This better-than-ever lemon blueberry layer cake is bursting with sunshine-sweet flavor and filled with juicy berries in every bite. Its tender, moist crumb is perfectly balanced with a bright, zesty lemon flavor. Finished with a rich and creamy cream cheese frosting, this is a delightfully fresh and luscious dessert that’s perfect for spring and summertime.
I originally published this recipe in 2014 and I have made a few small updates to produce a lighter, softer cake with just as much incredible flavor.
This cake has become one of my favorite spring dessert recipes and Easter dessert recipes—and for good reasons. It boasts a bright, superior lemon flavor; bursts with blueberries in every single bite; has a perfectly tender crumb; and is finished with a tangy cream cheese frosting that ties it all together.
I first published this recipe in 2014, but after receiving mixed feedback over the years, I knew it wasn’t quite perfect yet. While many readers loved the flavor and appreciated the denser-style crumb, others simply found it too heavy.
When I see a pattern of reviews with concerns over the same thing, I will revisit the recipe and try making various tweaks until I’m confident I’ve fixed the issues. After experimenting several variations of today’s cake, my team and I discovered 3 small tweaks that made a big difference in the cake’s texture. The result? A softer, lighter crumb while keeping all of the same sunshine-sweet flavor.
The updated recipe is below, with the earlier version in the Notes—just in case you loved the original!
One reader, Jen, commented: “Love the updated recipe! I’ve been making this cake for a few years now. It was a bit dense but still a great cake. It’s usually what people request from me for their birthdays. The update has a lighter and softer texture with the same perfect flavor. Thank you for the improved recipe just in time for my husband’s 40th birthday! ★★★★★”
3 Small Recipe Updates = Impressive Changes
- Sub in some oil: The recipe originally called for 1 cup of butter. While creaming butter with sugar produces a soft, airy base for cakes and cupcakes, if the other ingredients in the batter are also heavy (buttermilk, flour, eggs), too much butter will simply weigh everything down. I removed half of the butter (1/2 cup), and subbed in 6 Tablespoons of oil. Not a 1:1 swap because we didn’t want too much liquid in the batter.
- Sub in some baking soda: The cake called for 1 Tablespoon of baking powder, which wasn’t the ideal amount for its heavy crumb. Instead of increasing the baking powder, which could leave us with a chemical aftertaste, I subbed in some baking soda. Combining baking powder and baking soda enhances both the rise AND the flavor of the cake.
- Slightly reduce the buttermilk: Scale the buttermilk down to 3/4 cup, instead of 1 cup. The cake is still extremely moist without tasting heavy and wet.
Key Ingredients in Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Granulated & Brown Sugar: Use a mix of sugars. Brown sugar provides moisture and a little extra flavor. White granulated sugar adds sweetness without weighing the cake down.
- Eggs: You need 4 eggs, which provide structure, enhance the cake’s rise, and create a richer, more flavorful bite.
- Buttermilk: Known for providing exceptional moisture in baked goods, buttermilk leaves each bite tender. If you don’t have buttermilk, there’s no need to make a buttermilk substitute. You can use whole milk with no other changes to the recipe because there is enough acid in the lemon juice and brown sugar. (For the baking soda to react.)
- Fresh Lemons: Use fresh lemon juice and lemon zest in the cake batter. A citrus juicer and citrus zester are equally helpful here!
- All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour is ideal in this batter; skip cake flour because it’s simply too light to hold up to the heavy butter, oil, buttermilk, and blueberries.
- Fresh Blueberries: I strongly recommend using fresh blueberries. Frozen blueberries often let off too much moisture, which will weigh down the cake’s crumb.
I love this lemon blueberry cake because the blueberries DO NOT sink to the bottom of the cake. Why not? The batter is thick. When you have a thin batter, heavy fruit or add-ins will sink to the bottom. Still, toss the blueberries in a little flour… for extra insurance!
I recommend using 8-inch round cake pans, which produce thick, lofty cake layers. 9-inch pans can work in a pinch, but expect thinner layers.
Use Parchment Paper Rounds for Cakes
Line your cake pans with parchment paper rounds. I do this every single time I bake a round cake, whether I’m making a 1-layer sprinkle cake, a 9-layer Smith Island cake, or today’s lemon blueberry layer cake. Store-bought pre-cut parchment rounds are convenient, but it’s really easy to trace your pan on parchment and cut it out. You can cut the exact pan size you need, whether you’re making a 6-inch cake, an 8-inch cake, or a 9-inch cake.
Very lightly grease the cake pan with butter or nonstick spray. Place the parchment paper round inside, and then grease the parchment, too. Yes, you grease the pan and then also grease the parchment. This creates an ultra-nonstick environment for your cake. The cake won’t stick to the pan, and the parchment round won’t stick to the cake.
