Lemon Blueberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting!

This Lemon Blueberry Cake is the refreshing, fruity dessert your spring and summer celebrations need! Bursting with juicy blueberries and bright lemon zest, this cake is ultra-moist, fluffy, and finished with the dreamiest lemon cream cheese frosting. Whether you’re baking for brunch, birthdays, or baby showers, this cake is guaranteed to steal the spotlight.

It’s time to ditch the boxed mix and skip the store-bought cakes—this homemade lemon blueberry cake is on a whole new level. Once you taste it, there’s no going back. It’s vibrant, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make from scratch!

Love blueberries? Try our Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies or Bakery-Style Blueberry Muffins, both are super easy but super impressive!

Why You’ll Love This Lemon Blueberry Cake

• Bright & Flavorful: Lemon zest and fresh blueberries bring sunshine to every bite.
• Moist & Fluffy Texture: The perfect balance of butter and oil gives this cake its signature soft, tender crumb. Want to learn how to make any cake turn out like this? Check out my full guide to moist and fluffy cakes.
• Stunning Presentation: Beautiful inside and out, especially when topped with extra berries and lemon curls.
• Crowd Favorite: It’s refreshing, not too sweet, and totally addictive.

Bonus: You can make it in two 8-inch pans or three 6-inch layers, making it easy to scale for parties!

Try My Other Cake Recipes:

Lemon Blueberry Cake Ingredients (What You’ll Need)

• All-Purpose Flour (2 ½ cups):
  This gives structure to the cake. It’s sturdy enough to support the juicy blueberries without being too heavy. Cake flour won’t support the weight of the blueberries well.
• Granulated Sugar (1 ½ cups) + Light Brown Sugar (¼ cup):
  White sugar adds sweetness and lightness, while a bit of brown sugar adds depth and a subtle caramel note that pairs beautifully with lemon.
• Baking Powder (2 ½ tsp) + Baking Soda (½ tsp):
  These leavening agents help the cake rise and stay fluffy. The combo ensures a perfect lift and soft crumb.
• Salt (½ tsp):
  Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness. Don’t skip it!
• Salted Butter (¾ cup):
  Brings richness and that melt-in-your-mouth texture. You can use unsalted butter too—just add an extra pinch of salt to the recipe.
• Vegetable Oil (4 tbsp):
  Keeps the cake super moist even after a day or two. Using both butter and oil gives you the best of both worlds—flavor and moisture.
• Eggs (4 large):
  Eggs bind everything together and add richness. Room temperature eggs mix more evenly into the batter, creating a smoother texture. You can read more about why that matters right here.
• Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract (1 tbsp):
  Vanilla enhances all the other flavors and adds a warm, cozy undertone to the bright lemon. I highly recommend using vanilla bean paste for this lemon blueberry cake!
• Buttermilk (½ cup):
  The acidity in buttermilk tenderizes the crumb and reacts with baking soda for extra lift. Plus, it adds a subtle tang that complements the lemon.
• Lemon Zest (zest of 1 lemon):
  This is where the zing comes from. Fresh lemon zest adds pure, natural citrus flavor and makes the whole cake smell heavenly.
• Fresh Blueberries (1 ½ cups):
  The juicy bursts of sweet-tart blueberries are the star of the cake! Tossing them in a bit of flour helps keep them from sinking to the bottom of your cake.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream Cheese (16 oz, full-fat):
  Rich, tangy, and creamy—this is the base of your frosting and what makes it totally irresistible.
• Salted Butter (¾ cup):
  Balances the tanginess of the cream cheese and adds a smooth, buttery finish.
• Confectioners’ Sugar (4 cups):
  Sweetens the frosting while keeping it light and fluffy. Add it gradually to avoid lumps!
• Vanilla Extract or Paste (1 ½ tsp):
  Rounds out the tangy lemon with cozy, creamy notes.
• Lemon Zest (zest of 1 lemon):
  Adds brightness and that unmistakable citrus pop that ties everything together.
• Pinch of Salt:
  Optional, but a little salt brings balance and prevents the frosting from being overly sweet.

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Cake (Step-by-Step)

1. Preheat & Prep

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch or three 6-inch round cake pans. Toss your blueberries in 1 tbsp flour (or cornstarch) to help them stay suspended in the batter.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Cream Butter, Oil & Sugars

Using a mixer, beat the butter and oil with the sugars until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).

