This Blueberry Lemon Cake is loaded with 1 pound of blueberries, and every bite has sweet pops of juicy blueberry and fresh lemon flavor. It’s not too sweet or too tangy, but just right. This is my favorite tea or coffee blueberry cake, and it’s easy, easy, easy!
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Why You’ll Love This Easy Blueberry Cake
Blueberries become juicy and jammy when baked into desserts and sweet breads. We sure love our blueberry desserts, from Blueberry Crumble to Blueberry Pie, and this easy Blueberry Cake does not disappoint.
You will love having easy and dependable recipes like this, or our easy Strawberry Cake and simple Peach Cake – they come together quickly and are perfect for unplanned company and my evening sweet-tooth cravings. Bite into this while it’s still a little warm and you’ll have no words, only sound effects… mmm.
It is moist and fluffy and tastes like a decadent Blueberry Muffin from a fancy bakery. Seriously though, it’s really good. Watch the blueberry lemon cake video tutorial to see just how easy it is.
Lemon Blueberry Cake Video
This cake is fluffy, moist, and bursting with sweet blueberry flavor. I hope you love every bite of this lemon blueberry cake. This is one of those cakes you will make on repeat.
Blueberry Cake Recipe
This lemon blueberry cake is so quick and easy to make. It is our go-to for unexpected company and it always disappears fast! You can use fresh or frozen blueberries (see my note on substituting frozen blueberries below).
Tips for Success
- Measuring Ingredients – Click here for an easy video tutorial on how to measure dry and wet ingredients correctly.
- Room-Temperature Ingredients – Ensure your liquid ingredients and even your blueberries are at room temperature for an even bake time and smoother batter.
- Don’t overload blueberries – adding more than 16 oz of blueberries can weigh down the cake and prevent it from rising properly.
- Do Not Overmix – overmixing the batter can make the cake dense.
Can I Substitute Sour Cream?
Several of our readers have reported great results using whole milk yogurt and whole milk Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
Can I Substitute Frozen Blueberries?
If using frozen blueberries, you can add them frozen, but as I learned from King Arthur Baking, it is recommended to rinse them to help prevent your batter from discoloring and turning an ugly purple-green tint. Here’s how:
- Rinse your frozen blueberries a couple of times in cold water before you use them.
- Drain well and gently pat dry with several layers of paper towels.
- Gently toss with a full 1 Tbsp of starch, and do not add lemon juice to blueberries.
How To Make Lemon Blueberry Cake
Prep: This cake is easiest to remove when using a springform pan. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. This ensures an easy release after baking. Preheat the Oven to 375˚F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or using an electric hand mixer, beat 2 eggs and 1 cup sugar with the whisk attachment on high speed for 5 minutes or until lightened in color and thick.
- Add 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup oil, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt, and whisk on low speed until well combined.
- Whisk together the 2 cups flour with 2 tsp baking powder then add to batter 1/3 at a time, whisking to incorporate between each addition (DO NOT OVERMIX, or the cake will be dense). Finally, use a lemon zester to add the lemon zest then squeeze in the fresh lemon juice.
How to Assemble and Bake
- Rinse blueberries and drain well. Transfer to a medium bowl add 1/2 Tbsp corn starch and 1 tsp lemon juice. Stir until well combined and no dry white cornstarch remains. If using frozen blueberries, see the substitution note above.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared springform pan and even out the top with a spatula. Top with half of the blueberries. Spread with the remaining batter then sprinkle the rest of the blueberries evenly over the top, pushing them about halfway into the batter.
- Bake at 375˚F for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (mine was perfect at 55 minutes). Let cake rest in the pan for 15-20 minutes then remove the springform ring and cool until room temperature or just warm.
How to Serve Blueberry Cake
This blueberry lemon cake is perfectly satisfying on its own without any kind of frosting. A generous dusting of powdered sugar is all you need. It does pair well with vanilla ice cream.
If you really want things to get excited, you can also make a Blueberry Sauce for a topping.
Can I turn this into Muffins?
Because so many of you have asked, we (finally!) have a recipe for blueberry muffins.
Also, if you’d like to bake this in a loaf pan, I highly recommend following our Blueberry Loaf Recipe.
Can I Bake this in a Bundt Pan?
Reader Kelly, writes: “I did this in a tube pan and upped all the ingredients by half. I was feeding 2 families :). I used the “Baking Happy” Pam nonstick spray with flour and it popped out beautifully. It baked for 55 mins, and was perfect! Since the pan is larger, upping the ingredients by half was a perfect fit for the pan- once baked, the cake right to the top. I sprinkled with powdered sugar. Delicious recipe…everyone loved it! Thanks so much!”
