With four layers of lemon cake, homemade blueberry jam, and an ombre blueberry frosting, this Lemon Blueberry Cake is a real crowd pleaser. It’s made with plenty of fresh lemon flavor, real blueberries, and a silky meringue buttercream.
Let’s bake!
Recipe features:
- Tall but small. This recipe makes two 6-inch cakes that are then cut in half to make four layers. It’s a tall cake, but it’s not a big cake. It’s perfect for 6-8 people, depending on how big you want the slices to be.
- Lots of lemon flavor. I used lemon zest and juice in the cake batter and lemon juice in the blueberry filling. To add more lemony flavor (and extra moistness), make the optional lemon syrup as well.
- Naturally beautiful blues. The frosting here is colored using only the homemade blueberry jam, no artificial colors here!
- Buttery smooth buttercream. This cake recipe uses a Swiss meringue buttercream. This method involves warming egg whites and sugar together, then whipping them until fluffy and voluminous. Butter is then whipped into this meringue, making a frosting that is creamy, smooth, and light on sweetness.
Lemon blueberry cake tips
Order of operations: Make the lemon cake layers first, then start the blueberry filling while the cakes bake. Next, make the lemon syrup, if using. Make the blueberry buttercream last. Be sure the cake layers, blueberry jam, and lemon syrup have time to cool before assembling the cake.
Blueberry jam: This can be made with either fresh or frozen blueberries. Cook them with the sugar and lemon juice over medium heat until thick, stirring often to prevent burning.
Let the blueberry filling cool for a few minutes and then puree it in a food processor. Some small chunks are fine – it doesn’t need to be completely smooth.
Lemon syrup: Make the lemon syrup if you want extra lemon flavor and moistness in your cake. You may not need to use the entire batch of lemon syrup. Brush it onto the cake layers until the tops of the layers are completely moistened.
Most importantly, when you’re layering the cake, don’t forget to save some blueberry jam for the frosting!
Making the Swiss meringue buttercream
To make a Swiss meringue buttercream, start by whisking together egg whites and sugar in a stainless steel bowl. Place this over a pot of water on the stove. The bottom of the bowl should not be touching the water.
Cook this mixture, whisking frequently. You want the water in the pot to be simmering, but not boiling. Cook until the sugar dissolves (mixture will feel smooth between your fingers, not grainy), about 160° F. Then pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
Whisk the egg white mixture until it cools down significantly, to about 90° F. It should be fluffy and voluminous. Then add the butter, about a tablespoon at a time. Continue to whisk this mixture until the butter is fully emulsified and the frosting is completely smooth. Lastly, whisk in the vanilla.
Use some of this buttercream to coat the cake in a very thin layer of frosting. Then chill the cake for at least 20 minutes in the fridge. While the cake is chilling, prepare the blueberry frosting.
Making the blueberry ombre frosting
Set about half of the remaining buttercream aside in a bowl. Split the other half of the frosting in half again, dividing the frosting into two additional small bowls. You will now have three bowls of frosting.
Add one tablespoon of pureed blueberry jam to one bowl; whisk to combine. Add one teaspoon to the other bowl; whisk to combine. You will now have three shades of buttercream – one plain, one light purple, and one that’s slightly darker purple.
Pipe the darkest shade of buttercream around the bottom of the cake. Pipe the lighter shade next, circling around the cake until all the frosting is gone. Finish with the plain buttercream around the top. Then, smooth the frosting out with a bench scraper or spatula to give the cake its final look. Tada!
More layer cakes:
- Strawberry Rhubarb Brown Butter Cake
- Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake
- Earl Grey Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting
- Ultimate Dandelion Cake
If you make this lemon blueberry cake, please leave a star rating and a comment below! Thank you!
Lemon Blueberry Ombre Cake
Equipment
- Stand mixer
Ingredients
Lemon Cake
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 egg whites, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Blueberry Jam
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Lemon Syrup (Optional)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Blueberry Buttercream
- 3 egg whites
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Leftover blueberry jam, from recipe above
Instructions
For the lemon cake:
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter two 6-inch cake pans and line bottoms with rounds of parchment.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugar, lemon zest, and juice; mix for a minute or so, until fully incorporated.
- Pour in flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until well combined.
- Add butter; beat until butter breaks down into small pea-sized pieces, 2-3 minutes.
- Whisk together egg whites, milk, and vanilla. Add all but 1/4 cup of milk mixture to butter mixture and beat on medium speed until thick and creamy, 2-3 minutes. With mixer on low, gradually pour in remaining milk.
- Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
For blueberry jam:
- Combine berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened – about 8-10 minutes. Taste and adjust for sugar as desired.
- Allow to cool completely; puree in a food processor until relatively smooth.
For the lemon syrup:
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil; boil 1-2 minutes, until sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from heat and pour into a clean container. Whisk in lemon juice. Cool.
For the buttercream:
- In a stainless steel bowl, combine sugar and egg whites. Place over a double boiler on medium heat.
- Cook, whisking frequently, until warm to the touch and sugar is dissolved (it will feel smooth between your fingers). Pour into the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Whisk on medium-high until cooled slightly. Add butter, a tablespoon at a time. Continue to whisk a minute or two, until buttercream is smooth and fluffy.
- Add vanilla; whisk until incorporated.
To assemble cake:
- Slice each cake in half horizontally. With a pastry brush or spoon, soak three of the layers with the lemon syrup, if using. You won't need all of the syrup – save whatever's left for cocktails or mocktails!
- On the bottom cake layer, spread about 1/3 cup of buttercream in an even layer, followed by an equal amount of blueberry jam. Stack next cake layer on top and repeat process with next two layers (make sure to save some blueberry jam for the frosting!). Add top layer of cake and press gently to adhere.
- Apply a thin layer of buttercream over entire cake to crumb coat; chill 20-30 minutes.
- Set about half of remaining buttercream aside. Split the rest in half, dividing into two small bowls. Add one tablespoon of pureed blueberry jam to one bowl; whisk to combine. Add one teaspoon to the other bowl; whisk to combine. You will now have 3 shades of buttercream.
- Pipe darkest shade of buttercream around the bottom of the cake. Pipe lighter shade next, circling around cake until frosting is gone. Finish with the plain buttercream around the top. Smooth with a bench scraper or spatula. Decorate as desired (I used candied lemon slices and fresh blueberries).
Notes
Did you try this recipe?
Be sure to leave a comment below!
