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! Just wondering if you have tried with home canned blueberries? I have some on my shelf and thought about giving it a try. I know you said not frozen. Thanks!
Hi Nicky, have the blueberries been canned in a syrup? We highly recommend sticking with fresh blueberries here. We fear the canned blueberries will add too much additional moisture to the cake batter.
Would it be possible to make these into cupcakes? If so what would I need to do differently?
Hi Evan, you sure can! Or here is our recipe for lemon blueberry cupcakes (smaller yield than if you used this cake batter).
Can I make this cake in two 9-inch pans instead of three 8-inch?
Thanks!
Hi E Baker, you can use 2 9-inch pans, filling your pans half way and then using any remaining batter for a few cupcakes on the side.
Hi, team! Thanks so much for the awesome help!
If using 3×9” pans, what baking time should I aim for?
Alternatively, could I simply increase the recipe by 25% so the layers aren’t so thin?
Hi Ryn, we’re unsure of the exact bake time, but it should be just a few minutes quicker. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness. You could certainly try scaling up the batter, too. Make sure to fill your pans no more than half way. If you have any leftover batter, you can make a few cupcakes on the side. Hope this helps!
I’m not quite sure what I did wrong. I had to use 3 9×2 pans because that’s all I own. After 26 minutes, the cake was still raw in the middle but the outer edges cooked. I initially had all 3 in the oven and rotated them but then I took one out to only cook the 2 after the initial 26 minutes. Going on 40 min now and they still aren’t done.
Hi Aimee, it’s strange that the thinner cakes wouldn’t be baked through at that point. Did you make any changes to the recipe?
Consider checking your oven temp with an oven thermometer. Most home ovens are off by a surprising amount. I once had an oven that was a whole 25 degrees too cool! I’d never noticed when roasting at a high temp or braising at a low temp, but it sure made a difference for baking. And Sally’s recipes seem to require a bit more precision.
Can I use this recipe instead of the cupcake recipe for 6″ pans? If so, how far should I fill the pans? I made a 6″ cake with the cupcake recipe, but it wasn’t as light as the 8″ cake.
Hi Nancy! Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes.
I tried this recipe and it was soo delicious omg. I reduced my sugar and just used 1 cup of white sugar ,1/4 cup brown . I really enjoyed every bite.
Would it be reasonable to ice the cake with whipped cream to reduce sweetness? Thanks!
Absolutely!
I wouldn’t have thought this recipe could produce a better cake than the original, but I was wrong! The newer, lighter version is still moist and popping with lemon flavor but loses the slight heavyness of the previous recipe.
I notice that for a 6″ cake, you point to the cupcake recipe, which is more like the old version. Do you have any plans to revamp that, or do the changes not work in a smaller format? I just made the 6″ cake this weekend, and while it was still very good, I missed the lighter texture that I got with the 8″ cake.
Can I fill this cake with blueberry jam
Hi Allison, Blueberry jam would be delicious between the layers!
Any suggestions for a lighter icing alternative? The birthday person not a cream cheese, overly sweet fan. Thanks!
Hi Valerie, you may love this not-so-sweet whipped frosting or Swiss meringue buttercream!.
I’m making this cake for a friend’s birthday- is it possible to use gluten free flour to make the cake gluten free?
Hi Kate, We haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, but let us know if you try it!
Can this be baked 2 days early, wrapped tightly and kept in the fridge, and the frosted with vanilla buttercream 1 day early and covered frosted and decorated in the fridge until party time? Thank you!
Hi Sarah, that should work just fine. Enjoy!
Thank you so much! One more question – I am going to make this as a smaller cake for my best friend’s wedding (just for she and the groom to cut.)
For this reason, I think I want to make it smaller & taller (probably two 4-inch rounds & two 6-inch rounds)
Do you know how long these would bake for? I’m sure I’ll need to reduce the time, but I’m not sure by how much.
Hi Ali, you can use this 6-inch cakes post as a guide, keeping in mind that the 4-inch cakes will bake even quicker. Fill your pans only half way and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
How did this work for you? Trying to schedule out making this cake ahead of time. Thanks!!
Will the cake be moist if wrapped and frozen without the frosting for a few days?
Hi Gloria, this cake freezes well. Here’s everything you need to know about how to freeze cakes.
If I double this recipe will it be too much for 3, 9″ cake pans?
Hi Gloria, doubling will be a bit too much, but you could make the batter twice (rather than doubling), fill your pans half way, then use any leftover batter for a few cupcakes on the side.
Hi there!
Would it work to sub the blueberries for raspberries?
Hi Ali, yes, absolutely!
Thank you for responding to both of my questions. I’ve made your strawberry cake a number of times and it’s now a family favorite. I’m making the lemon blueberry cake for my daughter’s birthday. I’m sure it’ll be a hit as well.
