Introduction & Inspiration

This Lemon Blueberry Cake is like sunshine on a plate! It combines the bright, zesty flavor of lemon with sweet, juicy blueberries in a wonderfully moist and tender cake crumb. Topped with a classic, tangy cream cheese frosting, it’s a simple yet incredibly satisfying dessert perfect for any occasion.

My inspiration for this recipe comes from the timeless pairing of lemon and blueberry – a combination that just screams spring and summer. I wanted an easy, reliable cake recipe, baked conveniently in a 9×13 pan, that delivered big on flavor and texture without being overly complicated.

This cake is perfect for potlucks, family dinners, brunches, or simply as a delightful everyday treat. Its straightforward preparation and universally loved flavors make it a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. It is a refreshing and delicious cake.

Nostalgic Appeal

Lemon blueberry muffins, breads, and cakes are classic combinations that evoke feelings of home baking, sunny mornings, and comforting treats. The familiar flavors are bright, cheerful, and widely adored. Baking it as a simple sheet cake adds to the nostalgic, unfussy appeal – perfect for easy slicing and sharing.

Pairing it with tangy cream cheese frosting adds another layer of classic comfort. It’s a dessert that feels both familiar and refreshingly bright, perfect for casual gatherings and family enjoyment.

This recipe captures that comforting nostalgia perfectly, delivering those beloved flavors in an easy-to-make, tender cake. A perfect cake to share.

Homemade Focus

This Lemon Blueberry Cake celebrates the simple joy of homemade baking. We’re crafting the cake batter from scratch, using ingredients like cake flour and buttermilk to ensure a wonderfully tender crumb, and infusing it with fresh lemon zest and juice. The blueberries are gently folded in, ensuring bursts of real fruit flavor.

The cream cheese frosting is also made from scratch, achieving that perfect balance of tangy and sweet that complements the lemon blueberry cake so well. While simple, making these components yourself allows for control over ingredient quality and results in a truly delicious, fresh-tasting cake.

It’s about creating something genuinely satisfying and flavorful using basic baking techniques and quality ingredients. The homemade difference is clear in the texture and taste. The homemade flavour is incredible.

Flavor Goal

The primary flavor goal is a bright, balanced harmony between tart lemon, sweet blueberries, and tangy cream cheese frosting. The lemon flavor, coming from both zest and juice, should be evident but not overpowering, enhancing the sweetness of the cake and berries.

The cake itself should be moist, tender, and light, thanks to the cake flour and buttermilk. The blueberries should provide juicy bursts of fruitiness throughout the cake. The cream cheese frosting should be smooth, creamy, tangy, and sweet, providing the classic counterpoint to the cake’s flavors.

The overall experience should be refreshing, moist, flavorful, and perfectly balanced – a delightful celebration of lemon and blueberry. A perfect combination of texture and flavour.

Ingredient Insights

For the Lemon Blueberry Cake:

Cake Flour*: Lower protein content than all-purpose flour, yielding a more tender, delicate cake crumb. Sifting is recommended. (See notes below recipe for substitution if needed).
Baking Powder: Primary leavening agent.
Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavors.
Unsalted Butter**: Adds flavor, richness, and tenderness. Must be properly softened to room temperature for effective creaming.
Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake and aids in creaming with butter for a light texture.
Lemon Zest: Provides intense, aromatic lemon flavor without extra liquid. Rubbing it into the sugar (as suggested in similar recipes, though not explicitly here) can enhance flavor release.
Vanilla Extract: Enhances overall flavor profile.
Large Eggs: Provide structure, richness, binding. Room temperature preferred for better incorporation.
Lemon Juice (Freshly Squeezed): Adds bright, tart lemon flavor and moisture. Fresh juice is key.
Buttermilk: Adds moisture, tanginess, and reacts with leaveners for a tender crumb. Room temperature preferred.
Blueberries (Fresh or Frozen): The star fruit! If using frozen, do not thaw them first; toss directly with flour.
Cake Flour (for coating blueberries): Tossing the berries in a bit of flour helps suspend them in the batter and prevents them from sinking to the bottom.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Unsalted Butter (Softened): Base of the frosting, adds richness.
Brick-Style Cream Cheese (Softened): Provides the tangy flavor and creamy structure. Full-fat recommended, must be properly softened.
Lemon Juice: Adds a touch more tang to complement the cake.
Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting. Sifting prevents lumps. Amount can be adjusted slightly for consistency/sweetness.
Cream (Heavy Cream or Milk, as needed): Used sparingly to adjust the frosting consistency to make it smooth and spreadable.

Essential Equipment

9×13 Inch Cake Pan: Standard size for sheet cakes.
Electric Mixer (Stand Mixer or Handheld): For creaming butter/sugar, mixing batter, and making frosting.
Mixing Bowls (Medium, Large): For dry ingredients, batter, frosting.
Sifter: For cake flour mixture and powdered sugar.
Whisk: For dry ingredients and liquid measuring cup ingredients.
Rubber Spatula: For folding in blueberries and scraping bowls.
Liquid Measuring Cup: For whisking lemon juice and buttermilk.
Wire Rack: For cooling the cake completely.
Offset Spatula: For frosting the cake smoothly.

