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
First off, I’m not a baker. I mean, I CAN bake, but only if I have explicit directions and the ingredients are not foreign to me. Now, I’ve made this cake 3 times, and whomever I serve it to now thinks I’m some sort of baking genius. It was so easy to make and came out exactly as it should have. Not only that, but it looked just like the one in your picture! Thank you for posting, and I’ll be sure to use more of your recipes.
Sally,
This cake is AMAZING! I’ve made it twice. We have such wonderful blueberries in Vermont and this year the berries were huge! My mistake in making the cake was putting in too many berries. I couldn’t help myself! The result was one of my layers broke in half. It wasn’t anything more frosting couldn’t fix and nobody noticed. Both times I made this cake everyone raved about it. The first time was for a friend’s birthday, so I only ate a little piece. The second time I gave it away… I need to make it again! Time to get those great VT blueberries out of the freezer and buy more Meyer lemons! Thanks Sally!
I just made this (or attempted to…). I didn’t have 3 cake pans so, as recommended I cooked it longer A LOT LONGER but the center all the way too the bottom of the layer is still too raw:< bummer this was intended as a birthday cake for tomorrow. the part if the cake that did cook is delicious however less like a "layer cake" and more of a muffin or coffee cake texture. I will try again using the 3 pans
How could anyone pass up on this cake? Lemons, blueberries, cream cheese frosting… All the good stuff in one delicious cake! So this quickly became the next one to try and I’m so glad I did. It was a hit!
Sally, I thought your story about making this cake in February was funny and I know what you mean. I find myself craving out-of-season dishes sometimes because I miss the smells and tastes of that season. I’m always in the mood for a pumpkin pie, even in the summer! I won’t be surprised if I start craving this lemon blueberry cake this fall or winter because it was so good and the smell of fresh lemons is like on other.
Thank you for this recipe and I look forward to trying something new next week! You’re two for two! 🙂
I made this tonight and only did a single layer but it was still divine. The flavors are wonderful for anyone that loves cake but not something too sweet. We all gave it a round of thumbs up! Thank you for being so thorough in your directions too.
I recently made this cake and it came out beautifully. It was so delicious! I definitely will be making this again.
Great recipe – absolutely fabulous texture and just the right mix of tart lemon and sweet blueberry. Thanks so much for sharing!
Sally – I just found your blog about a month ago and have already made almost a dozen of your recipes! They have all been fabulous. I made this cake for a bridal shower last week and everyone loved it! The cake and frosting both came out light. Perfect for summer. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!
Hi this cake cooked perfect snd I let it sit about 30 min to cool. Meanwhile the frosting i made I left sitting out on counter..when I iced the layers the cake, frosting kept running out and down sides and layers shifting..what should I do different next time? Chill icing a bit? Something to steady the layers?
Did you let the cake cool completely before frosting? You may try chilling the frosting recipe, yes.
Hi Sally,
Was wondering if this cake can be baked ahead of time and frozen?
The unfrosted cake may be baked and frozen ahead of time. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. However, I prefer it fresh (tastes best).
Made this for my family reunion this past weekend…it was my first cake from scratch…and it was delightful! Easy enough, I just need to refine my technique since it did come out a little tough (and I swear I was careful with the mixing)….I made it in a 9×13 pan and 45 minutes it was baked perfectly. Needless to say with 2 tables full of desserts, my cake was the only one mostly gone…so it was a hit! And the frosting! A new favorite…my husband is a frosting connoisseur…it’s “perfect” according to the man who had me make a bowl full of frosting in lieu of his birthday cake one year. Thanks for another wonderful recipe Sally!!!!
Found out why my cakes were too dense!
Baking powder past date! Had no idea it was so old. Be sure to check those dates ladies!!
Question for Sally — my 3 lemons produced more than 2-3 T juice each ..totaled about 11-12. Ok to use more and won’t affect product?
I reduced to 8 to be safe but could have used the flavor of more.. my preference!
