Lemon Blueberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (Bright, Moist & Absolutely Beautiful)

There are certain flavor combinations that just belong together. Peanut butter and chocolate. Strawberries and cream. And then there is lemon and blueberry — bright, fresh, slightly tart, and sweet all at the same time. It is one of those combinations that makes you close your eyes after the first bite because it is just that good.

This Lemon Blueberry Cake is soft and tender with a fine, moist crumb that comes from sour cream in the batter — a trick that makes an enormous difference in texture that most people never think to use.

Fresh blueberries are folded throughout so every single slice gets those gorgeous purple pockets of jammy fruit. And then there is the cream cheese frosting.

Thick, tangy, lemon-forward, and spread in a generous layer over the whole cake. Topped with fresh blueberries and a curl of lemon zest it looks like something from the display case of a really good bakery.

But here is the thing. This is a one-pan sheet cake. No layers, no crumb coating, no complicated decorating technique. You bake it in a 9x13-inch pan, let it cool, and spread the frosting right on top.

It is as approachable as baking gets and the result is something that consistently makes people reach for their phones to take a photo before they take a bite. Let me show you exactly how to make it.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Sour cream in the batter changes everything. This is the secret to a genuinely moist cake that stays tender for days. The sour cream adds richness and a very subtle tang that makes the lemon flavor pop even more. Once you bake a cake with sour cream you will never go back.
• Fresh blueberries in every single bite. We are not skimping on the blueberries here. A full two cups folded through the batter means every slice is loaded with jammy, juicy berries that burst when you bite them and stain the cake the most beautiful purple.
• That cream cheese frosting is outstanding. Thick, creamy, lemon-forward and just tangy enough to balance the sweetness of the cake. It is the kind of frosting you end up eating straight off the spatula before it even makes it onto the cake.
• One pan, no layers, no stress. Sheet cakes are the most underrated format in baking. All the flavor and beauty of a layer cake with none of the assembly anxiety. Bake, cool, frost, done.
• Looks stunning with minimal decoration. A few fresh blueberries and a lemon slice on top and this cake looks completely elegant. The purple and yellow against the white frosting is genuinely beautiful.
• Perfect for every spring and summer occasion. Easter brunch, Mother's Day, a summer potluck, a birthday — this cake fits every occasion and always gets rave reviews.

Ingredients

For the Lemon Blueberry Cake

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour — spooned into the measuring cup and leveled. Scooping directly from the bag packs the flour and gives you too much, resulting in a dense dry cake. The extra care here matters.
• 2 tsp baking powder — gives the cake its lift and keeps the crumb light and tender.
• 1/2 tsp baking soda — works with the acidity of the sour cream and lemon juice to help the cake rise properly.
• 1/2 tsp salt — balances all the sweetness and makes every other flavor more pronounced.
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened — room temperature only. Softened butter creams properly with the sugar and creates air pockets that give you a lighter, more tender crumb. Melted butter or cold butter will give you a different and less ideal texture.
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar — the right amount of sweetness to let the lemon and blueberry flavors shine without being cloying.
• 3 large eggs — room temperature. Cold eggs can cause the batter to curdle and result in an uneven texture. If you forgot to take them out, place them in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream — the secret weapon in this recipe. Full-fat only — low-fat sour cream has too much water content and will affect the texture of the finished cake. The sour cream keeps the crumb incredibly moist and tender and adds a subtle tang that elevates the lemon flavor.
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice — from about 2 to 3 lemons depending on size. Fresh juice only. Bottled lemon juice tastes flat and artificial next to real lemon — you will notice the difference immediately.
• 2 tbsp lemon zest — zest your lemons before juicing them. The zest contains the essential oils of the lemon which carry more concentrated flavor than the juice. Do not skip it — it is what makes this cake taste unmistakably lemony.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract — rounds out the flavors and adds warmth.
• 2 cups fresh blueberries — fresh is strongly preferred over frozen here. Frozen blueberries release too much liquid during baking and can turn the batter gray and make it dense. If fresh are not available, use frozen but do not thaw them — fold them in straight from frozen and bake immediately.
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour — toss the blueberries in this before folding them into the batter. This flour coating prevents them from sinking to the bottom during baking and keeps them distributed throughout the cake.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese — fully softened to room temperature. Same rule as always — cold cream cheese will not beat smooth and you will end up with lumpy frosting. Give it at least an hour on the counter before you start.
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter — softened to room temperature. Again, room temperature is non-negotiable for smooth frosting.
• 3 cups powdered sugar — sifted. Sifting prevents lumps and gives you that perfectly smooth, spreadable frosting.
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice — adds brightness and that lemon tang that makes this frosting so good. Start with 2 tablespoons and add more to taste.
• 1 tbsp lemon zest — for extra lemon flavor and little flecks of yellow throughout the frosting that look beautiful.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract — adds depth and rounds out the flavor.
• Pinch of salt — just a small pinch to balance the sweetness.