4. Add Eggs & Flavor

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla and lemon zest. Mix until just combined.

5. Alternate Wet & Dry

Mix in the dry ingredients and buttermilk in three additions, starting and ending with dry. Don’t overmix!

6. Layer the Batter & Blueberries

Divide half the batter between the pans, sprinkle in all the blueberries, and cover with the remaining batter, gently spreading to seal them in.

7. Bake

Bake at 400°F for 5-7 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

8. Cool

Let cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to Make the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Beat cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth (about 2 minutes).
2. Gradually add the powdered sugar, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Add the vanilla, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Adjust the consistency with extra sugar or salt if needed.
4. Frost your cooled lemon blueberry cake layers generously and top with extra blueberries or lemon slices!

Not a cream cheese frosting fan? No worries, try our Easy Vanilla Buttercream or our Whipped Vanilla Frosting!

Tips for the BEST Lemon Blueberry Cake

• Use room temperature ingredients for a smoother batter and frosting—they combine more easily, help trap air for a lighter texture, and prevent curdling or separation. Here’s how to bring them to room temperature quickly.
• Don’t skip tossing blueberries in flour—this helps prevent them from sinking.
• For a more intense lemon flavor, add 1 tsp of lemon extract or extra zest to the batter or frosting.

Why the Right Cake Pans Matter

Don’t underestimate your cake pans—they can make or break your final result (literally). For this lemon blueberry cake, I highly recommend using light-colored aluminum pans, like the ones from Fat Daddio’s.

Why?
Dark pans absorb more heat, which can cause the outside of your cake to brown too quickly before the inside is fully baked. This often leads to dry edges or uneven rising. On the other hand, light metal pans distribute heat evenly, giving you a beautifully even bake, soft texture, and golden color—every time.

My go-to pans are from Fat Daddio’s, and I’ve used them for years. They’re:

• Made with anodized aluminum (no weird coatings)
• Non-reactive with acidic batters (hello lemon 🍋)
• Super durable and easy to clean

👉 Click here to check them out on Amazon

Trust me—once you use the right cake pans, you’ll never go back.

How to Store Lemon Blueberry Cakes:

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: You can freeze unfrosted cake layers for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil.

FAQs on Blueberry Lemon Cake

Can I use frozen blueberries?
Yes, although I prefer fresh blueberries! Use them straight from the freezer and toss in flour as you would with fresh. Don’t thaw first—they’ll bleed too much color.

Can I use strawberries instead?
Not exactly for this recipe. Strawberries bake a little differently, but don’t worry! We have the BEST Strawberry Cake Recipe made from scratch with fresh strawberries.

Can I make this cake ahead?
Absolutely! The layers can be baked a day in advance. Store them wrapped at room temp or in the freezer, and frost the next day. Learn how to frost cakes here.

How do I make sure this cake stays moist and fluffy?
Follow the recipe closely, don’t overbake, and use room-temperature ingredients. If you want to dive deeper into the techniques I use in all my cakes, check out my full guide on making cakes moist and fluffy, as well as the importance of room-temperature ingredients.

Can I make it gluten-free?
You can substitute a good 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. Just note that texture may vary slightly.

My blueberries sank. What did I do wrong?
Don’t stress—it happens to the best of us! Even if your blueberries sank, your cake will still taste absolutely delicious.

That said, here are a few reasons it might have happened:

• You may have skipped tossing the blueberries in flour—this helps them “stick” in the batter instead of sliding to the bottom.
• The batter may have been too thin, making it easier for the berries to sink.
• Adding the blueberries directly on top of the batter (instead of layering them in the middle) can also cause sinking.

Good news? This recipe is designed to help prevent that! By placing the blueberries between two layers of batter and using a thick cake base, we’re doing everything we can to keep those berries suspended. And even if they do sink a little—don’t worry. Your cake will still be moist, flavorful, and stunning once frosted.

The Perfect Spring Cake

This Lemon Blueberry Cake is a must-bake. It’s bright, tangy, sweet, and super soft—the kind of cake that gets devoured in minutes. Whether you’re celebrating or just craving something special, this cake will always deliver.

Try our Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies next.

🍋 Loved this Lemon Blueberry Cake recipe?

Tag me on Instagram @everythingjustbaked if you make it! I love seeing your creations.