Lemon Blueberry Spring Cake (Printable)

Moist layered cake with fresh blueberries and zesty lemon, finished with a luscious lemon cream cheese 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

→ 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 for garnish
20 - Lemon zest curls for garnish
21 - Edible flowers for garnish

# Directions:

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 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.
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, and salt. Beat until fluffy and spreadable.
11 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread with frosting. Repeat with remaining layers, then frost the top and sides.
12 - Decorate with fresh blueberries, lemon zest curls, and edible flowers as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The cake stays impossibly moist for days because the lemon juice keeps everything tender and flavor-packed.
  • Three layers look fancy enough to impress, but the technique is straightforward enough that you won't stress yourself out.
  • That cream cheese frosting hits the perfect balance of tangy and sweet without being cloyingly rich.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable—I learned this the hard way after a cake came out with an odd, grainy texture because I used cold eggs and milk.
  • Don't skip the creaming step or overmix the final batter, because both create a tough, dense cake instead of that light, tender crumb you're after.
  • If you add the lemon juice all at once instead of gradually, the batter can curdle slightly and separate—add it slowly while the mixer is running and you'll be fine.
03 -
  • If your cream cheese frosting is too soft, refrigerate it for fifteen minutes—don't rebeat it because that incorporates air bubbles and makes it grainy and weird.
  • Use a bench scraper or offset spatula dipped in hot water to smooth the frosting sides for a polished look, wiping it clean between strokes.
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