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Lemon and Blueberry Cake!
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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
Why did all of my blueberries sink to the bottom of the cake tins?
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.
Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh ones?
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.
My buttercream feels too thick and stiff to pipe cleanly. How do I fix it?
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.
Can I use a different type of fruit jam for the filling?
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
A three-layer fresh lemon & blueberry cake with lemon sponges, fresh blueberries, lemon buttercream, and blueberry jam!
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Servings: 14 Slices
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.
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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.
Hi Jane, I absolutely love this cake, made it many times now. Do you know how I could convert the recipe to be 3 6” tins instead of 3 8” tins please?
I want to do 3 in 6 inch cake tins how did yours work with ingredients and timing?
Just made this cake, unfortunately my lemon buttercream was quite runny so didn’t pipe as well as I hoped. Is this because I used stork instead of unsalted butter? I love your recipes.
Yes – you must never use stork for buttercream – always unsalted butter as stated in recipes. The kind in foil is the ONLY kind I recommend! x
Hi, I am making this cake for a friend’s mother in law and I would like to cover the whole cake in buttercream. I was thinking of making another 50% of buttercream. Do you think that sounds about right?
Yes that sounds ideal!
Hi Jane I’m just in the middle of baking this cake and the smell coming from the oven is amazing!! I’m going to do a lemon buttercream with elderflower cordial just to be slightly different. I love all your recipes so I can’t wait to taste this one! Caroline x
Hi, would I be able to make this in 3 7″ cake tins instead of 8″ ones using the same quantities of ingredients?
You could, but it will take longer to bake and be very tall!
Hi Jane! I hope you’re well. Is it OK to freeze these cakes for a few days before assembling them?
It can affect the fruit sometimes, but if you don’t mind that then go for it!
Thank you, lovely! I have made this cake once before and it tasted amaaaaaazing! Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I wanted to make it as a celebration cake for a cousin that’s just had twins, so I was wondering whether making it before this weekend and freezing would be a good idea! Do you think I’ll be better off sticking to a good old vanilla sponge?
I think if you NEED to freeze it then I would go with something else – you can still do the lemon, just leave out the blueberries! x
Got it! Thank you very much xx
Hi! Would this recipe work ok as cupcakes?? Giving it a whirl this afternoon! Thanks!
Yes I’m sure it would! I have a lemon & blueberry muffin recipe that’s already suited for 12 cupcake sizes – but this cake you will probably get 30 cupcakes or so!
I’ve made this cake twice now and both times it’s gone down a treat! Very easy and looks amazing.
Thank you!
Hi Jane, I made this cake for the first time last weekend and it was absolutely delicious, I had a problem with the buttercream though, I think it was way too soft and didn’t know how to salvage it so went with a cream filling instead. If I wanted to make the cake without the 3rd tier how much buttercream would I need (determined to make a success of the buttercream!). I had so many lovely compliments on the cake so I will certainly be making this again x
Hiya! Ah amazing! Most likely this weather hasn’t been helping with the buttercream. What butter did you use for the buttercream? And make 2/3 of the quantity as you’d only need enough for the two layers xx
Hi Jane, I just used an unsalted butter from the local supermarket, I think it may have been too soft, I should’ve probably stuck it in the fridge to slightly firm up a little – you learn by your mistakes I guess. Delicious cake though and I’m definitely trying more of your lovely recipes x
Ahh okay yes, well its the right butter so thats good! Room Temp butter these days is more liquid than anything haha! x
I absolutely love this recipe. Just one question how do I stop the blueberries sinking to the bottom of the cake? I’ve tried flouring the blueberries but still sink. Do you think sprinkling them on top of the mix just before adding to the oven?
Hey! yes sprinkling them over would be best! Also, try not to over mix your cake batter so its nice and thick and that should help as well!
I always dust any soft trust in a little self radiating flour before sprinkling into the batter. It stops then sinking right to the bottom…… mostly!
Hi Jane,
I made this cake in February and it turned out perfect! Such a hit with everyone who tried it! I am going to make it again his week but wondered if it would work with raspberries in place of the blueberries? Or would they be too soft? Thanks x
Should work well!!
Hi Jane,
This cake looks amazing! I want to make it for my boyfriend’s birthday this week but he lives in Germany and I am struggling to find self raising flour here. Do you know how much flour and baking powder I should use to replace the self-raising flour if I am making the 2 layer version?
For the 300g quantity of cake I would use 2tsps of Baking Powder with Plain Flour! x