Once the cakes have baked and cooled, trim the tops using a cake leveler or a large serrated knife to create an even surface. A flat top ensures a sturdier and more stable layered cake. Here’s my how to assemble and decorate a layer cake video and tutorial if you want extra help.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Silky cream cheese frosting is the perfect finishing touch on this soft lemony cake—it tastes like spreadable cheesecake!
It’s light and creamy, so it glides onto the cake pretty effortlessly. I use a large flat icing spatula to frost the layers and exterior of the cake.
Crumb coat? While you can certainly add one, there’s no need for a crumb coat; the cake isn’t super crumbly and the frosting is ultra soft and creamy.
Decorate with blueberries, lemon zest, lemon slices, florals, coconut, and/or whatever you like!
You need 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice and 2 Tablespoons of lemon zest. To extract that much juice, 3 or 4 medium to large lemons is usually enough. For the zest, you’ll only need about 2. Zest the lemons first, and then cut open to juice them.
I recommend using 8-inch round cake pans, which produce thick, tall cake layers like you see in the photos. 9-inch pans can work in a pinch, but the cake layers will be thinner than what is pictured, and the cake will be shorter.
Yes, absolutely! Same amount. Toss them in flour before using, just as you do with the blueberries.
Need cupcakes instead? Use my recipe for lemon blueberry cupcakes. Or perhaps breakfast? Try my lemon blueberry muffins. How about pie? My lemony blueberry galette will hit the spot! Cookies? You’ll love these lemon blueberry cookies.
More Lemon Recipes For You
- Lemon Bars
- Lemon Meringue Pie
- Blueberry Lemon Icebox Cake
- Lemon Blueberry Scones
- Homemade Lemon Cupcakes & Lemon Raspberry Jam Cupcakes
- Lemon Blueberry Babka
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This better-than-ever lemon blueberry layer cake is bursting with sunshine-sweet flavor and filled with juicy berries in every bite. Its tender, moist crumb is perfectly balanced with a bright, zesty lemon flavor. Finished with a rich and creamy cream cheese frosting, this is a delightfully fresh and luscious dessert that’s perfect for spring and summertime.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 6 Tablespoons (90ml) vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (180ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
- 1/2 cup (120ml) lemon juice (3–4 lemons), at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (210g) fresh blueberries (I do not recommend frozen)
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature*
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) heavy cream*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake: Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the oil and beat until combined and light and creamy, about 3 more minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until everything is completely combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed for a few seconds, then beat in the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice *just* until combined. Toss the blueberries with 1 Tablespoon of flour and gently fold into the batter. Batter is thick. Do not over-mix.
- Spoon batter evenly into prepared cake pans. Bake for about 22–26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan before assembling and frosting.
- Make the frosting: Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until no lumps remain, about 3 full minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Turn mixer up to high speed and beat for 3 minutes.
- Assemble and frost: (Note: See my how to assemble and decorate a layer cake video & tutorial if you want extra help with this step.) First, using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Place 1 layer on your cake stand. Evenly cover the top with cream cheese frosting. Top with 2nd layer, more frosting, then the third layer. Top with frosting and spread around the sides. The recipe doesn’t make a ton of frosting, just enough for a light frost. Top with blueberries or lemon garnish if desired. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before cutting or else the cake may fall apart as you cut.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I like to use a cake carrier for storing and transporting.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare cakes and frosting 1 day in advance. Keep cakes at room temperature, covered tightly. Refrigerate prepared frosting in an airtight container until ready to use. Bring frosting to room temperature before spreading as it will be quite stiff after refrigerating. (Add a splash of cream or milk to thin out, if needed.) Frosted or unfrosted cakes may be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, if desired, before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 8-inch Round Cake Pans | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cake Turntable, Cake Stand, or Large Serving Plate | Straight Icing Spatula | Offset Icing Spatula | Cake Carrier (for storage) | Citrus Juicer | Citrus Zester
- Sheet Cake: The batter makes a perfect sheet cake! Simply spread into a 12×17-inch half sheet/jelly roll pan and bake for about 20 minutes or until cooked through. It also fits nicely into a 9×13-inch cake pan. Bake for about 30–35 minutes or until cooked through.
- Bundt Cake: I recommend making my lemon poppy seed Bundt cake recipe. You can leave out the poppy seeds and add 1 and 1/2 cups (210g) fresh blueberries. I also have a lemon berry yogurt cake recipe. You can use all blueberries.
- Cupcakes: Here are my lemon blueberry cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting.
- 6-Inch Cake: Use my lemon blueberry cupcakes batter and follow my 6-inch cake baking instructions.
