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Lemon Blueberry Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 126 reviews

A delightful Lemon Blueberry Cake layered with zesty lemon-flavored cream cheese buttercream. This moist and tender cake is studded with fresh blueberries, topped with a smooth, tangy lemon cream cheese frosting, and garnished with fresh fruit for a stunning finish. Perfect for celebrations or a refreshing dessert.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Ingredients

  • 2 Cups (265g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 Cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 1/3 Cup (80ml) lemon juice (from 3–4 medium lemons)
  • 1 Tbsp lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
  • 1 1/2 Cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1/3 Cup (75g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 Cup (60ml) vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 Cup (135g) fresh blueberries, divided
  • 2 tsp all-purpose flour (for coating the blueberries)

Buttercream Ingredients

  • 3/4 Cups (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 6 Cups (720g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 12 Oz (339g) full-fat brick-style cream cheese, room temperature (NOT the spread)
  • Pinch of salt, or to taste
  • Fresh blueberries and lemon slices for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Prepare either three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting parchment paper circles to the bottoms to prevent sticking.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
  3. Prepare Wet Ingredients: In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the whole milk and lemon juice. Set aside.
  4. Cream Sugar, Zest, and Butter: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix granulated sugar and lemon zest on medium speed until fragrant and well combined, about 1 minute. Add unsalted butter and cream together with the mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  5. Add Oil and Mix: Add vegetable oil to the creamed mixture and beat on medium speed until combined, light, and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
  6. Add Eggs and Vanilla: With the mixer on low, add eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined after each addition. Add vanilla extract, then beat on medium speed for one minute.
  7. Combine Flour and Lemon Milk Mixture: Turn off the mixer. Add the dry flour mixture all at once and mix on low speed until just combined. Slowly pour in the lemon milk mixture and continue mixing on low speed for about 30 seconds until incorporated.
  8. Coat and Fold in Blueberries: Toss fresh blueberries with 2 teaspoons of flour to coat. Reserve about one-third of the blueberries for topping. Fold the remaining two-thirds gently into the cake batter.
  9. Fill Pans and Add Blueberry Topping: Divide the batter evenly between prepared pans. Distribute the reserved blueberries on top of the batter in each pan, gently pressing them into the surface of the batter.
  10. Bake the Cakes: Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the cakes cool for 5 minutes in the pans, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely to room temperature.
  11. Make the Lemon Cream Cheese Buttercream: In a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
  12. Add Powdered Sugar and Lemon Juice: Add one-third of the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. Add lemon juice and continue mixing. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until combined, the mixture will be thick and crumbly.
  13. Add Cream Cheese and Salt: Add full-fat cream cheese and a pinch of salt. Beat on medium speed until smooth and fully combined, about 2-3 minutes, scraping bowl as needed.
  14. Level and Stack Cake Layers: Once the cake layers have fully cooled, level the tops if needed. Spread a layer of lemon cream cheese buttercream between each cake layer, stacking carefully.
  15. Crumb Coat and Chill: Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm the frosting.
  16. Final Frosting and Decoration: Frost the cake with a semi-naked finish using the lemon cream cheese buttercream. Fit a piping bag with Wilton Tip 4B and pipe a braided border along the top edge of the cake. Garnish with fresh blueberries and lemon slices for an elegant presentation.

Notes

  • Use brick-style full-fat cream cheese for best texture and flavor in the buttercream; avoid cream cheese spreads.
  • Make sure all dairy and eggs are at room temperature to ensure proper mixing and a smooth batter.
  • Coating blueberries with flour helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the batter.
  • Chilling the crumb-coated cake is essential for a smooth second layer of frosting.
  • For a more intense lemon flavor, you can increase lemon zest slightly but avoid adding too much lemon juice to prevent thinning the batter or frosting too much.

Keywords: Lemon Blueberry Cake, Lemon Buttercream, Cream Cheese Frosting, Blueberry Cake, Lemon Cake, Spring Dessert, Celebration Cake

Find it online: https://kitchenbyclara.com/lemon-blueberry-cake-with-lemon-cream-cheese-buttercream-recipe/