For Garnish

• Fresh blueberries — a handful scattered over the top of the frosted cake.
• Lemon slices or lemon zest curls — laid over the blueberries for a beautiful presentation.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Oven

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan generously with butter or cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides. This makes lifting the cake out cleanly much easier if you want to transfer it to a serving board before frosting.
2. Toss the blueberries in 1 tablespoon of flour in a small bowl and set aside. This is a quick but important step.

Step 2: Make the Cake Batter

3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. Beat the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes until pale, light, and fluffy. Do not rush this step — the creaming process is what incorporates air into the batter and gives you a light, tender cake.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between each egg.
6. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until just combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled at this point — that is completely normal and will come together once the flour is added.
7. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined — a few streaks of flour are fine at this point. Do not overmix or you will develop the gluten and end up with a tough cake.

Step 3: Fold in the Blueberries

8. Gently fold in the flour-coated blueberries using a rubber spatula. Use slow, gentle folding motions — you want to distribute the blueberries evenly without crushing them or overmixing the batter. Some blueberries will burst slightly and streak the batter purple and that is perfectly fine and actually beautiful.
9. Spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to smooth the top and get it into the corners.

Step 4: Bake the Cake

10. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs — not wet batter. Start checking at the 35-minute mark. The top should be lightly golden and the edges should be pulling away slightly from the sides of the pan.
11. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting — at least 1 to 1.5 hours. This is non-negotiable. Frosting a warm cake means melted, sliding frosting that pools at the edges and makes a mess. Patience here is rewarded.

Step 5: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

12. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until completely smooth, light, and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl thoroughly.
13. Add the sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition to prevent a powdered sugar cloud in your kitchen. Once all the sugar is incorporated, increase speed to medium-high and beat for another 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
14. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt and beat until fully combined. Taste the frosting and adjust — more lemon juice for more tang, more powdered sugar to thicken it up.

Step 6: Frost and Decorate

15. Spread the cream cheese frosting generously over the completely cooled cake using an offset spatula. You want a thick, even layer that covers the entire surface. This frosting is rich and generous — do not hold back.
16. Garnish with fresh blueberries scattered over the top. Add lemon slices or lemon zest curls for that bakery-worthy finishing touch.
17. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing to let the frosting set. This gives you cleaner slices and a more polished presentation.

Serving Suggestions

This Lemon Blueberry Cake is beautiful as it is but here are some ways to serve and present it:

• Serve chilled straight from the refrigerator. The cream cheese frosting is firm and the flavors are incredibly bright and refreshing when cold. This is genuinely one of the best ways to eat this cake.
• Bring it to Easter brunch or Mother's Day. The colors alone — white frosting, purple blueberries, yellow lemon — make this cake look like it was designed for spring celebrations. It is always the most photographed thing on the table.
• Serve with a cup of Earl Grey tea or fresh lemonade. The citrus in both drinks plays beautifully with the lemon in the cake and makes for an incredibly cohesive and refreshing pairing.
• Add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side of each slice for a dessert that crosses the line from great into genuinely unforgettable.
• Dust lightly with powdered sugar right before serving if you want an extra layer of elegance and sweetness beyond the frosting.
• Cut into small squares and serve as part of a dessert board alongside other spring treats for a spread that looks completely intentional and stunning.

Storage Tips

• Refrigerator: Because of the cream cheese frosting, this cake must be stored in the refrigerator. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The cake actually tastes even better on day 2 as the lemon flavor deepens and the blueberries continue to release their juice into the crumb.
• Room Temperature: The frosted cake can sit out at room temperature for up to 2 hours while serving. After that it needs to go back in the refrigerator.
• Freezer: You can freeze individual slices. Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The texture holds up well but the frosting may weep slightly — just smooth it out with a knife after thawing.
• Make-Ahead Option: The cake itself can be baked up to 2 days ahead, wrapped tightly, and stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Make the frosting fresh on the day you plan to serve it and frost right before serving for the best presentation.

Some Cakes Just Have a Way of Making People Feel Good

There is something about lemon and blueberry together that just feels like a celebration. It is bright and fresh and a little bit fancy without trying too hard. And with that thick cream cheese frosting on top and the fresh blueberries sitting there looking beautiful — this cake has a way of making people genuinely happy the moment they see it on the table.

It is the kind of recipe that fits a special occasion perfectly but is also easy enough to make on a regular Saturday just because you felt like baking something beautiful. And in my book, that is the best kind of recipe there is.

Make it for your next spring gathering, your Easter table, or just for yourself on a quiet afternoon. Leave a comment below and tell me how it turned out. And if you make it, tag me on Pinterest or Instagram — I want to see that cream cheese frosting and those gorgeous blueberries. Happy baking.

— Kip