- Eggs: Room-temperature eggs are recommended because they mix easily and quickly into the cake batter, reducing the risk of over-mixing. Place eggs into a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes before using or set the eggs out when you set out your cream cheese and butter for the recipe.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk helps produce a supremely moist cake. If you don’t have buttermilk, use whole milk instead. No need for a buttermilk substitute. You can use lower-fat or nondairy milks in a pinch, but the cake won’t taste nearly as rich and moist.
- Cream Cheese: Use brick-style cream cheese, not cream cheese spread.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream with 30% or more milk fat gives the frosting the creamiest texture. Milk will work in a pinch!
- Updated in 2025: Based on reader feedback about the cake baking up flat and tasting too heavy, I made 3 small tweaks. The updated recipe is what you see above. To make the original recipe, leave out the oil and baking soda. Increase the butter to 1 cup (226g/16 Tbsp), the baking powder to 1 Tablespoon, and the buttermilk to 1 cup (240ml). The bake time is the same.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally,
Is there any substitute for butter in this recipe?
Thank you.
We haven’t tested this with any butter substitutes, Mary. You would need something solid that you can cream, so you could try either vegan buttery sticks or even solid coconut oil, but of course the taste and texture of the cake will change. Let us know if you try anything.
Sally: a co-worker has asked me if I could make this as her wedding cake.
I did a “trial run” this weekend, making one batch of cake batter/pouring it into Three 9″ pans (cut baking time by 10 minutes, which was perfect) then I made another batch of batter/pouring it into Four 6″ pans. (took longer to bake! 🙂 )
I assembled the cake …Three 9″ layers on bottom, and using dowels and cake cardboard, (then supporting) Two 6″ layers for the top (my husband was very happy to eat the other two remaining 6″ cakes!)
I used the cream cheese icing, and brought it to the office today for evaluation/recommendations.
To achieve the “look” Taylor wants, I emphasized that a buttercream frosting would be better to work with. Taylor then decided (since the cake is very moist and dense) that she wanted me to frost it as “a naked cake” with scant frosting in between the layers (which I think that would be a good idea.)
My question: Could I make your “favorite vanilla buttercream icing”–BUT instead of vanilla, use pure lemon extract? (unsure if fresh squeezed lemon juice would do the trick?)
(I believe frosting it as “a naked cake” and using scant icing in between layers–a buttercream would work FAR better than the cream cheese frosting?)
Taylor’s wedding is not until late October 2020–thank you Sally!!
You can certainly use lemon extract in the vanilla buttercream (try half vanilla, half lemon). However for the freshest taste I recommend making this Lemon Buttercream Frosting which uses real lemons. Let us know how it turns out!
Hi Sally, is there any substitute for eggs in this recipe? Can I use flax egg or greek yogurt?
Hi Tanya, we haven’t tested this recipe using egg substitutes. If you try anything let us know how it goes!
One again, this recipe is the bomb! We totally loved it! The one question I have is if it’s possible to make it with a cake that is less dense? We are big eaters and are so full after a special dinner this cake is too heavy! Would love your thoughts, cheers, Lauren
Hi Lauren, For a lighter texture you can use cake flour, see recipe notes. You can also visit this post on How to Prevent a Dry or Dense Cakes for more tips.
Hi! I found that the cakes needed much longer to bake than indicated. I used 6-inch pans and didn’t even use half the batter, and it still took 35+ mins to bake. Just a heads up for anyone else using this recipe. Otherwise, tasted very lemony and and delicious.
Any chance I could make this without the lemon? I want a layered blueberry cake (no lemon) and I love your recipes so I was hoping that would work!
Hi Melanie, For a vanilla blueberry cake you can use this vanilla cake and add 1 and 1/2 cups of blueberries to the batter. Happy baking!
I love making this cake. And this is the best cream cheese frosting I’ve had! The cake screams spring to me. Question – would this be just as delicious with butter cream frosting instead? You know for those that do not care for cream cheese.
This cake would be perfect with vanilla buttercream of even lemon buttercream frosting. Enjoy!
I made three of these for a baby shower on Saturday and they were so popular I made two dozen cupcakes on Tuesday!
Hi,
i have tried your cake recipes and it came out really well. Could you please suggest alternative ingredient for eggs?, because i wont eat eggs.
Thanks,
Srividhya.
Hi Srividhya, So happy you enjoyed this cake! We haven’t tested this recipe with any egg substitutes but let us know if you try anything. If you are interested, here are all of our egg free baking recipes.
Made this cake twice and it did not rise properly, even checked baking powder to make certain it was fresh. I have been cooking and baking for years, first time that I have had this problem. Any suggestions on what goes wrong?