Ingredients

Lemon Blueberry Cake:

▢ 2 1/4 cups cake flour* (spooned & leveled)
▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
▢ 3/4 cup unsalted butter**, softened to room temperature
▢ 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
▢ 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from 1-2 large lemons)
▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
▢ 3 large eggs, room temperature
▢ 1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
▢ 2/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature
▢ 1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
▢ 2 teaspoons cake flour (or all-purpose flour)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

▢ 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
▢ 8 oz brick-style cream cheese, softened
▢ 1 teaspoon lemon juice
▢ 3 – 3.5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
▢ 1 tablespoon cream (heavy cream or milk), as needed

Garnish (Optional):

Fresh blueberries
Thin lemon slices

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare Oven and Pan:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease and flour a 9×13 inch cake pan thoroughly.

2. Combine Dry Ingredients:

In a medium bowl, sift together the 2 1/4 cups cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk briefly to combine and set aside.

3. Cream Butter, Sugar, and Zest:

In a large bowl using an electric mixer (stand or handheld), beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).

4. Add Eggs and Vanilla:

Beat in the vanilla extract.
Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

5. Prepare Liquid Ingredients:

In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the fresh lemon juice and room temperature buttermilk.

6. Alternate Dry and Wet Ingredients:

With the mixer on low speed, add about one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until just barely combined.
Add about half of the buttermilk/lemon juice mixture, mixing until just combined.
Repeat, adding another third of the flour mixture, the remaining buttermilk mixture, and finally the last third of the flour mixture. Mix only until just combined after each addition. Do not overmix.

7. Fold in Blueberries:

In a small bowl, gently toss the blueberries (fresh or unthawed frozen) with the 2 teaspoons of cake flour until lightly coated.
Gently fold the flour-coated blueberries into the cake batter using a rubber spatula.

8. Bake the Cake:

Pour the batter into the prepared 9×13 inch pan and spread it evenly.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

9. Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ensure butter and cream cheese are properly softened.
In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter until soft and smooth.
Add the softened cream cheese and beat together until well combined and smooth.
Beat in the 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add 3 cups of the sifted powdered sugar, mixing until incorporated.
Increase speed to medium-high and beat until creamy.
Check consistency. If too thick, beat in 1 tablespoon of cream (or milk). If needed for desired sweetness or thickness, gradually beat in the remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and spreadable.

10. Frost and Decorate:

Once the cake is completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top.
Optionally, decorate with additional fresh blueberries and thin lemon slices.
Slice and serve.

Troubleshooting

Cake Dry/Dense: Overbaking is common. Check early. Overmixing after adding flour toughens the cake. Ensure butter was properly creamed and wet ingredients were room temp. Cake flour helps prevent density.
Blueberries Sank: Tossing berries thoroughly in flour is key. Ensure batter isn’t too thin. Don’t overmix after adding berries. Using frozen (unthawed) often helps them stay suspended.
Frosting Too Soft/Runny: Cream cheese or butter too warm. Chill the frosting bowl for 15-20 minutes and re-whip. Didn’t use enough powdered sugar.
Frosting Too Stiff: Added too much powdered sugar. Beat in cream or milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency.
Frosting Lumpy: Cream cheese or butter not fully softened, or powdered sugar not sifted.

Tips and Variations

Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure butter, eggs, and buttermilk are at room temperature for the cake batter for best incorporation and texture. Softened butter and cream cheese are needed for smooth frosting.
Cake Flour Substitute: If you don’t have cake flour, measure 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, remove 4 1/2 tablespoons of flour, and add 4 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift together well.
Coating Berries: Don’t skip tossing the blueberries in flour; it makes a difference in preventing them from all sinking to the bottom.
Pan Size: This recipe is designed for a 9×13 pan. You could adapt it for two 8-inch or 9-inch round layers, but baking time would likely be shorter.
Add Extracts: A touch of almond extract could be added along with the vanilla.
Lemon Glaze: Instead of frosting, top with a simple lemon glaze made from powdered sugar and lemon juice.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

Serve Cool Room Temperature or Chilled: Cream cheese frosting is best cool.
Potlucks and Gatherings: The 9×13 format makes it easy to transport, slice, and serve to a crowd.
Spring/Summer Dessert: Perfect showcase for seasonal flavors.
With Tea or Lemonade: Complements the cake’s flavors nicely.

Nutritional Information

(Note: Estimated, per slice, assuming 12-15 slices from a 9×13 pan)

Calories: 400-500
Fat: 20-28g
Saturated Fat: 10-15g
Cholesterol: 80-100mg
Sodium: 200-250mg
Total Carbohydrates: 50-60g
Dietary Fiber: 1-2g
Sugars: 35-45g
Protein: 4-6g

Sunny Lemon Blueberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Bake a delicious Lemon Blueberry Cake in a simple 9×13 pan! This recipe features a tender, moist cake bursting with blueberries and lemon, topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting.

Author: Grace