueberries in all-purpose flour so they don’t sink to the bottom of the cake layers!
Blueberry Cake (With Fresh Blueberries!)
I love a good showstopper dessert! But as a mom of 2 tots, I also need my dessert recipes to be easy OR make-ahead friendly. Can you believe this stunning cake is actually both? You can make the cake layers the night before you plan to assemble the cake, and same goes for the stunning fresh blueberry frosting.
I kid you not, I will be making this lemon blueberry cake all summer long! I made it for a party last weekend and it was the ultimate conversation piece! Everyone wanted the recipe – and to know how I got the blueberry frosting that shade of blue without food coloring (more on that below)! I promise, you won’t regret making this for your next shindig or celebration.
Ingredients for Lemon Blueberry Cake Layers
- All-Purpose Flour: I don’t suggest subbing nut flour or whole wheat flour; this cake relies on all-purpose flour for its delicate texture. A gluten free 1-for-1 flour may work well, but I haven’t tested this.
- Baking Powder: Helps the cake layers rise in the oven. Check that your baking powder hasn’t expired before you use it.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cake layers spread in the oven. Check that your baking soda hasn’t expired before you use it.
- Salt: A small amount helps balance the sweetness in the cake layers.
- Butter: Adds flavor and fat (hello, moisture) to the cake layers. I suggest a brand of butter you trust baking with, as quality does matter. I always bake with unsalted butter.
- Oil: Enhances the moisture levels in this cake, and helps the cake layers remain moist for up to 48 hours.
- Lemon Zest: Adds lemon oil to the cake, which naturally enhances the lemon flavor.
- Sugar: Adds sweetness to the cake layers, and enhances moisture. I don’t recommend using less sugar – or another variety.
- Lemon Extract: Enhances the lemon flavor in the cake batter.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds its signature rich vanilla flavor while enhancing all the other flavors in the cake batter.
- Eggs: This recipe calls for 7 large eggs – this is not a typo! This large quantity of eggs makes the cake batter silky smooth, airy, and moist.
- Milk: For best results, use whole milk, although lower-fat milks will work.
- Sour Cream: Adds rich flavor and moisture to the cake batter.
- Lemon Juice: In addition to lemon zest and lemon extract, fresh lemon juice enhances the lemon flavor.
- Fresh Blueberries: I don’t suggest subbing frozen blueberries in this recipe. They might bleed color into the cake batter, causing blue/purple streaks. In a small bowl toss them with all purpose flour so they don’t sink to the bottom of the cake!
Let’s Discuss This Blueberry Frosting!
This blueberry frosting is to-die-for delicious and absolutely stunning! Why use regular lemon cream cheese frosting to frost your lemon blueberry cake when you can use this instead, right?! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Butter: Temperature is crucial here! Soften your butter to room temperature so you can cream it easily with the sugar. I always use unsalted butter!
- Cream Cheese: I find block-style cream cheese works best. As mentioned above, temperature is crucial. So be sure to bring your cream cheese to room temperature before making the frosting.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: For the silkiest frosting, sift the powdered sugar before use. This is an extra step, but I promise it’s worth it in the end!
- Freeze-Dried Blueberries: Aka the secret ingredient! Freeze-dried blueberries work better than fresh blueberries here, because you can use a ton without making the frosting runny. They add so much flavor and color!
- Blueberry Preserves: In addition to the freeze-dried blueberries, we use blueberry preserves. Which further enhance the blueberry flavor and color!
- Salt: A small amount of salt enhances the flavors and helps balance out the sweetness. I don’t suggest skipping the salt in this frosting.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavors in the frosting while adding rich flavor.
- Lemon Extract: Enhances the lemon flavor. If you use pure lemon extract, it shouldn’t taste artificial.
- Lemon Juice: And of course, enhances the lemon flavor even more!
Let’s Bake a Lemon Blueberry Cake!
- Make the Cake Batter: The key here is to have all your ingredients at room temperature and properly measured! I suggest using a digital scale for this cake to ensure the best taste and texture!
- Bake Cake Layers: To ensure the cake batter bakes up moist and tender, we bake at a lower temperature. This allows the cake layers to fully bake without burning.
- Cool the Cake Layers: You’ll want to plan for at least an hour here. Never attempt to frost a warm cake layer! Trust me, I’ve done this and it never ends well.
- Make the Frosting: Once your cake layers have fully cooled, you can make the blueberry frosting! You can also make this ahead of time and store in the fridge. Just bring to room temperature and rewhip briefly before use.
- Assemble: Spread the frosting on the cake layers, piling them on top of each other. Then spread the remaining frosting around the cake and over the top.
- Decorate: Although this cake is stunning as is, I like to add fresh blueberries on top for an extra pop of blueberry!
Making This Cake in Stages
As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, you can break up the work of this cake in phases. Here’s how I do it:
- Bake the Cake Layers: Then let them completely cool at room temperature. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in a cool place for a few hours – or even overnight.
- Make the Frosting: You can make the frosting up to 3 days before you need it! Just store in an airtight container, in the fridge. And bring it to room temperature before use. I like to rewhip it quickly to get out any lumps that may have formed while chilling.
- Assemble: About an hour before serving, assemble and decorate the cake! Then serve and get ready to swim in compliments.
More Lemon Blueberry Cakes to Love:
If you’re looking for a show stopping fresh blueberry dessert recipe to make this summer, this cake is for you! Perfect for birthday parties, dinner parties, or dare I say it – even a small wedding?! This cake is perfect for almost any occasion!
I can’t wait to hear what you think – so if you make it, please leave a comment below. Reading them makes my day!
