Lemon Blueberry Spring Cake (Printable)

A moist, flavorful layered cake infused with lemon zest and fresh blueberries, finished with creamy lemon frosting.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cake Batter

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
09 - 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
11 - 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
12 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour for tossing blueberries

→ Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

13 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
15 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
17 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
18 - Pinch of salt

→ Decoration

19 - Fresh blueberries
20 - Lemon zest curls
21 - Edible flowers

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in lemon zest and lemon juice until fully combined.
05 - Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour to prevent sinking, then gently fold into the batter using a rubber spatula.
07 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and smooth tops with a spatula.
08 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
09 - Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
10 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until fluffy and spreadable.
11 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with frosting. Repeat with remaining layers, then frost the top and sides evenly.
12 - Top with fresh blueberries, lemon zest curls, and edible flowers as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It stays impossibly moist for days, making it perfect for baking ahead before a celebration.
  • The lemon and blueberry combination feels both elegant and completely approachable—no fancy techniques required.
  • Three layers means it looks showstopping, but it's far easier to manage than you'd think.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not optional—cold eggs and butter will refuse to blend smoothly, and you'll end up with a greasy, separated batter that bakes into a tough, dense cake.
  • The moment you see the batter coming together, stop mixing; even five extra seconds with the mixer running will toughen your cake irreversibly.
  • Fresh blueberries matter more than you think—if you can't find good ones, frozen blueberries (thawed and gently patted dry) work beautifully and often taste more intense.
03 -
  • Measure your flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling with a knife rather than scooping directly from the bag—this prevents you from packing flour in and baking a dense cake.
  • If your cream cheese frosting is too soft to spread, chill it for 15 minutes; if it's too stiff, let it come to room temperature or beat in 1 teaspoon of milk at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
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