This Blueberry Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting is a bright, fruity, and elegant dessert perfect for spring gatherings, birthdays, or whenever you crave something fresh and indulgent. With a burst of blueberries and a zesty lemon frosting, it’s a cake that feels as joyful as it tastes!

Why You’ll Love It

Berry Delight: Real blueberry puree brings incredible flavor and color.
Lemon Kiss: The cream cheese frosting is lightly tangy with fresh lemon juice and zest.
Impressive Yet Simple: It looks bakery-perfect but is totally doable at home.
Perfect for Celebrations: Whether it’s brunch or birthdays, this cake shines!

Ingredients

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)
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 to ¾ cup (181g), cooled
¼ cup vegetable oil (54g)
Pink coloring gel (optional, to enhance the berry color)
½ cup whole blueberries (66g), to fold into the batter

For the Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream
3 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened (339g)
8 oz cream cheese, softened (226g)
¼ cup lemon juice (57g), adjust to taste
Zest of 1 lemon
7 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted (863g)
Milk, if needed, to thin the frosting

Instructions

Prepare the Blueberries
Start by prepping the blueberries. If using frozen berries, thaw first. Puree 1 ½ cups (198g) of blueberries, then cook them in a saucepan with ¼ cup water over medium-high heat. Reduce to about ¾ cup (181g). If it reduces too much, add a bit of water. Let it cool completely — you can do this step in advance and refrigerate.

Prepare the Cake Batter
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, cooled blueberry puree, and oil. Mix with a fork and set aside.

In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the blueberry mixture to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined. If using, add a small amount of pink coloring gel to brighten the berry color. Gently fold in the whole blueberries.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Make the Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream
In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add lemon juice and lemon zest. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until incorporated, then beat until fluffy. Adjust the consistency with a little milk if needed.

Assemble the Cake
Once the cake layers are completely cool, spread the lemon cream cheese frosting between the layers and over the top and sides of the cake. Decorate as desired!

Variations

Extra Fruity: Add more whole blueberries between the layers for a burst of fruit.
Citrus Boost: Add a bit more lemon zest to the batter for extra zing.
Berry Mix: Try a combination of blueberries and raspberries for a colorful twist.

FAQ

Can I use frozen blueberries?
Yes! Just make sure to thaw them before pureeing.

Can I make this cake ahead?
Definitely. You can bake the layers a day in advance and store them wrapped at room temperature, and make the frosting fresh the next day.

What if I don’t have cake flour?
You can substitute with all-purpose flour: for every cup of cake flour, use 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons, then add 2 tablespoons cornstarch.

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