Lemon Blueberry Cake – The easiest layer cake ever! White cake mix jazzed with with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and blueberries topped with a homemade lemon buttercream frosting.
Lemon Blueberry Cake
There is nothing better than sitting down and enjoying a delicious slice of cake! I wanted to make a cake for some family visiting from out of town that was impressive, but easy to make and I decided to making a shortcut lemon blueberry cake recipe. I would use a box of white cake mix and jazz it up with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and blueberries before finishing it off with a homemade lemon buttercream frosting. It’s a layer cake but don’t worry, it is super easy to do. You just let the cakes cool, cut off the dome on the cake with a bread knife, and then spread on some frosting before putting the second cake on top. This is a layer cake that anyone can make!
Common Questions About Making a Lemon Blueberry Cake
What is a lemon blueberry cake?
A lemon blueberry cake is a layer cake made from two layers of white cake that has fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and blueberries in the batter. It is covered with a homemade lemon buttercream frosting and topped with fresh blueberries and lemon slices.
Why does the recipe use boxed cake mix?
This recipe uses boxed cake mix to make it a more approachable layer cake for the home baker. The mix just contains basic dry ingredients like flour, baking powder, sugar, etc so it saves a few steps.
Can I use a different variety of cake mix?
Yes, you could use yellow cake mix instead.
Does this cake have to be a layer cake?
No, you could make this as a sheet cake and just top it with the lemon buttercream after it cools. Refer to the box of cake mix that you are using for the right cooking time for the size pan you are using as it will vary.
Can I use a different berry?
Absolutely. Strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries would all work well instead of blueberries. I suggest chopping any of those berries up into small pieces before putting them in the batter.
How should I decorate this cake?
I just used some fresh blueberries and lemon slices on the top but you could use candied lemon peel, sprinkles, pipe extra frosting around the edge, etc.
How many servings does this recipe make?
This recipe makes about 10 servings of cake.
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Lemon Blueberry Cake
Lemon Blueberry Cake - The easiest layer cake ever! White cake mix jazzed with with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and blueberries topped with a homemade lemon buttercream frosting.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 box white cake mix (+ ingredients from the back)
- Juice of 1 lemon (divided)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
For the Frosting
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup butter (softened)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and spray two 8 inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix along with the ingredients called for on the back of the box.
- Add in the lemon juice (except for 1 tablespoon, setting it aside for the frosting) and lemon zest. Mix well.
- In a separate bowl, add the flour and blueberries. Toss the blueberries until they are coated. This helps keep the blueberries from sinking.
- Shake off the excess flour and add the blueberries to the cake mix, gently folding them in.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans before transferring them to the oven. Cook for the time indicated on the cake mix box plus 2-3 extra minutes since we added the blueberries.
- Check the cakes by inserting a toothpick into the center of each cake. It should come out clean (minus the blueberry juice) when the cake has finished baking. Once the cakes are cooked through, remove from the oven and set aside to fully cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy - about 2 minutes. Slowly start adding in the powdered sugar until it is well incorporated.
- Add the vanilla extract, milk, and remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Mix until the frosting is well combined. If the frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Once the cakes have fully cooled, frost the bottom layer of your cake, set the top layer on, and frost again. If the cakes have a domed top, you can slice it off using a bread knife before frosting and layering occurs.
- Decorate using fresh blueberries and slices of lemon (optional) and serve.