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
Why does the cream cheese frosting have heavy cream? Just wondering what the difference is before I make because I love the original cream cheese frosting 🙂
Hi Rebecca! The heavy cream simply smooths out this cream cheese frosting a bit. Enjoy!
This has been my birthday cake for years, however this last year i’ve become dairy intolerant, and was wondering if coconut yoghurt alternative would work in the place of buttermilk, or whether it would leave the cake weak structurally? I’ve managed to work out a comparable buttercream frosting by using ghee and after 1.5 years in “lockdown” I want to make sure this years cake is as perfect as it can be! Thanks for any advice.
Hi Sarah, the batter will be too heavy without liquid. We recommend buttermilk or regular milk – you could use a non dairy milk instead.
Hi, I like in Northern Ireland and I don’t think I have ever seen brick style cream cheese. I was just wondering why normal spreadable cream cheese wasn’t recommended?
I was thinking of making the sponge but using fresh whipped cream in between layers and a bit on top to decorate. Do you think this would taste ok rather than having to do a butter cream or cream cheese filling?
I also have a fan oven so just wondering what temperature it would need to be at as I’m assuming 177°c is for an oven with no fan. I will probably do the cake in two layers rather than 3.
Thanks in advance
Hi Naomi! In the U.S. block cream cheese is very different than the tubs and is the only cream cheese that will work for frosting. We have been told by readers outside the U.S. that cream cheese in a tub is different from ours and can work, but we have not tested it. Fresh whipped cream would be delicious as well! If you use convection settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25°F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake. We recommend sticking with 3 pans so the layers bake evenly – if you only have two pans you can let the last third of the batter sit at room temperature until the other two are finished baking. We would love to hear how the cake goes for you!
I have made this cake several times and find it a favorite with everyone. I need clarification on one part of the directions. It says to add the dry ingredients slowly to the wet ingredients and then beat 5 seconds. Do you add the dry ingredients and mix by hand? The 5 seconds was confusing to me. Could you clarify that part of the directions?
I have just been super cautious not to overmix any of the batter.
Thank you.
Hi Susan, great question, beat for 5 seconds with your handheld or stand mixer. Hope you love this cake!
Hi, my son loves blueberries, do you think it would be possible to bake this in a 2 shaped cake tin?
Hi Ruth, it depends on the size of your 2-shaped cake pan. You can use the post Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions to help calculate how much batter you would need for different size pans. However, assuming the 2-shaped pan is smaller than what we’re using here, this is likely too much batter. You can use our Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes for a smaller yield, and use any leftover batter for a few cupcakes. Hope this helps!
I’m thinking of making this for mother’s day, but with raspberries. Do you think I could add freeze dried raspberries to the cream cheese frosting, similar to your strawberry buttercream recipe? I’d like to pipe some flowers on the cake, but cream cheese frosting is usually so soft. I’m hoping the powdered raspberries would help stiffen it up a bit
Hi Millie! You can absolutely make a raspberry cream cheese frosting using the same method we do in our Strawberry Cake. Cream cheese frosting doesn’t hold it’s shape super well when piped, although if you’re doing just a few flowers for decoration, it should be fine. You can place the frosting (in the piping bag) in the fridge for a few minutes to help stiffen it up before piping. Hope this helps!
This cake is DIVINE. I made it for my best friend’s birthday and I am so proud of how it turned out! Decorated it with fresh fruit and edible glitter. Beautiful and so tasty. Thank you for this beautiful recipe AND for including a frosting recipe. It’s so handy to have it all in one place. Will make again!
I’ve made this in the past and love it, however my baby loves oranges, so I wondered if I could sub the lemon for oranges?
Yes, you can use orange instead. Enjoy!
Hi Sally
My cake did not seem to rise much is this normal?
Hi Trish, I’m happy to help. Are you using frozen berries by chance? Sometimes we find that they weigh down the cake’s crumb and add a significant amount of moisture, so that could be why the cake didn’t rise as much as you’d like. Could you try fresh berries by chance? If you want even more height, use cake flour and try reducing the baking powder down to 2 and 1/2 teaspoons and adding 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
I made this for my nephews first birthday party. He loves blueberries, and I wanted a bright summer cake for the party. It was a huge hit. It was delicious and so moist. It was also not ultra sweet, which a lot of people said they liked about it. I made a recipe and a half for the frosting and there was just enough, so I recommend doing that in order for it to be perfectly covered and smooth.
Can i make cupcakes into this? If so, how much do you think it makes and do i need to change anything?
Hi Renee. Yes! We turned this cake into cupcakes in the post Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes.
Hi Sally,
I want to make this cake for my grandmother but she’s not a fan of of lemon. I’m pretty new at baking so I’m not sure what I’d need to do in order to make sure the cake stays the same minus the lemon flavor. If I were to remove the lemon zest and lemon juice, would I have to add more liquid or would it be fine as is?
Hi Leigha, for a vanilla blueberry cake, we recommend following our vanilla cake recipe and adding 1 and 1/2 cups of blueberries to the batter. Happy baking!
Thoughts or comments on how this would this work in a Nordic ware shaped pan?