More Blueberry Desserts
There’s something about cooking with blueberries, which makes them so juicy and brings out their best flavor. If you haven’t tried making Blueberry Pierogi, you should put them on your list. Here are our favorite blueberry desserts:
- No-Bake Strawberry Blueberry Trifle
- Pavlova Recipe
- Fruit Tart
- Blueberry Ricotta Cake
- Blueberry Scones
- Berry Cake
Go ahead and print a few extra copies of the recipe since you will likely receive some requests for this blueberry cake.
Lemon Blueberry Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream, (8oz), preferably at room temperature for 1 hour
- 1/2 cup light olive oil , or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, *
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 medium lemon, zest and juice, divided
- 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
- 16 oz fresh blueberries, **
- Powdered sugar to dust the top, optional
Instructions
Prep:
- Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment. Preheat Oven to 375˚F.
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Cake:
- Beat 2 eggs and 1 cup sugar with whisk attachment on high speed 5 min, or until light in color and thick.
- Add 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup oil, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt and whisk on low speed until well combined.
- Whisk together the 2 cups flour with 2 tsp baking powder then add to batter 1/3 at a time, whisking to incorporate with each addition (DO NOT OVERMIX). Finally, add 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1/2 Tbsp zest.
- Rinse blueberries and drain well. In a medium bowl, toss blueberries with 1/2 Tbsp corn starch and 1 tsp lemon juice, stirring until well combined and no dry white cornstarch remains.
- Pour half of batter into prepared springform pan and spread evenly. Top with half of the blueberries. Spread with remaining batter then sprinkle the rest of the blueberries evenly over the top, pushing them slightly into the batter (about halfway). Bake at 375˚F for 45 to 55 min (mine was perfect at 55 min), or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cake rest in the pan 15-20 min then remove ring and cool until room temp or just warm. Serve dusted with powdered sugar.
Notes
or they weigh down the cake.
*Measure flour by spooning it into measuring cup then scraping off the top.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Hi Natasha,
This looks incredibly amazing! Planning to try it out but can I substitute sour cream with ricotta cheese instead? Will it turn out as good? Thanks!
Hi Brenda, without trying that substitution, I can’t really recommend it. I am concerned that your mixture might get too thick and it would be missing some flavor in the batter using ricotta instead.
If I don’t have a 9″spring form pan, would it work with two more shallow 8″ pans with an icing in the middle?
Hi Emily, I think you could make that work, but the bake time would be less since you will have 2 skinnier layers. Without testing it, I can’t provide exact baking times. Let me know how it goes – I have wondered about turning it into a 2-layer cake. I would probably just place the blueberries over the top of each layer and push them in half way since you won’t have enough batter to make two 2-batter layer cakes. I hope you love it!
I also do not have a spring form pan. Can I use one 9 inch cake pan?
Hi Valerie, you can use a different type of pan just make sure it has fairly tall walls. A 9″ cake pan with 1 1/2″ walls might be too small to fit the batter. Also keep in mind that if you use a wider pan, it will bake faster since the cake will be thinner.
I don’t have a spring form pan- only a 9 inch cake pan. If both are 9-inch, what does the spring form add that the regular 9 inch cake pan doesn’t?
Hi Paulette, this cake is a little too tall for a regular 9″ cake pan unless you have one that has taller walls than standard.
Hi I would like to make this today Thursday for guests on Saturday will it be OK for then
Hi Rae, I think this is best eaten the same day as it is made but that could work if you let it come to room temp then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Let it come to room temp before serving so it softens slightly 🙂
I made this cake and it’s in the oven as I write but I used gluten free flour and it become so thick and stringy. Not sure what I did wrong. Did I mixed it too much or should I have not used gluten free flour?!
Hi Felora, it depends on the kind of gluten free flour that was used. Some gluten free floors require additional mix-ins to be substituted in baking recipes. It may just be the type of flour you used. Also, make sure your baking powder is not expired.
Will it freeze well?
Hi Wendy, I haven’t tried freezing it but I do think that would work fine to make it ahead and freeze the cake.
I need to substitute the sour cream since I am allergic to dairy. Any suggestions?
Hi Paula, I recall a reader shared their experience with dairy free: “I completely replaced the sour cream, with whole fat coconut milk from a can. I mixed it completely before measuring, and to compensate for the added wetness I reduced the oil to about 1/3 Cup. It was still a little runny, but the bake was perfect.”
Hi, made this twice already and it’s always a hit. Thank you for this recipe.
Next time I will try using whole fat coconut milk instead of the sour cream.
