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 there,
I love all of your recipes, thank you!
How many cups of batter does this recipe make?
Hi Stephanie, this batter yields about 7-8 cups.
Thank you Sally.. that was super yummy .. I did it without the icing.. I followed the recipe as you exactly wrote it & my husband & all the family were in love with its taste
Hi Sally, would you suggest to add a blueberry compote between the layers or rather add the blueberries as per your recipe? I have blueberries that might not last until I have to bake the cake.
Hi Christa! A blueberry compote would be delicious between the layers. Let us know if you try!
Another question. I found a cake carrier that has an insulated bag. It only holds a 5.5” tall cake. If I’m using 3- 8″x3″ cake pans how tall will it be? Thank you so much for your time!
Hi Stephanie, we don’t think that carrier will be tall enough for this cake.
I found one that holds 7.9″ high. Do you know how tall the cake with 3-8×3″ cake pans will be finished?
We’re unsure of the exact height once assembled. Sorry we can’t help more!
I love this recipe but I want to try and make it non layered. What would I need to tweak if I wanted to pour the whole mix in one pan?
Thank you!
See Notes after the recipe, Sandra!
I made this cake using 9” rounds and didn’t adjust the bake time and the cake was extremely dry. My bad. Perhaps adding a notation in the instructions to adjust the bake time if using 9” pans would be useful?
Hi Joy, if using larger pans than calls for in a recipe, the bake time will always be shorter since the layers are thinner. We always recommend keeping an eye on cakes as they bake as well, since a dry cake can be so disappointing. Thank you for giving this recipe a try!
I noticed you have an option for a DIY wedding cake. I just purchased the Fat Daddio’s 3-8inx3in cake pans to make this cake. If I decide to do your DIY wedding cake, can I use this recipe? What size would I use for the smaller cake? I’d like to use my new 8in for the base cake if possible.
Hi Stephanie! Would you like to make this Lemon Blueberry Cake as the bottom of the wedding cake? You can use this cake as the bottom of a tiered cake. You could still top it with a 6 inch cake, or try a 5 inch if you can find those pans.
I was wanting both cakes to be the blueberry lemon. Will that work? Also, I sent a separate message asking about the Fat Daddio’s pans that Sally recommends… Do I have to lower the temp by 25 degrees and extend the cook time?
Hi Stephanie! Absolutely. You can use our lemon blueberry cupcakes batter to make the 6 inch cake (it’s the perfect amount!). You can read more about using cupcake recipes to make 6 inch cakes, including baking instructions, here! We do not lower the temperate when baking with Fat Daddio’s pans.
Love love love this recipe! Came out perfect first try! Thank you!
Hi! If I only have 1 8-in pan, how do i adjust the baking temperature and time to bake the whole batter and slice into 3 after?
Hi Amanda, there is too much batter for only one pan. If you do not have 3 cake pans, you can always bake the layers in batches, leaving the leftover batter covered at room temperature until there is a cooled pan to use. Hope this helps!
Can I make ahead just the cakes and freeze them? Then thaw overnight and use fresh made frosting?
Absolutely! Here’s our guide to freezing cakes.
Hi, do you have any recommendations/adjustments for making the frosting with cream cheese spread (Philadelphia). I couldn’t get blocks so tried it with the spread. It’s still lovely but didn’t frost the sides as even after time in the fridge it was a little loose! Looks great with naked sides though. Thanks
Hi Hayley! Cream cheese in the tub has a higher water content (to make it spreadable) and makes a frosting that is too loose. You could try adding more sugar, but the frosting will end up quite sweet.
Is it ok to use frozen blueberries? Do have any advice for doing this?
Hi Katie, 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.
Hi! There is no mention in the recipe when to add the buttermilk.
Hi Maureen! You beat it in after adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Delicious lemon flavor. Cake is dense and moist. Not matter how I try, my berries always sink to the bottom! I’m going to make again, and put blueberry compote for the filling.
Can I make this using 9 in pans?
Hi Michaela, You can use your 9-inch cake pans for thinner layers; the cakes will bake a little faster, so keep an eye on them in the oven and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
This recipe sounds amazing. I’d like to make it for my daughter’s birthday, but using a 3D dress-shaped pan to make a princess cake. The pan is quite deep – 19cm deep by 14cm wide. Would this recipe work for that?
Hi Yvette, we haven’t tested this cake in any pans like that, but we wonder if it might be a bit too heavy for a cake of that size. You may have better luck with a white cake or vanilla cake. Let us know what you try.
Hi, I wanted to make this cake for an awesome coworker of mine and I wanted to blend some blueberries into my frosting to pipe happy birthday on top, will this recipe yield enough frosting that I can frost and layer and still pipe a few words on top as well? Thank you!
Hi Taylor! We would make extra for decorating. You could use freeze dried blueberries in this strawberry frosting, if you can find them!
Can I sub cherries for blueberries?
Hi Joanie, fresh diced cherries should work wonderfully in place of the blueberries!
