Save
This scratch-made blueberry layer cake bursts with fresh summer flavor in every mouthful. The striking hue and zingy lemon cream cheese frosting make a treat that'll turn heads and delight taste buds. It's just right for birthday parties or anytime you want something extra special.
I whipped this up for my kid's summer birthday last year and it vanished in seconds flat. The mix of blueberries with lemon creates such a bright, clean taste that everyone wants to know how I made it.
Ingredients
For the Blueberry Cake
- Unsalted butter: brought to room temp so it mixes well for soft cake texture
- White sugar: adds sweetness and helps make the right cake feel
- Large eggs: use them at room temp for better mixing and cake structure
- Cake flour: gives a softer result than regular flour would
- Baking powder and baking soda: team up to make the cake grow tall
- Salt: brings out all flavors and cuts the sweetness
- Sour cream: keeps things moist and adds a tang that works with the berries
- Fresh or frozen blueberries: cooked down into thick sauce for strong flavor
- Vegetable oil: keeps your cake soft for several days
- Optional pink coloring gel: boosts the natural blue-purple shade
- Whole blueberries: dropped into the mix for juicy berry pockets
For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Unsalted butter: just a bit soft makes the best frosting base
- Cream cheese: use the block kind not the spread for proper thickness
- Fresh lemon juice: adds zip that cuts through the sweet topping
- Lemon zest: packs in extra citrus punch from fruit oils
- Powdered sugar: run through a sifter to smooth it out for creamy frosting
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cook Down the Blueberries:
- Blend blueberries until smooth as silk. Pour into a pot with water and simmer on medium heat. Keep an eye on it while stirring now and then until you get exactly 3/4 cup of thick berry syrup. This packs in tons of berry taste without making things soggy. Let it cool all the way before using.
- Get the Cake Pans Ready:
- Butter three 8 inch round pans well then coat with a thin layer of flour. Shake out extra flour for a light, even coating. This helps your cakes pop out clean after baking.
- Combine Dry Stuff:
- Stir flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together for half a minute. This spreads the rising agents through all the flour so your cake rises evenly.
- Mix Wet Stuff:
- Stir sour cream, cooled blueberry syrup and oil until they're fully mixed. The fats in the sour cream and oil will make your cake stay moist for days.
- Whip Butter and Sugar:
- Beat soft butter until smooth for about a minute. Slowly add sugar and keep beating at medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until it looks fluffy and gets lighter in color. This long mixing puts air in the batter that helps cakes rise up.
- Drop in Eggs:
- Add eggs one by one, waiting until you can't see each one before adding another. This stops the mix from breaking apart and makes the texture just right.
- Switch Between Dry and Wet:
- Add some flour mix, then some sour cream mix, back and forth, starting and ending with flour. This way of mixing keeps your cake soft. Just mix until things come together, never beat it fast.
- Add Color and Fresh Berries:
- Gently mix in pink coloring if you want, then carefully fold in whole blueberries. The gentle touch keeps berries from breaking so they stay whole in your finished cake.
- Bake Until Done:
- Split batter evenly into pans and bake until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean or with tiny moist bits. Cool in pans for 5 to 10 minutes then flip onto cooling racks.
- Make the Frosting:
- Beat soft butter until smooth. Add chunks of soft cream cheese and mix until smooth. Slowly add sifted sugar, switching with splashes of lemon juice. Stir in fresh lemon zest last. If frosting seems runny, chill it for 10 minutes before using.
Save
I've always loved blueberries more than any summer fruit. My grandma had wild bushes in her yard and I spent hours picking tiny berries for her famous desserts. This cake brings back those summer memories but with my own twist that makes it even better.
Storing Your Cake
This berry cake stays nice and moist for up to 4 days when kept right. After you frost it, let it sit in the fridge for about 20 minutes so the frosting firms up a bit. Then wrap it loosely in plastic or put it in a cake box. Always take cold cake out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you eat it to wake up all the flavors. Cold temps dull those amazing blueberry and lemon notes.
Smart Substitutions
When blueberries aren't fresh, frozen ones work great for the puree. Just thaw them fully before blending. Want to try something different? Use blackberries or mix several berries for a new flavor twist. You can make the frosting more or less tangy by playing with the lemon juice and zest amounts. If you don't like tangy frosting, vanilla cream cheese topping goes really well with these blueberry layers too.
Serving Suggestions
To make your cake look amazing, top it with a handful of fresh blueberries, sweet lemon slices and little mint sprigs. A light sprinkle of powdered sugar adds a fancy touch. This cake tastes wonderful with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some lightly sweetened whipped cream on the side. Pair it with homemade lemonade or bubbly prosecco for grown-ups.
Save
Recipe FAQs
- → Is it okay to bake with frozen blueberries?
Absolutely, frozen blueberries can work. Let them defrost fully, then go ahead and puree and reduce them, following the same steps.
- → What’s the best way to store this cake?
Since the frosting contains cream cheese, pop the whole cake in the fridge and make sure it's well-covered to keep it fresh longer.
- → Can regular flour replace cake flour?
Definitely! Just use all-purpose flour, but for every cup, scoop out 2 tablespoons and swap it with cornstarch. Give it a good whisk before using.
- → Why add pink gel coloring to the batter?
The pink gel helps the blueberry color pop, giving the cake a vibrant look. If that’s not your thing, feel free to skip it!
- → Can I prep the blueberry puree ahead of time?
Yes, making the puree earlier works fine. Chill it in the fridge, and ensure it’s fully cooled before folding it into the batter.
- → How can I tell if my cake is done baking?
Stick a toothpick in the center. If it slides out clean or with a few dry crumbs, you’re good to go!