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…How do you get your blueberries not to bleed into the batter? Eventhough i flour them & fold as gently as possible they always seem to bleed into the batter!!! Help!
Hi Cynthia! Are you using frozen blueberries by chance? Those tend to bleed more than fresh. Although a little bleeding is normal, and it sounds like you’re doing everything right!
Thanks for answering Sally. Nope..fresh blueberries only! Living in Maine i only like the small wild blueberries! Ok. will try to keep them ice cold in the fridge til the exact moment i fold them in!! Making for prayer group tonight! Will let you know. Thanks again. You’re the best.
Has anyone tried this with limes? Unfortunately I’m all out of lemons, will using limes make it gross?
Hi Kain! You should be able to substitute limes for lemon without issue. Enjoy!
Is it possible to make this or the lemon pound cake with cherries instead of blueberries???
Of course pitted
Hi Shipra, chopped fresh cherries should be just fine in this recipe instead of the blueberries. Enjoy!
So good! Moist and delicious and easy
I made this as a sheet cake. OMG! It was a winner in my husband’s eyes. He loved this cake. “It tastes like a cheese cake. ” were his words every time he took a piece or two.
Thank you so much for sharing this.
I love the flavor of this cake, especially when paired with cream cheese frosting! I found the middle of the cake a bit “not-quite-done” despite using a cake tester and baking a minute or two past recommended time. Could it be the Frozen Blueberries? Should I have baked at, say 325 for a longer time?!
I welcome any suggestions!
(BTW- I use an oven thermometer, so that’s not an issue!)
Anneliz
Hi Anneliz, it definitely could be the frozen blueberries. No need to lower the temperature, but feel free to bake another minute or two longer until the cake is fully baked in the middle. Glad you still enjoyed it!
I want to make this for the 4th July. But I wanna add something red to it so it’s red, white, & blue. I’m thinking Raspberry, but what & how? Any ideas?
Hi Richard, how about using our strawberry buttercream for the red? (Feel free to swap the freeze fried strawberries with freeze dried raspberries if desired — you could also add a drop or two of gel food coloring for a deeper red color.)
This is our Official Father’s Day cake. Everything about it is perfection. Zesty lemons, fresh blueberries, tangy cake topped with tasty cheesecake flavored icing.
I make this as a “naked” cake, only using the icing between the layers and scraping the sides. This allows the blueberries to shine thru and it’s not too sweet.
I do find that the 3 layers need a few extra minutes in my oven, but it’s easy to be tell when done with a toothpick.
Hi Sally. My granddaughter requested a lemon strawberry cake for her birthday. Do you think I could substitute strawberries for the blueberries in this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Joy, you can certainly use chopped strawberries in this batter instead.
Hi Sally,
This is the first recipe I have ever tried from your website. The cake tastes great, but I have a questions- you mention the batter is very thick but mine was runny, I reduced the liquid (buttermilk) by half and I still would not describe it as thick at all. Am I missing anything? I am based in UK but used the conversions provided. I have no cups to measure but used 3 medium lemons for juice.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Hi Agata, if the cake tasted wonderful, then I wouldn’t be concerned about the consistency of the batter. It’s usually a thicker batter. Do you think your butter was a bit too soft?
Hello! I have 2 questions.
1. If I have to use regular milk instead of buttermilk should I use baking soda instead of baking powder or will there be enough acid in the milk for the chemical reaction?
2. If I don’t have unsalted butter, can I use salted butter and leave off the additional salt? I guess this is a third question but what is the purpose of using unsalted butter then adding salt?
Thank you!!!
Hi Teri, you can use whole milk instead of buttermilk. No need to adjust the baking powder or use baking soda instead. Just stick to the recipe making the milk substitution. You can use salted butter with no changes to the recipe. The cake is sweet and using salted butter won’t affect the taste at all. If you’re interested, here’s an article I published about why I prefer to use unsalted butter in baking.
Hi! Can I use three 8 inch cake pans instead? If so do I need to alter the recipe in any way? Thanks!
Hi Jen, 8-inch round pans are wonderful for this cake too. No adjustments necessary except the cakes may take a couple extra minutes to cook through. You can use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Hello! Is it possible to reduce the amount of sugar in the cake? Will that change the texture? Thank you!
