Description

This moist and flavorful Blueberry Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting is a delightful dessert that combines the natural sweetness of blueberries with the tangy zest of lemon. Made with blueberry puree and fresh blueberries folded into the batter, this cake is topped with a luscious lemon cream cheese buttercream that perfectly balances sweetness and tartness. Ideal for special occasions or a weekend treat, it’s a beautiful, vibrant cake that’s sure to impress.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Blueberry Cake

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened (170g)
2 cups white sugar (400g)
3 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups cake flour (342g) (or 3 cups all-purpose flour minus 6 tablespoons flour replaced with 6 tablespoons cornstarch)
2 teaspoons baking powder (8g)
½ teaspoon baking soda (3g)
½ teaspoon salt (3g)
1 cup sour cream (227g)
1 ½ cups blueberries, pureed and reduced (198g reduced to ¾ cup / 181g)
¼ cup vegetable oil (canola oil) (54g)
Pink Coloring Gel (optional, small amount)
½ cup whole blueberries (66g)

For the Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream

3 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened (339g)
8 oz cream cheese, softened (226g) (brick cream cheese recommended)
¼ cup lemon juice (approx. 1 lemon) (57g)
Zest of 1 lemon
7 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted (863g)
Milk (optional, for thinning frosting consistency)

Instructions

Prepare the Blueberries: Measure 1 ½ cups blueberries (198g). If using frozen, thaw first. Puree the blueberries in a blender, then add the puree to a saucepan with ¼ cup water. Cook over medium heat until reduced to ¾ cup (181g). If reduced too much, add water to reach the correct volume. Set aside to cool. This can be done in advance and refrigerated.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch by 2-inch round cake pans to prevent sticking.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for about 30 seconds. Set aside.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, combine the sour cream, blueberry puree, and vegetable oil. Mix with a fork until blended and set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the softened butter until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture is lightened in color and fluffy. If using a hand mixer, you may need to beat slightly longer.
Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until fully incorporated and no yellow yolk streaks remain.
Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream mixture to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. This will be three additions of dry and two additions of wet ingredients. Mix until combined but do not over mix.
Add Pink Coloring (Optional): Add a small amount of pink coloring gel if desired to brighten the blueberry color. Mix gently until smooth.
Fold in Whole Blueberries: Gently fold in the ½ cup whole blueberries (66g) to the batter.
Bake the Cake: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Oven times may vary, so watch closely.
Cool the Cake: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 to 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
Make Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream: In a mixing bowl, beat the slightly softened butter until smooth. Add the softened cream cheese in pieces and beat until smooth and combined. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar while mixing. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix gently until just combined; do not over mix as the frosting can become too soft. If frosting becomes too soft, refrigerate for about 10 minutes to firm up.
Frost the Cake: Once the cakes are completely cooled, layer and frost with the lemon cream cheese buttercream. This recipe makes about 5 cups of frosting, enough to generously cover and decorate a three-layer cake.

Notes

Cake Flour Substitute: For each cup of cake flour, use 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch. For this recipe with 3 cups flour, measure 3 cups all-purpose flour, remove 6 tablespoons, and replace with 6 tablespoons cornstarch. Whisk well.
Use brick cream cheese rather than tub cream cheese for better texture in frosting.
The lemon juice amount can be adjusted to taste in the frosting for desired tartness.
Pink coloring gel is optional and only used to enhance the color of blueberries; it doesn’t affect flavor.
Check cake doneness early since baking times can vary by oven.
Leftover frosting can be stored in the refrigerator and brought back to room temperature before use.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
Calories: 460 kcal
Sugar: 39 g
Sodium: 230 mg
Fat: 25 g
Saturated Fat: 13 g
Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
Trans Fat: 0.3 g
Carbohydrates: 55 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 4 g
Cholesterol: 100 mg

Keywords: blueberry cake, lemon cream cheese frosting, blueberry dessert, homemade cake, lemon buttercream, blueberry puree cake