Lemon Blueberry Cake

This lemon blueberry cake is perfect for summer! Sweet berries and tart lemons pair together perfectly to create a delicious cake worthy of any picnic or BBQ.

Summer is officially here in Ann Arbor. After a rather mild spring, our 90+ degree days have felt surprisingly scorching. Our daughter's latest word is HOT, and she's had plenty of opportunities to practice. As soon as she steps outside, "hot… momma… hot". I couldn't agree with her more these days.

Although I typically like to turn to no-bake recipes when the weather's like this outside, this cake is totally refreshing with its mixture of tangy lemon and sweet blueberries. Because time is short in the kitchen, I've been enjoying recipes that you can throw together into one pan.

Why This Cake Works

This cake is simple and easy, but the finished product delivers a powerful punch of flavor. You can never wrong with the flavor combination of lemon and blueberry—it's totally refreshing. This cake is a little denser (think pound cake) with pockets of blueberry in the batter. The glaze on top is a sweet garnish but isn't completely necessary. I like having this recipe in my repertoire for brunch or even Easter dessert.

Let's Make a Lemon Blueberry Cake!

The best recipes begin with the best ingredients. It always helps when you're working with seasonal fruits. Michigan produces more blueberries than any other state—more than 30 different varieties! I love this time of year because we start to see Michigan blueberries showing up in the grocery store. Michigan blueberries are slightly smaller than your typical blueberries and much sweeter. They are perfect for baking!

While I love using fresh blueberries in this recipe, dried or frozen will work as well. I have a master tip for working with blueberries in any type of batter. Do you ever find that they always sink to the bottom? Well, if you toss them with a little flour before adding them to the recipe, they won't sink to the bottom! I always use some of the measured flour for the recipe—this way you won't add too much extra.

Lemon yogurt provides this recipe with an extra punch of lemon flavor. It's subtle and not overpowering the way that lemon extract can be at times. You only need eight ounces of yogurt, so you buy an individual cup of your favorite brand. .

Can I Over-Mix My Batter?

Absolutely! One of the biggest problems you can have with a cake is over-mixing the batter. When you do this, you create too much gluten, and your cake can end up too tough. This is one reason it's a great idea to mix your dry ingredients first and then add the wet ingredients all at once. At the very end, is when you want to add any last-minute additions (like blueberries)!

I love my Nordic Ware bundt pan—no affiliate partnerships involved here! Perhaps it's because I'm a Minnesota girl at heart and the company is based in Minneapolis. However, I can say that their bakeware honestly is the best! The pans hold up over the years, and they have tons of fun designs. I used my classic bundt pan for this recipe, but I've used different designs in the past.

The batter for this cake is fairly thick as you can see in the picture below. If you tap your pan on the counter a few times, you can get it to settle. But it's not a problem if it's not perfectly smooth. At the end of the day, you'll hardly be able to see any imperfections when it comes out of the oven!

Heather's Helpful Hints

• It's a good idea to have some waxed paper under your cake when you are pouring the glaze on top. This will catch everything that falls off the cake and makes for easier cleanup. 
• After you allow your cake to cool and invert for removal—use a wooden spoon to tap several times on the bottom. This is a good trick for getting stuck spots to release for a perfect cake!
• Ensure you use a cooking spray with flour to coat your pan before baking. Liberally spray the pan and make sure you get in all the nooks and crannies. I like to use Baker's Joy spray.

Did You Make Our Lemon Blueberry Cake?

Did you make this recipe? First, let me say THANK YOU for giving it a try! Please leave us a rating above and leave any feedback in the comments section at the bottom of this post. I always love to hear your thoughts and ideas on what went well — and what didn’t — with a recipe! Be sure to check out some of our other recipes linked below!