Lemon and Blueberry Cake!
*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more details!*
This striking three-layer lemon and blueberry cake balances a light, zesty lemon sponge studded with bursting fresh blueberries against a silky, fresh lemon buttercream and pockets of deep blueberry jam. Requiring 1 hour of total active preparation and baking time, this vibrant bake delivers an airy, fresh flavor profile that makes it the perfect centerpiece for any celebration.
Notes from The Patisserie
When you want a dessert that feels bright, fruity, and entirely moreish without being overly heavy, lemon and blueberry is the ultimate flavor combination. The real magic of this cake lies in how the sharp citrus oils from fresh lemon zest wake up the natural sweetness of the berries embedded right into the sponge. It is an absolute showstopper of a bake that looks like it stepped straight out of a professional patisserie window, yet is surprisingly straightforward to assemble at home.
I based it very similarly on my Biscoff cake, but used caster sugar instead of light brown sugar as I wanted a lighter sponge in flavour, and something that would help the blueberries along. I didn’t just want to make it blueberry however, and the best fresh flavour to match it is of course, Lemon. One of the best combinations ever. Ever.
Ingredients notes & tips
Baking with fresh fruit adds incredible flavour, but it also introduces an element of unpredictability. As the blueberries heat up in the oven, they swell and burst, releasing their natural juices directly into the surrounding cake mixture, so it’s important to get the right sponge texture to survive this process:
- Butter – unsalted butter or baking spread provides the right foundation for the sponge
- Sugar – I have used caster sugar in this recipe as it provides a lighter sponge, well suited to accompany fruit
- Flour – self raising flour has all of the rising agents required to provide the lift to your fluffy sponge mixture
- Eggs – as usual I am using medium eggs
- Lemon zest – I prefer to use lemon zest rather than extract as extract can overwhelm the cake flavour
- Blueberries – fresh fruit can prove difficult to bake with but really fresh blueberries are fantastic here
Because of this extra hydration, the cake layers can occasionally take a few minutes longer to bake through than a standard sponge. Do not panic if your timer goes off and the center feels a bit soft. Simply look for the classic signs of a perfect bake: a golden top, a clean skewer when inserted into the center, and the absence of any bubbling sounds from the tin.tter and more filling.
Assembling the three-tiers
Building a tall, three-layer cake can feel intimidating, but a few simple techniques guarantee a perfectly stable structure:
- The piping protocol: To prevent the soft blueberry jam from leaking out of the sides and making a mess, use a large round piping tip to apply your lemon buttercream. Pipe a neat ring around the outer edge of the sponge layer first to create a secure wall, then drizzle the glossy blueberry jam safely inside the centre before stacking the next layer.
- The flattening trick: If your cakes bake with a slight dome on top, let them cool completely upside down on your wire rack. The gentle weight of the cake will naturally flatten the surface, saving you from having to trim off any precious sponge with a knife.
FAQs
Blueberries often sink if the cake batter is too thin or if the berries are particularly large and heavy. To prevent this, toss your fresh blueberries in a single tablespoon of self-raising flour before folding them into the mixture.
You can use frozen blueberries in a pinch, but be aware that they release significantly more moisture and bleeding colour than fresh ones. If you choose to use frozen, do not defrost them beforehand and bake for a few minutes longer. Keep an eye on your top.
Because fresh lemon juice varies in acidity and liquid volume, your buttercream texture might need a slight adjustment. If it feels too dense, add boiling water one tablespoon at a time while whipping on high speed. The heat and moisture will instantly transform the frosting into a silky, easily pipeable consistency.
Absolutely! While blueberry jam provides a wonderful double-dose of berry flavour, a high-quality raspberry jam, blackberry conserve, or even a sharp lemon curd works beautifully as an alternative filling between the cream layers.
Lemon and Blueberry Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 400 g unsalted butter/baking spread
- 400 g caster sugar
- 400 g self raising flour
- 8 medium eggs
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 300 g blueberries
Buttercream Ingredients
- 350 g unsalted butter
- 700 g icing sugar
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1-2 tbsp boiling water
Decoration
- Blueberry jam
- 100 g blueberries
Instructions
For the Cake
- Heat the oven to 180ºc/160ºc Fan and line three 20cm/8inch sandwich cake tins with baking parchment – leave to the side.
- In a stand mixer, beat together the butter and caster sugar for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add in the flour, eggs, and lemon zest and beat again briefly until combined – try not to overbeat!
- Carefully fold through the 300g of fresh blueberries into the mixture.
- Divide the mixture between the three tins and smooth it over
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cakes are golden and when the cake springs back (skewer should also come out clean)!
