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
I am not a baker. This is the first cake I tried to make from scratch. It came out perfect! I don’t know what is happening to those that say ‘too dense’ – the measurements, time to cool, etc. is spot. Makes sure and cut in view of your guests, it is quite the surprise!
This might possibly be my favorite cake recipe EVER!
One of my absolute favorite cakes! I think what alot of people are missing is to make sure to whip the eggs really good! The recipe says 2 mins… You really do need to whip for the entire 2 mins – The egg is what helps give this cake fluff. Although this is definitely more of a pound cake, it is beyond amazing.
I haven’t made the cake but I only have one 9inch springform pan. Could I just bake the layers one at a time? Or would it be better to not make a layer cake, or make the lemon cupcakes? If I can bake the layers one at a time is it ok to use the springform pan instead of a cake pan?
Hi Georgia! You can bake the layers one at time in your springform pan. You could do two or three layers. The batter can be left covered at room temperature until the pan is ready. Let us know how it goes!
Haven’t made the cake yet, but was curious if anyone has done this cake with two layers? Any pointers before I start on it? I only have two round pans. I may have to do a third layer when one of the pans are done.
Hi Lauren! There is too much batter for 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. Hope you enjoy the cake!
This cake made me look like a much better baker than I am. It is dense, but in a rich, decadent way. I added some blueberries as I frosted the layers; otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly. A hit!
I am an experienced baker, and this recipe, like all of Sally’s recipes I’ve made, didn’t disappoint! Since discovering Sally’s recipes, I’ve started weighing ingredients, especially flour. It makes for a much more consistent result. I also have a really good oven with an accurate temperature, which also contributes to that perfect result. This recipe has really good lemon flavor as a result of the zest incorporated in the batter. The first time I made it, I didn’t have fresh lemons, and though still good, fresh lemon juice and zest kicked this recipe into the stratosphere. I think fresh blueberries are also a must. Since the frosting is a little shy of the amount I like on a cake, I multiplied the recipe by 1.5 on my second time baking this recipe. My home is at 74 F, so one Tblsp of cream was all that was needed for good spreadability. I’ll be making this once again by request for Mother’s Day. This cake is a super crowd pleaser!
This turned out wonderfully for Easter! I used Better Batter gluten free flour blend, cup for cup, and it was a little dense but we loved it. I was worried the frosting wouldn’t be enough for a three-layer cake so I skimped on the frosting between the layers, but that wasn’t necessary. There was plenty. I just ended up with a nice thick outer coating of frosting. I also think this is the perfect cream cheese frosting recipe. Yum!
Great recipe that will impress! I distributed the batter between two round 9 inch pans and 8 cupcakes. I will make this again.
Do you think I good double the recipe and bake in three 9×13 inch pans and make it into a 3 layer cake.
Hi Nancy, one batch of batter fits nicely into a single 9×13 pan (see recipe notes for bake times). For three 9×13 cakes, we’d recommend making three separate batches rather than tripling. You could make two batches as you mention for thinner 9×13 cakes. Let us know what you try.
We just finished this cake. The frosting really takes the cake to a whole other level. So amazing!
Could diced strawberries be used?
Hi Lucas, 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!
Weird question, but if you used a strawberry puree reduced by half, (1cup puree cooked to reduce to 1/2 cup) how many grams of the reduced puree would be appropriate for this recipe? Could powdered freeze dried Strawberries also be used with the puree for a strawberry kick?
Hi, I loved the recipe so much but then my batter turn runny. What should I do? Help please!!
Hi Shafiqah, did you happen to make any changes to the recipe? How are you measuring your flour? Be sure to spoon and level (or use weight measurement) to ensure the right amount of flour to help incorporate properly with the wet ingredients.
Could I use half sour cream and half buttermilk, like you recommend in your triple chocolate cake?
Hi Moilshri! In our triple chocolate cake recipe, the sour cream version helps produce a sturdier crumb. The crumb in this cake is already sturdy, and replacing some of the buttermilk with sour cream may result in an overly-dense cake. You can use milk instead of buttermilk in this particular recipe as well. Hope this helps!