The original recipe was better and unfortunately i didn’t see nor notice that there were changes made prior to making it. I also used a glass pan and that was not a good idea. The bottom and sides got burnt and didnt taste good. I will use a darker pan and the original recipe next time.
This recipe sounds amazing. I’d like to make it for my daughter’s birthday, but using a 3D dress-shaped pan to make a princess cake. The pan is quite deep – 19cm deep by 14cm wide. Would this recipe work for that?
What can i substitute for the eggs to make it egg free?
Hi Jenny, we haven’t tested an egg free version of this recipe, but let us know if you do.
Wonderful recipe! I made this for my niece’s baby shower, and I got so many compliments. It was my first time making this cake, too. I also made the lemon blueberry cupcakes and the lemon cupcakes. They looked so beautiful and tasted even better.
Can I make a two tier cake with an 8-inch top and a 10-inch bottom? Three layers each?
Hi Suzy, this cake should work well as a tiered cake. These posts on cake pan sizes and conversions and homemade wedding cake may be helpful resources for you. Hope this helps!
Thank you. The wedding (in less than two weeks!) number went up to 75! So I’m going to make 6″, 8″, and 10″ inch tiers, three layers each. Your original recipe is for an 8 inch, correct? So I’ll make one of that recipe. I see you have a 6 inch version (in your notes), so I can just use that, correct? But I looked at the conversion link you provided, but really can’t figure out how to adjust for a 10″ cake. Can you help with that? I’ll be using cake boards in between each tier, and supporting with dowels! And using buttercream frosting instead. Thank you!!!
Hii. Did you figure out the 10in pan measurements? I am trying to decide if I should keep the same recipe and divide in to two 10in pans
Can I use a buttercream frosting instead of a cream cheese frosting?
Definitely! Here’s our lemon buttercream recipe.
Hello!
This cake looks amazing and I wanna try it with what is left in my pantry.
If I substitute the oil with applesauce do you think it will be a major issue?
Hi Christine, applesauce will yield a gummy cake. It is best to stick with the recipe as written.
I made this for myself for my birthday recently. What a delicious gift to myself (I did share…). So moist and lemony with creamy frosting: happy birthday to me!!
This looks great for my son’s birthday who’s specifically asked for lemon cake. Do you think I can use buttercream instead of the cream cheese frosting, since he’s not a big fan? I was thinking of adding freeze dried blueberry powder to flavor the buttercream.
Hi Maggie, Yes you can use buttercream on this cake. Enjoy!
Hi Sally- longtime baker here and Sally aficionado! I’ve made this original recipe several times and enjoyed it. So, I was excited to see a lightened up version since I agree this was a dense, heavy cake. I made this new version in a 13×9 Pyrex and it was an epic fail. I kept testing the middle of the cake and it wasn’t ready at 30 minutes. I ended up baking it for 50 minutes and a one inch perimeter was overcooked and the rest of the cake was undercooked. Not sure what happened but I ended up making your lemon blueberry cupcakes as a backup because this was meant to be a birthday cake and I knew it hadn’t worked. Not sure what happened but wanted to let you know.
Hi Maria! We’re happy to help troubleshoot. Were any of the ingredients mis-measured or left out by chance? Or was the batter over-mixed? That’s often the culprit when cakes become under-cooked and gummy in the middle. If you wish to try again, you can always tent the cake with foil if you find the edges are baking too quickly, so you can continue baking the center without risk of burning the edges. Let us know if we can help troubleshoot further!
Maria- I agree with this comment! I have made this cake many many times and it is an absolute favorite. I made it this morning with the updated recipe and all three layers have fallen apart upon removing from the pans, they are beyond fragile. Baked for 35 minutes and they did test done, but just. The edges are dry, middle seems under done. I’ve never had a problem with them being too fragile to handle or inconsistent. Pans are my regular cake pans, all ingredients measured as directed and as usual. I believe I’ll be sticking with the original recipe as written.
Can I make this a two-tiered cake? One 8-inch top and a 10-inch bottom (3 layers each)?
Hi Suzy, this cake should work well as a tiered cake. These posts on cake pan sizes and conversions and homemade wedding cake may be helpful resources for you. Hope you enjoy the cake!
This Lemon Blueberry Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting is nothing short of extraordinary. The recipe produces a tender, moist crumb infused with bright citrus flavor, perfectly complemented by the sweetness of fresh blueberries. I chose to enhance the cake further by adding a blueberry filling between the layers, which created a beautiful balance of flavors and an additional burst of fruit.
The frosting is luxuriously smooth, with the vanilla adding warmth to the tang of the cream cheese. When paired with the cake, it creates a harmonious blend that is both refreshing and indulgent. Guests described it as “the best cake I have ever eaten,” with one remarking that it tasted as though “made by the angels in God’s kitchen.”
For presentation, I adorned the top with fresh flowers, which elevated the cake to a centerpiece worthy of a celebration. Truly magnificent in both taste and appearance. Thank you, Sally, for sharing a recipe that is as elegant as it is delicious.
Thank you so much for giving this cake a try, Mary Jo!