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! I just made this recipe for my sister’s birthday, but the cakes took almost 45 minutes to bake. Any ideas what happened?
Hi Tyler, did you make any ingredient substitutions or use different size cake pans? It’s possible the cake pans were filled too much, if they’re taking that much longer to bake through. Happy to help troubleshoot further!
This recipe is the best! It is my go to cake. Always a big hit and asked for often! Yum yum. Very decadent! Not sure why people are having a difficult time with it. My suggestion is to use FRESH ingredients in anything you make. You would be surprised at how quickly your baking power and soda looses their strength.
Happy baking ! Keep those wonderful recipes coming Sally!
It was a HUGE hit! Making this one again :-)))
These are the changes I made for 6,300 feet.
• 235g granulated sugar (-15g)
• 93g packed light brown sugar (-7g)
• 377g sifted all-purpose flour (+23g)
• 2 5/8 tsp baking powder (-3/8tsp)
• 1 cup + 1.5 tblsp buttermilk* (+1.5 tbslp)
Just want to add to the answer that it is extremely important to whisk the butter fluffy, the baking powder can’t rise a cake without any air added in the mixture. I do believe you can over beat the dough (with the flour) and that baking soda can get old, but i never experience this as a problem.
I’ll mix the butter longer next time – thanks
Thank you for this tip! I’m about to make this cake for my wife’s birthday tomorrow and I just tested our baking powder and baking soda and they are both dead. (I did the hot water tests and no bubbles!) About to run to the store to get fresh versions of both! Disaster averted!
Hi Sally! I adore this recipe! My family and friends request it often and your notes have set me up for success every time (*knock on wood at the risk of jinxing myself*)! I read that you can make the cake one day in advance or freeze up to two months, but I need to make the cake on Thursday or Friday for a party on Sunday. This may be a silly question but what do you recommend in that situation? Should I just refrigerate in an air tight container or should I freeze and thaw?
Hi Katie, we’re so happy this cake is always such a hit! For best results and the freshest cake, we recommend baking the cake on Thursday or Friday, then freezing the layers. The cakes take at least 8 hours to thaw completely in the refrigerator. Here are all of our tips and tricks for how to freeze cakes!
Making this cake yet again as it’s so delicious! Also nice flat top so it’s easy to ice with the frosting and decorate the top.
I made this cake in a 13X 9” cake pan. It worked perfectly and was absolutely delicious! The cream cheese frosting complimented the cake very well. My lunch group loved it, too! It’s a keeper!
Delicious cake!!! We all loved it. It was so moist and had the perfect amount of frosting. I wish there had been slightly more blueberries inside, but I put a bunch of fresh blueberries on top.
Hi Sally,
Can I use regular white can sugar instead of brown sugar? I can’t eat brown sugar since it has fructose.
Thanks! Excited to try this cake.
Karen
Hi Karen, Yes that should be fine. Enjoy!
Hi Sally! Thank you so much for this and all of your recipes! I follow them exactly and they always turn out perfectly! This cake was so moist and delicious, however, I neglected to read ahead regarding the need to refrigerate. Is refrigeration required due to safety concerns or strictly for texture purposes? Thanks!
Hi Dawn, thank you so much for your kind comment! Because the frosting is cream cheese based, it’s best to keep the finished cake refrigerated.
i made this cake for my moms birthday with a lemon glaze and blueberry syrup in the middle ! so good ! it did take about double the time to bake. i used two 9-inch pans side by side. any ideas why ? great recipe !
Hi Shirley! This recipe is written for three 9 inch cake pans (not two). Your thicker layers would take much longer to bake in the oven. We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi there, I’d like to make this with raspberries instead of blueberries, (sorry if this question has already been asked, I scrolled thru some of the comments but there are lots!)
Is that a good option?
Yes! Just replace the blueberries with the same amount of raspberries.
Hi E! We don’t have an exact time, as it will vary, but just a few minutes should do the trick. Keep a close eye on it and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
I seen the icing get stiff after being refrigerated. I am needing to make the entire cake tonight to have it ready for in the morning. If I take the cake out of the fridge in the morning will the icing soften up on the cake or would it just be better to make the icing in the morning and add it onto the cake then?
Hi Katie! We recommend frosting the cake the day of serving – see make ahead instructions in the recipe notes for details!
Hi Sally, I tried this blueberry cake today, so delicious unfortunately my blueberries did drop to the bottom (I used cake flour) I’ll try the all purpose next time. My question is, do you think this cake could be covered in fondant? Or is it too light? Thanks
Hi Anne! Yes this cake would hold up to fondant. However we don’t recommend using cream cheese frosting with fondant as cream cheese frosting should always be refrigerated. You could use our lemon buttercream instead. Thanks for giving this recipe a try!
