Lemon Blueberry Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting [Recipe]
If you know me, you know I love everything lemon – marinades, dressings, sauces, desserts, drinks… EVERYTHING! Lemon blueberry cake is one of my best-loved coffee cakes to make, but this time I added cheesecake frosting, too. The texture is wonderful, the taste divine, and the recipe? Well, super simple! This one is a staple in my kitchen and when you try it, it will become yours, as well! Now, let’s make lemon blueberry cake with cream cheese together!
Why Will You Love this Recipe?
- Vibrant Flavors: The zesty lemon in combination with the sweet burst of blueberries creates a lively and refreshing flavor profile. Cream cheese frosting gives a touch of richness at the end. The tartness of lemon complements fruity and sweet blueberries impeccably. The addition of ginger makes the cake extra spicy, zingy, and bright.
- Timeless Recipe: Old-school base cake batter recipe and lemon-blueberry combo give timeless vibes. This is one of those recipes that every household has, that passes from one generation to another and tastes just a tad better than any other.
- Homemade Charm: This cake won’t turn out perfect, it will probably crack on top and rise in the middle more, but that’s the point. It will be yellow because of lemon zest with traces of vibrant-colored blueberries. My favorite part is the rustic purple cream cheese frosting on top that rounds the whole look.
Ingredients
The list is simple, without any fancy ingredients:
- Flour – use all-purpose or cake, either is fine
- Baking powder
- Sugar – use granulated or brown for cake and powdered for frosting
- Greek yogurt– substitute with regular yogurt
- Olive oil – substitute with any other variety you prefer
- Eggs
- Lemon – both zest and juice
- Ginger – use fresh. Optional, but recommended
- Blueberries– fresh or frozen. I used fresh
- Cream cheese – use any you like
- Blueberry jam – optional, but elevates the taste
Tools You’ll Need
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Mix the Batter: Massage lemon zest and ginger with sugar, and mix it first with wet, then dry ingredients. At the end, add blueberries coated in flour.
- Bake the Cake: In a lined cake tin bake the cake for about half an hour.
- Whip the Cream Cheese Frosting: Whip cream cheese with powdered sugar and heavy cream to a smooth consistency. Add blueberry jam for a pop of color.
- Assemble the Cake: Fully chill the cake and top it with frosting.
Recipe Alternations
- Make Whipped Cream Frosting: Simple whipped cream will pair with refreshing flavors flawlessly. You still can add jam or sauce to it without messing up the consistency. I wouldn’t recommend any “heavy” tasting frostings because they can smother the bright tastes.
- Change the Fruit: Instead of blueberries – strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, blackberries, or mulberries will work as a charm. I assume sour cherries would be smashing, as well. If you want to go in a different direction, you can definitely add apples, pears, or bloody oranges.
- Add Nuts: This time I didn’t feel like it, but coarsely chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, or almonds will provide a missing crunch to the cake.
- Add Poppy Seeds: Poppies and lemons are match-made in heaven, so they would definitely complement this cake. I will probably add them the next time!
Tips
- Make the Batter Thicker: I wanted my blueberries to sink a bit, so I could have that three-layer impression. But, if you don’t want that, add a few tablespoons of flour more.
- Make Blueberry Sauce: For a catchy violet color of frosting, you’ll need blueberry sauce or jam. Use store-bought or make it at home by simmering them for a few minutes with sugar. You can also mash or blend them fresh.
- Use Smaller Pan: I used an 8’’ pan for a semi-thick cake, but you can double the batter or simply use a smaller one.
- Baking: Remove the cake from the oven when there are still a few crumbs on the toothpick. It will bake completely while it’s chilling, plus stays super moist and soft.
Storing Instructions
- Wrap Properly: When storing cake, iced or not, swathe it tightly in plastic wrap. You can use aluminum foil, airtight containers, or cake stand.
- Refrigerating: Store the cake in a refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Place the cake after frosting in the refrigerator in a span of 2 hours because of the cream cheese frosting.
- Freezing: Preserve the cake for up to 3 months, but make sure to wrap it really tightly. I recommend slicing it beforehand, though.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
Lemon Blueberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This lemon-flavored cake base infused with fresh blueberries has my heart. It is super moist, zingy, and refreshing. It is not too sweet at all, so you can eat it for breakfast with a cup of tea. I topped it with cream cheese frosting but made it violet for rustic vibes. I'm sharing my fabulous Lemon Blueberry Cake recipe with you to make this spring!
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 eggs
- 4.5 oz all-purpose flour
- 2.5 oz Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp ginger (fresh and grated)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1½ tsp baking powder
For the Frosting
- 1 cup cream cheese
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp blueberry jam
Instructions
Mix the Batter
- Grate lemon zest and fresh ginger and massage them with white granulated sugar.
- Add eggs and mix them until frothy and doubled in size.
- Pour in olive oil and Greek yogurt and combine.
- Sift in flour and baking powder and mix on low until there are no lumps left.
- Coat blueberries in flour and add to the batter. Combine.
Bake the Cake
- In a cake pan you previously covered in parchment paper, pour in the cake batter. Bake the cake for about half an hour at 350 °F (180°C). 320 °F (160 °C) for an oven with a fan.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely before frosting.
Whip the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Whip cream cheese on medium speed until silky.
- Add powdered sugar and blueberry jam and combine.
Assemble the Cake
- Top the cake with frosting.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pieceCalories: 292.4kcalCarbohydrates: 28.1gProtein: 5.9gFat: 17.8gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 7.9gTrans Fat: 0.004gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 189.9mgPotassium: 107.4mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 451.3IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 93.5mgIron: 1.2mg
Before diving into the nutritional details, please review our Nutritional Disclaimer page for important context and clarifications.
