Easy Lemon Blueberry Cake
- PREP 20min
- COOK 1hrs
- TOTAL 1hrs 20min
Our lemon blueberry cake has a texture very similar to pound cake. Thanks to melted butter, eggs, and cream, the texture is tight-knit, moist, and very tender. We make this in a square baking pan, but a tall (at least 2 inches) round 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan will also work.
To minimize all the blueberries sinking to the bottom of the cake (some will, anyway), we first add plain batter without any blueberries added to the bottom of the baking pan. Then, we combine the blueberries with the remaining batter and spread it on top of the first blueberry-free layer.
You Will Need
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (115g)
1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour (170g)
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (240g)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
3 large eggs at room temperature
⅓ cup heavy cream (80ml)
2 cups fresh blueberries, about 1 pint blueberries (280g)
2 cups homemade whipped cream, optional
Directions
1Prep: Center a rack in the oven and heat to 350°F (177°C). Butter and flour an 8- or 9-inch square pan.
2Mix dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
3Make flavored sugar: In a separate bowl, rub the sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, vanilla, and almond extract together until the sugar is moist and fragrant. (Use your fingers to rub the aromatics into the sugar.)
4Mix wet ingredients: Whisk the eggs into the flavored sugar until blended, then whisk in the cream.
5Make batter: Switch to a large rubber spatula. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, stirring gently until just incorporated and the batter is smooth. Fold in the melted butter in two additions. The batter will be thick.
6Layer the batter: Spread about one-third of the plain batter into the bottom of the prepared pan (without any berries).
7Then, fold all but a handful of the blueberries into the remaining batter. Spoon this blueberry batter over the first layer and smooth the top. Scatter the reserved berries over the surface.
8Bake: Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan, place it right-side up on the rack, and let it cool completely. Serve with whipped cream.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Bake the cake as directed and cool completely. Wrap the unfrosted cake tightly with plastic wrap or place it into a resealable plastic bag. Keep at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you have added whipped cream to the cake, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a day or two.
- Freezing: Bake the cake as directed and cool completely. Add to a baking sheet and freeze (uncovered) until hard, about 4 hours. When frozen, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, then wrap it again with foil. Freeze for up to 1 month.
- Using frozen blueberries: Use frozen blueberries; do not thaw them.
- Tip for even baking: Place your baking pan on an insulated baking sheet or two regular baking sheets stacked on the other before baking in the oven (this helps even baking).
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We did not include additional whipped cream in the calculations. For reference, 2 tablespoons of whipped cream is about 50 calories.