I made this cake for my moms 73rd birthday and it was a hit! Everyone loved it and it was moist and delicious!! Not too sweet but just right. I will be making this cake again for sure!! I used the measurements as directed in the recipe.
I wanted to change the frosting to a mascarpone frosting. Therefore I baked the cake one day and then did the frosting the following day. I wrapped each cake individually. I found the crumb too heavy. The cake had a decent flavor but not what I wanted crumb wise. I’m not sure it would have been that much lighter had I not wrapped it after it cooled. I also feel my blueberries were too big and recommend maybe wild blueberries. I will continue my quest fir a lemon blueberry cake.
I baked this cake twice in the same day for the first time.
The first cake looked promising at first; however, like others have said, it was dense and all 3 layers ended up breaking apart. Pressing a piece of the cake turned it back to dough
For the second attempt, I adjusted the amount of lemon juice (6 tablespoons, as suggested above), added baking soda (again, as suggested), and added 5-6 minutes to baking time. The crumb looks better (didn’t turn back to dough) and the layers held together better
Just to check the boxes, I did 1) weight my ingredients, 2) used fresh blueberries, and 3) verified that the leavening agents were still good for both attempts
It was my first time making cakes and both tasted good, but I think updating the recipe a little to include the suggestions might help a bit (baking time is more subjective since it’s very possible my oven is not correct)
I’m going to finish assembling the cake later and will update with the final results afterwards; hopeful everything comes together, since I’m making it for my birthday 🙂
Cake did not rise at all. Yes, my baking powder was fresh, just opened it. Hopefully it tastes good, taking it to grandsons bday party.
thanks for these tips, am planning to make it this week for a birthday party. i am interested in your updates. thank you!
How much baking soda did you use? It already has baking powder-did you keep that the same?
I kept the baking powder the same as in the recipe. I added 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda, based on an earlier comment
I made this for Easter yesterday and it was a huge success. I was nervous after reading the comments about it being dense but you did say that it was between the consistency of pound cake and yellow cake. I followed your tips and it turned out perfectly. Delicious blend of tart and sweet. This is my new favorite recipe. The Carrot Cake has moved into second place. Thank you so much!
My husband has been making this cake for my birthday for several years, and I look forward to it every year! But we have a 1.5 year old with an egg allergy we’ll be accommodating for the first time this year. What egg substitute do you think would work best?
Hi Susan, these are thinner cake layers, but make sure you’re not over mixing the batter which can lead to dense and squat cakes. 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!
Does not work, cook times are completely wrong and the particularly the icing recipe was not right. Cannot recommend
Hi Barbara, 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. Make sure you spoon and level the flour, too! These tips should help for next time. Thank you for giving this recipe a try!
Could I use cake flour instead of all purpose flour?
Hi Abby, For a lighter texture you can use the same amount of cake flour. 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.
Sally, This cake is fantastic! Your recipes are the best. Thanks so much!
I haven’t made this recipe yet but am planning to for Easter this weekend. Can I make as a double layered cake using 9″ round pans instead of making it with three layers?
Hi Lynn, the layers will be quite thick and may bake unevenly if baked in two pans. If you only have two pans, 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.
Can I use blackberries instead of blueberries?
Hi Allison, many readers have reported success doing so. Let us know if you give it a try!
The recipe is so good. I made a one layer cake because I didn’t want a lot of cake leftovers. Aside from cutting the recipe in half, I followed your directions. I will make this again and remember that the batter is thick and to not over mix. Using fresh lemons was so delicious too. I used frozen berries in the cake and used fresh berries to top the cake. I posted photos on social media with your recipe link. So many people were posting they wanted to make it.
Hi Waynette, thanks for sharing this recipe. We’re so glad you loved it!
I live in Denver, and would like to know what adjustments to make for high altitude please. This is a perfect dessert for the group I am hosting. Thank you!
Hi Linda, We wish we could help, but we have no experience baking at high altitude. We know some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
hello i would like to make this cake in a ten inch tin . How do I amend the recipe?
caroline
Hi Caroline, You can reference this guide to determine how much batter you’ll need for your 10 inch pans.
Either work! I usually use low fat because that’s all my store carries.