I only have 2 8 inch pans and I’m baking a cake for tomorrow! Can I go with it ?
Hi Wendy, there is too much batter for only 2 pans. You can bake the cake in batches, so bake 2 layers and leave the remaining batter covered at room temperature. After the layers are baked and cooled, remove from the pans and bake the last single layer. Hope it’s a hit!
The cake is absolutely incredible. The frosting is delicious, but the recipe is not enough to cover the cake. A friend and I both made it as instructed, and we each ran into the same problem — not enough frosting to cover the sides of the cake. We ended up with a very thin layer with much of the cake showing through. Would double the recipe next time.
Hey, Sally. I’m so excited to make this cake today, but I only have one 8 inch pan. So since I’m going to have to bake it in three batches, should I put the remaining batter in the fridge while I’m waiting for the cakes to bake?
Hi Natalie! We would leave it covered at room temperature while you wait to use your pan again. Happy baking!
I made this wonderful cake for my wife’s birthday. Texture and taster we perfect. It’s a pretty cake as well. My layers didn’t rise like the ones in your photo. I followed the recipe as written and altitude isn’t a factor. Any ideas? I’m trying to improve my cake making skills. Thanks!
Hi Mary Jane, 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!
I couldn’t find 8″ pans for the life of me in a time crunch so I ended up buying and using 2 9″ pans. the cake may not have been as tall as the ones in the photos but it looked and tasted delicious. i usually don’t like butter cream icicngs but this one was amazing
I used this recipe (minus the icing, which was a recipe I obtained from a former boss) to make a 60 serve baby shower cake. Rave reviews – held up incredibly well for themed decoration.
Help! My three cakes all collapsed in the centers. 🙁 The toothpicks came out clean. I am not a novice baker and followed the very clear directions. Where did I go wrong?
Hi MsMS, usually when cakes collapse they are under-baked. Did they collapse when cooling or when baking in the oven?
I made the original recipe a few years ago and the taste was perfect, but the cake itself was very dense. I came back to the blog for this recipe and saw that Sally had posted an updated version (given the comments from other people about the dense-ness of the cake). I just made the updated version and it was PERFECT! The amount of lemon flavour coming through is so so good. Paired with the cream cheese icing is perfection. I added a blueberry compote between the layers (with the cream cheese icing) and loved the results. This will always be my go-to lemon cake recipe! THANK YOU!
Can I also choose not to use the buttercream and put fondant straight over the cake? I was hoping it didn’t need it. It needs to hold up for about 2-3 hours after assembling.
Hi Danielle, we do not have much experience working with fondant, but you typically do need to add a layer of frosting before applying.
Hi Sally, I am making this recipe on Friday. We’re hoping to make this into a two layer cake (double the recipe, bake twice) so that we can make a suitcase themed cake. Two layers, with maybe lemon curd, or whipped cream with fresh fruit between. Adding fondant, and decorations. Do we need to do anything before adding the fondant over it?
Hi Danielle, you can use fondant with this cake, however fondant is usually best at room temperature and this cream cheese frosting should be refrigerated. You may want to use our lemon buttercream instead. We hope the cake is a hit!
SOOOOO good!!!! I made this for my daughter’s birthday. It was a huge hit! She said it needed to go into the cake rotation! Ha! Some changes: I actually used some almond milk with 2% (because I didn’t have regular milk or buttermilk) but I put some lemon juice in the 2% to “make” buttermilk. It seemed to work out fine. The next time I make it, I will make lemon buttercream frosting instead of the cheese cream frosting. The frosting amount was perfect with a naked 3 layer cake. Yumm!
Hey Sally! I was thinking about making this cake this week but my family is not a big fan of cream cheese frosting. What cake recipe would you recommend that has a different frosting but the quantity would work for this cake?
Hi Natalie, regular vanilla buttercream or this lemon buttercream frosting would be delicious on this cake. Let us know what you try!
Hi Sally, I made this cake tonight and it came out wonderfully. It looked nice and the flavor of the lemon and blueberries was very good. It was also moist but still dense and very sweet. Would cutting 1/2 cup of sugar and making the baking power 1 TB help at all? Thank you,
Hi Joy, sugar is used for moisture and texture in baked goods as well as taste. You can certainly try reducing the sugar, but the resulting texture will be different than intended.
I love lemon blueberry desserts and would like to bake this for a family event, and I’m just wondering if I can cut out the brown sugar, either completely or by increasing the granulated sugar
Hi Kassi, it should turn out just fine if you use granulated sugar in place of the brown sugar. Enjoy!
Hey Salley, I am contacting you from the South. I am having a hard time with really thin icing. I was wondering if it had anything to do with outside temps. We have already had triple heat.
Please advise
Thank you. GOD BLESS
Hi Julie, you can always add a bit more powered sugar to the frosting to thicken it up. You could also place icing in the refrigerator for a bit to help it firm up!