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
Would another fruit work in the cake? Strawberries? Thank you
Hi Julie, you can certainly use chopped strawberries in this batter instead.
Thank you Sally, for the best cake and frosting recipes ever. Everyone loved it. I made it with my granddaughter for Easter – 3 layer 8” round. Icing recipe was enough for all three layers too.
It would be great as a layer cake for a crowd as well.
My granddaughter and I want to try the angle food cupcakes sometime.
I really appreciate your recipes.
I don’t have a paddle mixer, what should I use instead
Hi Lubaabah, do you have a whisk attachment? Or a hand mixer?
I made this for Easter last week! Used King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure flour. It came out perfectly! Nice and fluffy, not dense. Everyone loved it!
I just made this for our granddaughter’s birthday. Tinted the frosting lavender. Garnished with sparking sugar and blueberries. It was delicious and beautiful.
I made the updated recipe for Easter and my family went crazy for it! My mother said it was the best thing I’d baked yet and that I should go work at a bakery haha! I love your recipes, Sally, and this did not disappoint.
Hi Sally! I am wondering if there is a reason this wouldn’t work for cupcakes. I need a bigger batch than your lemon blueberry cupcake recipe makes, so I thought I would just follow this recipe instead unless you don’t recommend that. Thank you!
Hi Jeannie! The cupcakes version is a little lighter, but you certainly can use this batter for cupcakes if you would like.
I followed the recipe to the letter and the cake was great but the frosting refused to set – even after overnight in the fridge. Thoughts?
Hi Colin, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Keep in mind that the frosting won’t “crust” or harden, but did you butter or cream cheese start off a bit too warm? Room temperature butter may be cooler than you think. Be sure to use full-fat brick cream cheese, too, as that’s key for a thick texture. You can always add a bit more confectioners’ sugar as well, if the frosting looks a bit thin. We’re glad you still enjoyed the cake!
I made this cake in a bundt pan, using your recipe for a mixed berry bundt cake, and it was great! I was going to give half of it to my neighbor, as there are just 2 of us, but ended up hoarding the whole cake. On the third day, it was just as good as the first day. I don’t like to ice a bundt cake, but this cake didn’t need frosting anyway. Can’t recommend it enough!
Forgot to mention, I used olive oil and vanilla bean paste (extract for the frosting).
Honestly we all like the original version better I’m going to make this for my daughter’s wedding but I’m going to be using the original recipe.
This is excellent. Moist and filled with bright flavors. I was a little nervous about having enough frosting, but it was just enough. Will surely make this again.
Absolute perfection of a cake! The layers are wonderfully flavored and the crumb and moistness spot on. The frosting is light and delicious and a perfect complement to the layers. I made some sugared blueberries and used them with thin slices of lemon for a garnish worthy of this cake. So pretty and festive and DELICIOUS!
I made this cake for Easter and it was perfect! It was moist and delicious. The only thing I did different was I made one and a half times as much frosting. I still had some left over it’s just that I could tell I would need a bit more for my family. Absolutely delicious!
I loved this recipe so much. It made the perfect Easter dessert. I used coconut oil for the oil and it turned out great.
This cake was delicious, I made it for Easter and my entire extended family raved . Perfect spring deliciousness . Thank you Sally
I made this for the first time for Easter Dinner, the lemon and blueberry inclusions seemed like a great idea for a spring dessert, and boy it was! The AP flour provided for a firm if not dense cake texture and bit, and the lemon, lemon zest and blueberries provided that nice, light flavor change of pace from a more traditional cake. Had first slices last night for dessert, and really, really wanted to have another piece….This will get made again. Super tasty! And it looks fantastic on the plate as well.
Made this cake for Easter and it was delicious! My only change for the next time I make it will be to make a bit more frosting.
I made this for Easter two years ago and while it was delicious, I agree it was a bit heavy. The updates made it absolutely perfect!
This cake was a phenomenal Easter dessert! I loved the plush crumb and bright lemon flavor. Will definitely repeat for other spring celebrations! Thank you!
Lovely cake for Easter. I had to read the recipe again, but I only used 200g of confectioner’s sugar for the cream cheese frosting and it is plenty sweet for us.
I have to bake the cake same day, do you have any tips for me on how to still make it delicious and assemble well?
Hi Sierra, as long as the cake has time to cool, you can assemble the same day. See our how to assemble and decorate a layer cake post for more tips.
I followed the recipe exactly, and it came out flat and dense. I’ve been baking a long time with great success. I’ve never had a cake do this.
Hi Lauri, 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!
Hi Sally-
I have made this cake before for Easter 2yrs ago, it turned out great! I am now charged with making a 2 tier lemon blueberry cake for a wedding. This cake came to mind. Requested top tier 6in with 2 layers, bottom tier 8in with 3 layers. Do I need to double or triple recipe for this size? How do you think this cake & cream cheese frosting will hold up on top tier after year? Should I use a different frosting and make blueberry compote, placing that between lemon cake layers? I appreciate the advice!
Hi Dawn, this cake should work well as a tiered cake. Here’s everything you need to know about cake pan sizes and conversions; or, you can use this recipe for the bottom tier and use our lemon blueberry cupcakes recipe for the top tier (it yields the perfect amount for a 3 layer, 6 inch cake). The frosting here should work well for tiers too, and feel free to add a blueberry compote between the layers if you wish. Just be sure to pipe a frosting dam around the edges to prevent it from spilling out the sides. Hope this helps!
Hi Sally! Will the cake be ok if I freeze the layers for a couple of weeks??
Thank you for all of your amazing recipes! ❤️
Definitely! See recipe Notes 🙂
I just put this cake in the oven and realize I used 1 cup instead of 1/2 cup of the butter. Is there any salvaging it?
Hi Stephanie, there’s not much you can do once the cake is baking, but let us know how it turns out!
Hello, I know it says that you should use fresh blueberries, but I do not have any. I only had frozen ones. They are thawing now. Is it OK to use them or would it not work?
Hi Erica, it’s best to stick with fresh. You’ll get the best results that way. However, if you want to try the frozen and thawed blueberries, we would thaw, drain, and dry, and then use.
Hey Sally. I want to make this cake for Easter and was wondering if I can use cake flour as a substitute for AP flour. Please let me know!
Hi Rachel, 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. Let us know how it turns out!
Sally can I use cake flour instead of all purpose flour for this recipe?
Hi Rachel, 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. Let us know how it turns out!
Can I do two 9” pans instead of three 8” pans?
Hi Lailah, if using 9-inch pans, we still recommend making three layers. There is a bit too much batter for only 2 pans and the layers would have a hard time baking through properly.
Thank you!! Looking forward to baking this treat for Easter.
Does this cake freeze ok?
You bet! See recipe Notes for our recommendations.
Thank you!