Lemon Blueberry Cake Cream Cheese (Printable)
Light lemon cake with juicy blueberries and smooth cream cheese frosting, perfect for warm gatherings.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (315 g)
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (225 g)
06 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300 g)
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
09 - 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (80 ml)
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature (240 ml)
12 - 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (225 g), plus 1 tablespoon flour for tossing
→ Cream Cheese Frosting
13 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (225 g)
14 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (115 g)
15 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted (360 g)
16 - 2 teaspoons lemon zest
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
18 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
19 - Pinch of salt
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans, lining bottoms with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
05 - Add dry mixture in three parts, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
06 - Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour to prevent sinking, then gently fold into batter.
07 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
08 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
09 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Continue beating until light and fluffy.
11 - Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread with frosting. Top with second layer and frost top and sides evenly.
12 - Decorate with fresh blueberries and additional lemon zest as desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The lemon keeps everything light and fresh, so you don't feel heavy after a slice.
- Blueberries stay plump and juicy because of a simple flour-coating trick that prevents them from sinking.
- Cream cheese frosting strikes that perfect balance between tangy and sweet, nothing overly precious about it.
02 -
- Eggs and milk must be room temperature or they'll cause the batter to break and separate—cold ingredients don't blend smoothly with creamed butter and sugar.
- Overmixing the batter after adding dry ingredients is the fastest way to a dense, tough cake; mix just until the flour disappears.
- If you're thinking about using frozen blueberries, don't thaw them first; frozen blueberries release less juice and stay more intact during baking.
03 -
- An offset spatula makes frosting the sides so much easier than a regular knife—the slight flexibility lets you create smooth, even layers.
- Sifting the powdered sugar takes just a minute but prevents gritty frosting and makes all the difference in the final texture.