I varied the recipe slightly and just made a cake with out layering or frosting. Everyone that tried it said it was lovely and want me to make it again. Stunning recipe. Bookmarked it for future use ( probably lots ha ha ha). Thankyou very much
I made this cake for my husband’s birthday this weekend, he requested it after I made your lemon layer cake for my mother in law’s birthday this spring. This cake was absolutely delicious, and made me look like a total rockstar baker! Everything I’ve made from your site has been exceptional, thank you for being so thorough in your explanations and modifications and making something that can be intimidating accessible. My sister asked me how I made such an excellent scratch cake and I replied, “I just followed the directions!” Never will I ever buy a box mix again! Thank you!!
This was my first cake not in a box. I just want to say that everyone raved about it. It was so delicious. Thanks for sharing
Can you make this with your lemon buttercream frosting instead of the cream cheese frosting?
Absolutely!
This cake is perfection! Consistency, density, flavor, thickness of layers for the three layers. I’ve had to make three layer cakes into two layers instead because they tend to not fit in my cake stand with the lid. I really wanted to make this three layers for our anniversary yesterday. Wanted the dramatic look. It fit perfectly. Only change I made was I added fresh lemon juice to the frosting too. I just squeezed it in and mixed until I got the lemony zing I wanted. I wish I could add a picture to show how beautiful it is.
Question, could I use 1/2 cake flour and 1/2 AP flour. Just wondering how that would work. I’m making 3 of these for a baby shower on Saturday!
Hi Bobbie, you could definitely use half all-purpose flour and half cake flour in this cake recipe.
I was psyched to make this as my blueberry crop has been abundant this year. I wasn’t disappointed! This cake has amazing flavor….VERY lemon for all of us lemon lovers! It came out quite dense…. did I overmix the batter ( I tried not to) but am not sure as I’ve never made a cake with buttermilk before. Either way, it is a winner and I’ll be making this again and again!
The cake portion was delicious, but the icing doesn’t seem a good fit in my opinion. It’s overly rich. I feel it would be better with a lighter frosting.
Very moist and tastes great. Had only one cup of blueberries but it seem enough. Enjoy the texture and will share with family and friends. Has exactly the taste combination I desired.
This is my new favorite cake recipe! I am so glad I found you. Your recipes are amazing. I zhuzhed it up a tad, only because I know how to make these add-ons! I glazed each layer with a limoncello syrup, and on the first layer I made a blueberry filling. the second I made a lemon curd. and then I added a little limoncello to the icing.
How long do you let layers cool before removing from pans?
Hi Rae, I recommend letting the cakes cool completely in the pans.
Hi Sally,
This cake looks amazing! would love to try it! Is there anything else I can replace the lemon juice and zest with? Would it work with milk?
Hi Brunella, For a vanilla blueberry cake you can use this vanilla cake and add 1 and 1/2 cups of blueberries to the batter
Hi Sally, this looks amazing! The recipe is easy to follow even for a novice for me. Am I able to make this Recipe using a cake pan of 8x 1.5 inch? Can’t seem to find any in the 9 inch or even 6 inch to make smaller ones. Any tips will be greatly appreciated.
Hi Veena, You can use 8 inch pans without changing the recipe – your layers will be a little bit thicker so may take an extra minute in the oven. Use a toothpick to check for doneness.
Hi Sally,
I made this yesterday for my daughters birthday! Absolutely delicious! I used lemon curd for the filling then cream cheese buttercream for top and sides! She and everyone loved it!
I loove it soo delicious
I have made this cake over and over again. Both in layers and in a 9×13 pan. It is delicious.
Yesterday, I made it with cake flour and baked it in a 9×13 pan.Batter was fairly thin and my blueberries sunk. It did bake up nice and fluffy.
Any suggestions or ideas as to why this may have happened?
Hi Carrie, The batter is thinner with cake flour, be sure to toss the blueberries with 1 Tablespoon of flour before gently folding into the batter to help them not sink.
I made the cake tonight for my son’s first birthday. I’m worried that the layers are too flat. About how thick should each layer be before assembling? I’d hate to find out that his 1st Birthday cake is a flop.
Hi Sally!
Could I substitute raspberries for the blueberries. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!!
Hi Melissa, Yes! Just replace the blueberries with the same amount of raspberries.
Sooooo good!!!
Hi Sierra, this is a 3 layer 9-inch cake!
Hi Sally,
I mad this last night and everyone loved it! It’s moist and has excellent flavor. I only used 1 cup white sugar and I added a bit of zest to the frosting, but otherwise followed it exactly. VERY GOOD! Thank you!
This recipe has a great flavor. I tried a couple of different fat combinations including sour cream, oil/butter, etc and this one was the BEST! I substituted cake flour the next time I made it and it turned out even better! Highly recommend