You’re welcome Lydia! I’m glad you love the recipe! 🙂
I made this cake as per recipe but I only had an 8″ spring form pan so I used that and cooked it for longer. The cake tastes good but it is so heavy. Is that the way it is supposed to come out or did I do something wrong?
Hi Jeannie, it is supposed to be a very soft cake and not heavy. I’m thinking it might be due to using a smaller baking pan – I would suggest using less blueberries in a smaller pan or it will weigh down the cake. Also, check your baking powder to make sure it isn’t expired. I hope that helps!
I made this. It didn’t rise as much as I had hoped but it tastes lovely. I will serve it after dinner tonight and hear about what my family thinks
Hi Paula, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! If you didn’t see it rise as much as in our video (and still used the same size 9″ pan), you might check to make sure your baking powder is still fresh.
Made this…and Perfection! Thanks Natasha
You’re welcome Candi! I’m glad you love it! 🙂
This cake came out beautifully & tasted delicious…….
I’m glad to hear that Geeta! Thank you for sharing!!
Can I use Bob Red Mill Gluten
Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour?
Hi Catherine, I have had a few readers report great results using gluten free flour but no one has specified Bob’s Red Mill. I hope that helps! Let me know how it works out if you test that out 🙂
I tried the Bob Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour and was disappointed of outcome… very dense.
Hi Catherine, Im sorry to hear that. Thank you for sharing that it doesn’t work well with Bob’s Red mill brand. There were good reports on substituting with gluten free flour but that specific one wasn’t mentioned. Was everything else followed in the recipe including how the flour was measured (see notes in recipe) and also make sure the baking powder is not expired.
I am feeding a crowd & need a bigger cake! Can you help? Should I double recipe, & bake in 9×13 pan? thanks for suggestions
Hi Nancy, I haven’t tried doubling this recipe so I can’t say for sure how that would affect the rising and the baking time may need to be longer since it will be taller than the original if you double the recipe for a 9×13 pan. Let me know if you experiment! 🙂
I just made this today, for a crowd, I did 1 1/2 of the recipe, & put in 9×13 pan. Turned out perfect!!
if you don’t have a mixer with whisk attachment what can you use
Hi Dora, an electric hand mixer will work great 🙂
I used the old fashioned whisk, at hand! its works!!!
I make this cake in a 9×9 square pan and it turned out great.
I’m glad to hear that Les! Thanks for sharing your review with other readers!
What would the cooking time be if these were made in a muffin pan?
Hi Tina, I haven’t tried as cupckaes but it’s on my to-do list. One of my readers, Kate, shared the following: “They came out very nicely as muffins, there was enough batter for 14 muffins and they took exactly 30 mins to cook in my convection oven. I then cooled in the pans on top of wire racks for another 10 mins before removing to wire racks to completely cool.” – Note, she used a convection oven so I would suggest baking until a toothpick comes out clean of wet batter. I hope that helps!
This is seriously the easiest cake. I love it and have made it 3 times already! Thank you for the awesome recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your amazing review! 🙂
I made this cake yesterday and failed😕..I’ve never failed in other cakes before..toothpicks came out clean..but flour was not cooked at all..i’m not sure if its because i soaked the blueberries..pls advise
Hi Baljit, It sounds like it could be due to soaking the blueberries – maybe they were too wet. Making it per the recipe, I haven’t had that issue so I’m assuming it’s probably the soaking.
Can I make cupcakes using this recipe?
Hi Augustine, I haven’t tried as cupckaes but it’s on my to-do list. One of my readers, Kate, shared the following: “They came out very nicely as muffins, there was enough batter for 14 muffins and they took exactly 30 mins to cook in my convection oven. I then cooled in the pans on top of wire racks for another 10 mins before removing to wire racks to completely cool.” – Note, she used a convection oven so I would suggest baking until a toothpick comes out clean of wet batter. I hope that helps!
Followed recipe as written exactly. Was not moist, no lemon flavor and very disappointed. I’ll try it again in a few weeks. Always give recipes a second chance.
Hi Judy, I’m glad you are giving it another go as this is one of our most popular recipes! 🙂 Some times that may help: make sure you add ingredients in the order listed, otherwise, it can hurt the consistency of the cake and also be sure to measure the flour as stated in the recipe to get a soft crumb.
Can i add some lemon extract?
Hi Ana, I think that could work instead of vanilla extract.
Thank you so much…
Do you think this would work in loaf pans?
Hi, I haven’t tried that but at least one reader reported great results in a loaf pan. They used 1 recipe for 1 loaf pan but I don’t have any details on changes in bake time. I would bake for the same amount of time and then do the toothpick test and continue baking longer if needed. You might need to shield it with foil if baking longer and it starts to darken on top.