Thank you very much for your reply. I will use lemon buttercream. I’m making it for a birthday cake and plan to do 4 layers using your mix in two 9” tins and doing this twice. Thanks for all your lovely recipes.
Hi Marie! Is it possible your cake batter was over-mixed? Make sure to mix just until the batter comes together. Here’s more tips for preventing dense cakes! Blueberry jam and frosting would be delicious between the layers, or even some lemon curd with frosting. Thanks so much for making our recipes!
Made this for Independence Day and IT.WAS.EPIC! Everyone raved about it and is begging me for the family recipe. 😉 (j/k!) Perfectly moist yet dense, just the right amount of lemon, and the frosting was to die for. I topped with blueberries and strawberries to get my red, white and blue on. I didn’t let my cakes cool long enough and one of them broke apart when trying to transfer. However, I just made that my middle layer and after frosting and refrigerating, it was like nothing ever happened. This was my first 3 layer cake (ever!) and it was fairly easy to execute. Highly recommend!
This is my favorite blueberry cake!
I would love to make it as a rolled cake or roulade. Will this cake roll if baked in a sheet pan?
Hi Lesley! I haven’t tested this particular cake as a cake roll before. I fear it may break and crack, but let me know if you try it. I do have this fun lemon blueberry vertical cake if you want to try something else.
Thanks Sally,
I gave the roll a try but should have known not to put the fruit in the batter.
Of course it cracked!
So I cut the remaining cake into 6 inch squares and created a 3 layer tea cake with a blueberry filling and your cream cheese frosting. Yummy!
Thanks,
Lesley
Have you ever substituted for gluten free flour? If so, what GF flour or flour blend would work best. Thanks!
Anyone tried to make this in a Bundt pan instead of layers? I’m going to try for a bbq tomorrow -fingers crossed!
This is one of my all time favorite cakes to make. All your recipes are amazing! I’m baking this on vacation and only gave 8×8 squares or a 9×13. Would the squares work as a sub for rounds?
Hi Evin, square pans hold more volume than round pans, but you can use our Cake Pan Sizes and Conversions guide to see how many squares you can make with this recipe. Or, for a 9×13 cake, see “Sheet Cake” recipe notes for more details. Enjoy!
Love this recipe but want to try it without the lemon and just do blueberry.. is this possible?
Hi Cait, we’d recommend using our vanilla cake recipe instead — you can add 1 and 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen (do not thaw) blueberries to that batter. Let us know if you give it a try!
This is the most delicious cake I’ve ever made. A hit at the office and w my family. Reminder to others to trust the 21 minutes baking time. I left in 2+ extra minutes. It would have been even more moist if I did not. I Should have tested at 21.
Now I need something to bake w the leftover buttermilk and cream:)
We’re so happy to read that you loved this cake, Leslie! Here’s all our recipes that use buttermilk and all our recipes that use heavy cream if you’re interested!
Thanks! I substituted 2 limes for lemons, raspberries for blueberries, honey (+ 1/2 tsp. baking soda and 6 oz. buttermilk) for sugar, and forgot to buy butter, just baked it in a 9×13 in. pan, but it turned out perfectly, so pleased!
The last time I made this, the blueberries most definitely sank (it was still an amazing cake!). I believe I snuck in some cake flour because I had it on hand. Could that have contributed to them sinking? They were fresh blueberries.
Hi Danielle, that certainly could have contributed, as cake flour is very light and won’t support the blueberries as well as all-purpose flour. You can also try lightly coating the blueberries in flour before adding to the batter, which should help with the sinking too. Hope these tips are helpful for next time!
Yes, today came out MUCH better! The berries did not sink. However, I apparently need to invest in new baking powder as my cake took forever to bake and it’s DENSE. Unless my house being somewhat hotter than usual (heatwave on the east coast) could be an issue, I think my baking powder is past it’s date. Oh dear, learning all the lessons the hard way! Thank you for your help, this blog is my go to for all my baking and cooking recipes!
Thank you for sharing this recipe it was delicious. I made it using a sheet cake and will definitely make this again !yummy 🙂
I made this delicious cake, and it was a hit with everyone! I baked each layer separately because I was worried about uneven baking. For the future (for any layer cake), do the layers bake evenly if I were to put one on the top rack and one on the bottom rack? Would I switch half way through baking?
Thanks!
Hi Liz! We don’t recommend stacking cake layers while baking, as that will cause uneven baking. Best to do them one at a time, or side by side on the same rack, as you mention. So glad this cake was a hit!
This sounds amazing but my husband hates cream cheese…silly man…can you recommend a different frosting for the cake?
Thanks so much!
Carrie
Hi Carrie, our lemon buttercream would be a delicious alternative!