Lemon Blueberry Cake

Last week I asked on Instagram what flavor combo you prefer: lemon blueberry or lemon raspberry. It was pretty neck-and-neck, but lemon blueberry came out on top. And hence, this lemon blueberry cake recipe was born. It has a deliciously tender & soft texture, zero dry cake crumbs, a bright & sunshiney lemon flavor, and tons of juicy blueberries. Then the cream cheese frosting is oh so creamy and not too sweet.

Lemon and blueberries make for such a delicious flavor combination. The slight tang of the lemon is the perfect complement to sweet, juicy, extra plump blueberries. (For some reason I always chuckle at the idea of “plump berries”). And if you love the flavor combo as much as my Instagram buddies (HI!!!!!) – then you’ll love this recipe.

What on earth is a lusciously fruit-filled recipe like this doing on my kitchen table in February? I love the snow, but someone pass me a fork. I’m diving headfirst into this sunshine-sweet, springtime layer cake and not coming out until it’s April.

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Cake

• Fresh lemons. Use fresh lemon juice and lemon zest in the cake batter. None of that lemon extract stuff! How to choose lemons at the store? Make sure the lemons you choose are smooth-skinned and heavy for their size. That way you know they are extra juicy.
• Buttermilk. Known for providing exceptional moisture to baked goods, buttermilk leaves each bite tender and lush. See my recipe note about a DIY sour milk substitution.
• Brown sugar & 4 eggs: I’ve found that lemon cakes can easily be dry and gritty, so add some moist-making ingredients like brown sugar, eggs, and buttermilk. Buttermilk, a little brown sugar, and 4 eggs assure the final product is as moist as it could possibly be without being wet.
• Fresh or frozen blueberries: Fresh or frozen blueberries are OK. If using frozen, do not thaw.
• 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. I also recommend tossing the blueberries in a little flour too– this is extra insurance they don’t sink!

This lemon blueberry cake recipe is made in a 9×13 inch pan, so it’s much easier than making a layer cake. There’s a few key ingredients in this recipe that make it extra moist & tender, so let’s talk specifics.

• Real butter – not margarine, not that 50/50 stuff. We use real butter for the most flavor, and to ensure that the cake doesn’t taste oily. Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature first so that everything mixes together evenly.
• 3 large eggs for tenderness. Some cake recipes just use the egg whites. This makes for a much more delicate, airy texture. But when you want it perfectly moist and tender – I like recipes that use the whole egg.
• Cake flour for an extra soft, never dense cake crumb. I realize that not everyone has cake flour on hand in their kitchen, so I’ve included a substitute in the notes using all-purpose flour and cornstarch, although I definitely recommend using cake flour if possible. Just make sure that you don’t substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour as a 1:1 ratio. Otherwise, the cake with be dry and dense.
• Buttermilk for a moist, tender, super soft cake. Make sure it’s room temperature first – by either leaving it on the counter for 15 minutes to warm up, or microwave in short 10 second bursts on low-medium power. If you don’t have buttermilk, I’ve included a substitute in the notes. But I really, really recommend using buttermilk if possible.
• Lemon juice & lemon zest for that delicious flavor. Make sure to use lemon juice from freshly squeezed lemons as opposed to the stuff from the bottle for a tart, bright flavor that doesn’t taste sour.
• Feel free to use fresh or frozen berries. If using frozen, just make sure not to thaw them first.

INGREDIENTS
For the Lemon Blueberry Cake:

• 3 cups cake flour + 2 tablespoons cake flour, divided
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon organic lemon zest
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 cups wild blueberries, frozen or fresh

For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 8 ounces unsalted butter, softened
• 4–6 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon organic lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

For the Assembly:

• Lemon slices
• Fresh blueberries
• Edible flowers (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
Make the Lemon Blueberry Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter and lightly flour three 8″ round pans. Line with parchment paper circles.
2. Sift together 3 cups cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine milk and lemon juice.  Stir to combine and set aside for milk to curdle.  This is similar to making homemade buttermilk!
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high using the paddle attachment.  Beat until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
5. With the mixer on low, add eggs one at a time.  Mix well after each egg.
6. Add vanilla extract and lemon zest.  Mix to combine.
7. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Do not over mix.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
8. In a small bowl, gently toss blueberries with 2 tablespoons cake flour to coat. Using a spoon or spatula, gently fold blueberries into batter, being careful not to break berries.
9. Divide batter evenly between the three 8″ round pans.
10. Bake for 30-33 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
11. Let cool in pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
2. Add vanilla, lemon zest and juice and mix until combined.
3. Gradually add confectioners sugar, adjusting amount, until desired sweetness is reached. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Whip until smooth.

Assemble the Cake:

1. Place one layer of cake onto serving plate or cake stand and top with about one cup of lemon cream cheese frosting.  Repeat with second cake layer, more frosting and then last layer of cake.  Crumb coat and frost cake with remaining frosting.  Decorate with lemon slices, additional blueberries and edible flowers, if desired.
2. Store in refrigerator.  Serve at room temperature.

NOTES

• If using frozen blueberries in the cake, do not thaw before mixing into cake batter.  Avoiding over mixing once the berries are added to prevent the cake batter from turning grayish-purple from their juices.
• I used 365 Frozen Organic Wild Blueberries from Whole Foods.
• You may bake this as two full-sized 8″ round cake layers. Alternatively, I baked it as three intentionally shorter 8″ round layers – this saves time and effort because the shorter layers do not need to be torted.
• If frosting is too thin after whipping, refrigerate for 30 minutes before assembling cake.  The chilled frosting will have a thicker consistency.  For an even thicker consistency, add additional confectioners’ sugar as desired.

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