Lemon Blueberry Spring Cake (Printable)

Moist layer cake with fresh blueberries and zesty lemon, finished with creamy lemon frosting.

# What You 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 coating 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 for garnish
20 - Lemon zest curls for garnish
21 - Edible flowers for garnish

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line 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 softened butter and granulated 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 fresh lemon juice until fully combined.
05 - Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to the egg mixture, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Coat blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour to prevent sinking, then gently fold into the batter using a rubber spatula.
07 - Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula for even baking.
08 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
09 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
10 - Beat softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add sifted powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until frosting is fluffy and spreadable.
11 - Place first cake layer on serving plate and spread with frosting. Repeat with remaining layers, then frost top and sides of assembled cake.
12 - Decorate cake with fresh blueberries, lemon zest curls, and edible flowers as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cake stays impossibly moist for days, so you can actually bake it ahead and breathe on party day.
  • Three generous layers mean you get that satisfying height and the frosting-to-cake ratio that makes people close their eyes when they take a bite.
  • The lemon flavor is bright without being sharp—it's balanced in a way that makes even lemon skeptics ask for seconds.
02 -
  • The flour toss on blueberries isn't just a cute tip—it genuinely prevents them from sinking, and I learned this the hard way after cutting into a cake that was all blueberries at the bottom and cake on top.
  • Room temperature ingredients make the difference between a cake that's tender and one that's gritty—I used to skip this and wondered why my cakes felt dense until I finally understood that cold butter and eggs won't incorporate air properly.
  • Don't brush the lemon syrup on unless you really love intense lemon flavor; I added it once for someone who requested extra tartness and it was almost too much, so taste as you go.
03 -
  • Use a cake leveler or a long serrated knife to shave the domed tops flat before frosting—it gives you even layers that stack perfectly and look intentional instead of homemade (though you want it to taste homemade).
  • Crumb coat first, which means spread a thin layer of frosting all over the cake, chill it for 15 minutes, then apply your final frosting layer—this seals in crumbs and makes your final coat look polished and smooth.
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