Also, is the baking temperature for shiny or dark pans? Thanks!
I have found the temperature to be the same regardless of which color pans I use. You must have some large lemons! You may add a couple more Tablespoons if you’d like a stronger flavor. Adding more zest may be better, though.
I made this cake for my Mom’s birthday. It was a huge hit! Absolutely delicious! My son said it was one of the best cakes he has ever tasted. Thank you!
Tried this tonight– FABULOUS!
I used this recipe on Friday and the batter was so light! I made cupcakes, both mini and regular size, instead of layer cake. The batter was so light! The cupcakes came out excellent! The only thing is, with the mini size, if there are too many blueberries, you have no cake. Otherwise, fabulous!
Another thing I did was add much more cream to the frosting and whipped the heck out of it. I also added lemon juice and zest! Ohhhhhh boy!! It’s was a winner!
Anyway, if you make the cupcakes, I baked the mini for 10-11 min and the regular for 13-15. I guess it depends on your oven and the pans you use!
Tonight, I am making it as a sheet cake! I’ll let you know how it comes out!
Thanks for a great recipe!
I want to make half of this recipe, but I don’t want to use a cupcake pan. I still want to make a layered cake, so I can decorate for my mom’s birthday. Any suggestions on the pan sizes I should use?
Thanks!
Try using only two cake pans – the layers will be thinner. I am unsure of the bake time. Enjoy!
Hi Sally!
I made this delicious cake this morning! Oh my good gracious is this cake amazing, moist, and utterly delectable. It turned out just brilliantly. Great great cake recipe. I followed your instructions exactly. I will be making this cake time and time again, no doubt. Next time I make it, I’m going to try to substitute the exact amount of lemon juice and zest for orange juice and zest from same size fresh oranges. I know it might sound odd; but orange and blueberries (in my humble opinion!) go so well together and really compliment each other. I just love the combination. So I will try it and report back. Or…. If you happen to make this cake with orange, I will look forward to your post!!! Another winner Sally! Love!
Hi there! I’m making a lemon cake for a baby shower. Can I omit the blueberries and bake in a 13×18 pan? It’s for a large group. Do I need to make any changes? Thank you!
Yes, double the recipe. You may leave out the blueberries. I’m unsure of the bake time.
Per the other comments, this cake was a big hit. Also wondering about the consistency of the cake. When I added the dry ingredients to the wet I had my mixer set on low speed. Was this correct or should that step be done by hand? Thanks!
I usually do that step by hand.
I happened upon this site looking for something to make for mother’s day! Like most people who’ve posted their comments, all i have to say is, “YUMBO!!!” I The cake was completely gone in no time. It was moist,, delish, and tasted like the start of summer!!! The cake was just the right density – not terribly heavy and not fluffy. I cut back the sugar in the frosting to 2 cups and added another 4 ounces of cream cheese and used fresh, sliced strawberries and some lemon zest to top it. I can see making variations of this with the lemon as the star of the show. Thank you for such a yummy recipe. It’s a keeper!!
I just made this yesterday, divine! I used two 9″ springform pans, and baked at 325 for 40 minutes. Definitely a keeper!
I also made this for our Easter dinner/ Mom’s birthday! It was SO good, I just ate the last piece for my afternoon snack! (with some extra blueberries!). I also had to leave mine in the oven for more like 30-32 minutes. At 22 minutes it was still gooey in middle, so just kept checking every few minutes with a toothpick.
This cake is so light and wonderful. I will be making it again in 2 weeks for a friend’s baby shower.
I just made this cake for Easter lunch yesterday and it was FABULOUS. There were no leftovers, which is unusual considering there were about ten different desserts to choose from. Thanks for the recipe!!! I’ll definitely be making this again–soon!
This cake is absolutely delicious!! The icing is so wonderful and the cake is really flavorful and moist! I made it for Easter brunch today, and my family loved it! My dad even told me this cake is one of his top favorite desserts of all time…and he is a very picky eater! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! 🙂