Hi Mary, we haven’t tested this as a Bundt or Nordic ware shaped cake but it will likely be a bit denser than the original layer version since it’s one tall layer. See recipe notes for more details. Let us know what you try!
Can almond flour be a substitute? My mother law has a gluten allergy?
Hi Molly, we do not recommend almond flour in this cake recipe. It would be best to search for a lemon cake recipe that has been developed as gluten free. We don’t have many gluten free recipes, but here they are if you are interested in browsing.
Hey Sally! I just made the cakes, but they didn’t rise :/. Any idea why? The butter was at 65 degrees (I checked!) and I used a full tablespoon of baking powder. I put the batter in the refrigerator for a bit because I had to step out of the house. Could that be it?
Hi Jason, happy to help troubleshoot. Cold batter won’t rise as much as room temperature batter. The cakes are thin as is, but colder batter would definitely prevent normal rising.
Hi Lelsie, absolutely. You may need to bake the cakes a little longer since strawberries tend to be juicier than blueberries, giving the cake extra liquid. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness. Happy baking!
This is the absolutely best cake I’ve ever made! My family raves about it and has requested it so much that I had to rein them in, and now it’s only a very special occasion or a birthday request!
Hey! I made this cake for my birthday last night and while the flavor was fanTASTIC, I’m a little confused about the texture. I baked it in 3 8″ pans as directed- probably a little longer than 25 minutes. I don’t know that they properly rose. The layers were extremely thin and thus, very…as the Brits would say, stodgy. I did wonder if I could have kept it in the oven longer, but it just seems as though something was off. This has actually happened to me once before with a different recipe. It seems like the batter wouldn’t have even been enough to fill 3 9″ pans. Any thoughts?
Hi Kyra! Happy to help. It could be a few things. First, make sure your baking powder and soda are fresh. We find they lose strength after just 3-4 months. Use proper room temperature butter and other room temperature ingredients and be careful not to overman the batter. Make sure you spoon and level the flour, too! Here’s a helpful post about preventing dense cake.
Hi Tia, 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 Sally, you said that whole milk can be substituted for the buttermilk, can Greek yogurt or Skyr be used instead?
Hi Elaine, I don’t recommend it. The batter will be too heavy without liquid. I recommend buttermilk or regular milk.
This Lemon Blue cake is not only delicious but beautiful looking. We all enjoyed it thoroughly!
This recipe looked so good that I decided to try it. I have saved it in my favourites now and made it many times. I just use regular milk and cream and it turns out pretty good.
Absolutely delicious cake! I’ve made it 3 times. It comes out nice and flat on top so if decorating you don’t need to take the top off. Even when I overcooked it slightly once it was still delicious. The icing is delicious too but 3/4 times we’ve eaten it just as happily without any icing as it’s so tender
This is, without a doubt, one of my absolute favorite recipes to make! I’ve made it in three 9-in pans and also three 8-in pans. I think I prefer the 8-in! I’ve had friends ask me to make it for their birthday cake! Thank you Sally!!
I baked this cake for my daughter’s First Communion. I’ve never baked a cake for a special occasion and I was SO NERVOUS to serve it. This cake and homemade buttercream was a huge hit. I did not use cake flour and I was worried about how dense the cake would be. It was dense but it was the consistency of how my culture enjoys cake. Delicious! There were no leftovers and I was asked to never get a store bought or bakery cake again! Can’t tell you how good that felt!
Hi! I’m thinking of make an 8″ cake with this recipe. Is it possible to follow the timings but add a few extra minutes?
Also, if I do not have 3 cake pans is it possible to bake a whole cake and slice into 3?
Thank you!
Hi Clarissa, 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. There is too much batter for one or even two pans. Overfilling your cake pan will lead to the cake not baking properly, it will be too heavy to rise and will likely overflow. You can bake two layers and leave the batter for the third layer covered at room temperature to bake when the first two are finished.
Cake emergency!
I am making my sister’s wedding cake, unexpectedly. I have made this cake before and it was delicious! I want to make a 3 layer 9in cake base and a 3 layer 6in cake top. Can I use this same recipe for the 6in cake? Or should I use the similar cupcake recipe for the 6in? Would there be a flavor difference?
Hi Samantha, The recipe for Meyer Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes is the cupcake version of this cake and the batter fits perfectly into three 6 inch layers. You can follow the baking directions in the post 6 inch cakes. Happy baking!
Hi there! Could I substitute raspberries for blueberries easily? Looking to make a lemon-raspberry cake and this looks perfect! Would the amount of berries be the same?
Hi Mackenzie, Yes! Just replace the blueberries with the same amount of raspberries.
Am I supposed to measure the flour and then sift or sift then measure for this cake? Tried to make it the other day and something went wrong. Trying to figure out where I messed up.
Hi Jennifer, You want to sift and then measure. When a recipe is written as “sifted all purpose flour” that means sift then measure. If it’s written as “all purpose flour, sifted” then you measure before sifting. I hope this helps!
Absolutely gorgeous recipe. The cake was delicious. I substituted the cream cheese frosting for a lemon Curd buttercream. It went down a treat. Thank you!