Hi Kathy, sugar does play a large role beyond taste, and reducing it will impact the taste and texture of it as well. We’re unsure how much you could reduce before you’d start to notice a change. If you do decide to try, we’d love to know how it goes for you.
Hey Sally, I am really liking this recipe and wanted to try it out for my birthday. Instead of doing 2 or 3 layers, can baking one layer be possible?
Hi Andrew, This recipe makes a great one layer sheet cake! See the recipe note for details. Happy birthday!
Hi Sally,
This is my favorite cake recipe of all time! I’ve made it over the years for holidays and special celebrations. I’ve never altered anything but was thinking about cutting the recipe in half and using 4.5” cake pans. Do you think cutting the recipe in half will yield the same cake?
Thank you in advance and thank you for the incredible recipe!
Sisi
Hi Sisi, we’d actually recommend using our lemon blueberry cupcakes recipe instead — it will still be a bit too much batter, but fill your pans half way, and then use any leftover batter for a few cupcakes. Enjoy!
Made this one for my daughter’s b-day cake. She said it was “phenomenal “!!!
Thanks for another great recipe and instructions!
I doubt you had this in mind at all, but this is the perfect nonbinary* pride cake! It’s got all the colors of the flag: yellow (lemon cake), white (frosting), purple (blueberries…they always look purple to me when they’re cooked), and a bit of black buttercream writing on the top to decorate made this just perfect!
Oh, and it’s completely delicious too!
(*nonbinary=not identifying as male or female)
Hi Jenny! We’re so sorry you had trouble with this cake. Baking the cake in 2 layers instead of 3 will lead to overfilled pans that may not bake correctly – I fear this may have been the issue for your cake. If you only have two pans you can bake two and let the last third of the batter sit at room temperature until one of the pans is ready to use. Here’re more cake baking tips for next time!
Absolutely amazing cake! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes online. I’ve made this cake twice now, both times, perfection!! A++ I’ve tried many blueberry cake and lemon cake recipes over the years, never has one come out as moist and flavorful as this one.
I made a 13×9 version and it is so yummy. The lemon and blueberry flavours really stand out.
Hi, how would you recommend altering the recipe for 6″ pans? Are you baking one layer per pan? Thanks so much, Sarah.
Hi Sarah, 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 this 6 inch cakes post. Happy baking!
Hi Yeliz, if the cakes were too dense, it’s possible that the batter was simply over mixed. We also share other ways to prevent dry and dense cakes here. Hopefully these tips are helpful for next time!
I just made the cake last night and froze the layers for a work cookout later this week. My cake layers did not really rise much at all. Is this normal? I would say each layer is less than an inch thick. The tops are quite flat such that there is not a dome to cut off. Thanks!
Hi Jessica, 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. For next time, if you want even more height, try reducing the baking powder down to 2 and 1/2 teaspoons and adding 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Hope this is helpful!
I only hav e 6″ pans, how much batter should I put in each?
Hi Theresa, 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 this 6 inch cakes post. Happy baking!
Wow! Made this and will be making again and again! My sister and brother-in-law LOVED it!
Sooooo good.
Moist …tasty and impressive.
Didn’t use the cream cheese frosting..went for.butter vanilla icing mix. Still delicious.
Hi Amy, yes! Just replace the blueberries with the same amount of raspberries.
Thank you! I’m excited! I want to make the cake ahead of time. Can I bake, cool, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for a week before assembling and frosting?
You bet! Here’s our guide to freezing cakes.
How important is lining the pans with parchment paper? It seems complicated and I would like to just do “grease and flour” method.
Hi Alysn, For best results, we recommend lining the bottom of the cake pans with parchment. We’ve found that this helps release the cakes more seamlessly and prevents any of the layers from cracking when removing from the pans.
Hi Sally. I want to make this for my daughter’s birthday. What high altitude (~5600 ft) modifications would you make?
Hi Melissa, I wish we could help, but have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Made only half of the recipe of the batter and a quarter of the cream. Extremely delicious! Will definitely do it again