- Once baked, leave the cakes to cool in their tins for 10 minutes or so, and then remove and leave to cool fully on a wire rack.
- If the cake has domed slightly, leave the cake to cool upside down to flatten it slightly so its easier to decorate later!
For the Decoration
- Beat the butter with an electric mixer for a couple of minutes to loosen it – gradually add the icing sugar on a slow speed until it is combined, add the lemon juice, then speed the mixer up and mix for 3-4 minutes until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- If its too thick, gradually add the boiling water until you reach the desired texture – I usually add 2 tablespoons! Keep on beating for 2-3 minutes until whipped and silky smooth!
- Using your favourite piping tip, I used a large round tip, pipe the buttercream onto the bottom layer of the cake.
- Add some jam, I drizzle it slightly to make it look pretty, and add the second layer, and pipe buttercream on again, and then the jam again, and add the final cake layer.
- I then pipe the rest of my buttercream on top, and add on some extra fresh blueberries
Notes
- This cake will last at room temperature for 3 days.
- I used a a large round tip to decorate my cake.
- I love this style of cake as you can tell from the few I have made, and I happen to have 3 8″ tins.
Storage and freezing
This fresh lemon and blueberry cake stores beautifully at room temperature for up to three days. Keep the cake inside a sturdy, airtight cake dome or a deep container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to keep the sponge moist and prevent the fresh fruit on top from softening. Avoid storing this cake in the refrigerator if possible, as cold air will dry out the delicate structure of the sponge layers.
If you wish to prepare this celebration cake in advance, you can safely freeze the un-frosted sponge layers for up to three months.
Related recipes
These type of citrusy, fruity bakes scream summer barbecues or parties, I love summer baking with that in mind why not try my spring pavlova, lemon and blueberry blondies or one of my summer favourites lemon and lime loaf cake.
Has anyone frozen this cake? My nephew and Mrs want it as a tier in their wedding cake.
Just need to know if this is an option. Thanks
I’ll be freezing it over this weekend! So I’ll let you know. Usually only freeze cakes for around 3-4 months otherwise they may freeze burn
(I assume freezing just the cake rounds? Not with the filling)
Also, recommend making a lemon curd to replace the blueberry jam! Very easy to make and is tastier than blueberry jam
Hey Katie, yeah freezing the cake rounds only.
How did you get on? Did it come out OK once defrosted?
Cath
I’ve made this cake a few times. Last weekend I made this for my sister’s wedding cake along with the salted caramel one. It’s now my mum’s 60th and I’m just finishing making this again. Best cake 🎂
Does this recipe feature in any of your books? A couple of older family members are desperate for the recipe and I feel they’d prefer it in a book 🙂
I’ve made this cake a few times. Last weekend I made this for my sister’s wedding cake along with the salted caramel one. It’s now my mum’s 60th and I’m just finishing making this again. Best cake 🎂
Hello, to do the 2 tier version, how many grams of blueberries would I need to put in the mix?
Thanks!
Hi, Would this recipe work with Blackberries as I have a lot in my garden?
Thank you
Yes, it should!!
Hi there. I was just wondering is there any way you could do this as a loaf cake rather than a three tier? Also, can this be frozen beforehand and then decorated at a later date? X
Hello!
I’d like to make 2 tiers but use 9inch baking tins. Would I need to adjust the recipe or baking time at all?
Thank you
Hi, I’m planning to make the 2 tin version of this with 6 eggs and 300g of other ingreds, but I’ve weighed my 6 eggs and they weigh 350g. Should I up the amount of other ingredients, or are they supposed to be less than the eggs? Thanks!! X
Hiya! It’s best to match to the eggs, so it may be a little more mix but it won’t do the cake any harm! x
I made your 2 layer version and it went down a treat!…….I would like to make a traybake (9 x13inch) with the cake recipe. Would the 2layer version be enough for a single layer traybake?…I plan to pipe the entire top with the buttercream. Thank you!
Can’t wait to make this cake! Do you think a cream cheese icing would work instead of buttercream?
absolutely, sounds yummy! x
Just made your above cake for the first time the lemon n blueberry, is the batter ment to be so thick, and once you’ve creamed the sugar n butter together you do put tge flour n eggs n rind in together, my cakes don’t look like yours they seem very decent, I cooked them on 160 fan oven hopefully they’ll be OK when I ice them, any ideas???
Yes I do – cake mix is often thick!
I made blueberry muffins once before (not one of your recipes) and they were so soggy from the blueberries and all the blueberries sank to the bottom. Does this happen with this cake and if so is there a way to stop that? Thanks
Hiya! Try rolling them in flour beforehand. Hope this helps! x