Cakes & Cupcakes
Lemon and Blueberry Cake
Layers of tender lemon sponge, studded with bursting blueberries, sandwiched between layers of lemony cream cheese icing and berry compote.
There are some flavour combinations which just work and lemon and blueberry is one of them. In addition to the contrast of sunshine yellow lemons and purply blue blueberries, the tartness of the lemon complements the sweetness of the berry.
I have recently been focusing on simpler bakes which require minimal preparation and decoration time. Having staples which you can whip up in a flash definitely has its appeal, but so does the therapeutic relief which comes from spending the day in the kitchen, creating a masterpiece.
A masterpiece it is – this lemon and blueberry cake. When the cakes came out of the oven, giving off a buttery, lemony aroma, the blueberries in the batter were bursting with colour. I knew then that I wanted to keep the cake a naked cake, showcasing the actual sponges in all their beauty.
I have kept the frosting simple with my standard cream cheese icing, to avoid too sweet a frosting, but added a bit of lemon to it for some extra zing. As there were a few components, I did not want to fuss too much with any additional embellishments, and opted for a store-bought blueberry jam. I did want to add some texture with berries, so also made a small batch of berry compote. This was a winning aesthetic decision to make, as I sandwiched each layer, a bit of berry compote oozed out the side, staining the sponge and providing a very satisfying drip. This is of course optional, but very worth the three extra ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time to make the compote.
Other recipes to try
If lemon, blueberry or both are a combination which you enjoy, then I suggest you also give these a go:
Lemon and Blueberry Loaf
This is a simple lemon loaf with blueberries tossed in, drizzled with lemon syrup for some extra tart flavour and moisture.
View recipe
Blueberry Cheesecake Macarons
An inventive twist on the classic macaron, where soft, creamy cheesecake and tart blueberries balance the chewy and sweet macaron shells to create something truly special.
View recipe
The recipe
Lemon and Blueberry Cake
adventureswithsugar.com/lemon-and-blueberry-cake/
Method
Method: lemon and blueberry sponges
- Preheat the oven and prepare the tins: Preheat the oven to 180˚ Celsius. Grease and line the base and sides of three 20cm round cake tins, with baking paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar: Cream the butter and sugar for 5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add the oil and vanilla: Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the oil and vanilla essence and continue to beat.
- Add the eggs: Add the eggs and egg yolks in, one at a time. Only add the next egg/egg yolk, once the previous one has been fully incorporated.
- Sift the dry ingredients: Sift the cake flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients and milk: Add half the sifted dry ingredients to the creamed butter and egg mixture and mix until just incorporated. Then add in half the milk. Follow with the remaining dry ingredients and the milk.
- Add the lemon and blueberries: Finally, stir in the lemon juice and zest and gently fold in the blueberries.
- Bake: Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Let cool: Allow the cake to cool completely, before frosting it.
Method: berry compote
- Cook the berries: Place all ingredients into a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the berries just begin to melt.
- Check the timing: This should take about 5 minutes.
Method: lemon cream cheese frosting
- Beat the cream cheese: Begin by creaming the cream cheese until nice and smooth and set aside.
- Cream the butter: Then cream the butter until pale and fluffy.
- Add the icing sugar: Add in the icing sugar, a little at a time and continue to beat until the icing is nice and smooth.
- Add the lemon juice: Add in the lemon juice and continue to beat.
- Fold in the cream cheese: Finally fold in the beaten cream cheese.
Method: filling and decoration
- Secure the first layer: Once the sponges have cooled completely, place a bit of icing on the cake stand and place the sponge on it to hold it in place.
- Spread with jam: To the first sponge, spread a thin layer of blueberry jam.
- Add the icing: Then add some of the lemon cream cheese icing.
- Add the compote and second layer: Finally, add some berry compote to the lemon cream cheese icing, and then sandwich with the second sponge.
- Repeat: Repeat the process with the second sponge, using up all of the compote and the jam, but reserving a third of the lemon cream cheese icing for the top of the cake.
- Add the top layer: Sandwich with the third sponge.
- Frost and decorate: Finally, to finish the cake off, frost with the remaining cream cheese and pile with fresh berries. Dust with icing sugar and add some flowers for decoration.
Frequently asked questions before making this lemon and blueberry cake
What can I do to prevent my blueberries from sinking?
Wet the blueberries a bit and coat them in flour, to prevent them from sinking.
Why is my cream cheese icing so runny?
This comes down to overbeating the cream cheese. The method I prefer is to beat the cream cheese first. Then make the rest of the frosting and fold in the beaten cream cheese at the end.
Why is it difficult to cut into my lemon and blueberry cake?
There are many layers to this cake and it is therefore sometimes difficult to get a neat slice. Cutting the cake once it is slightly chilled will aid with this.
Can I use any other berries in the cake?
Whilst I have not personally tested this, I do think you can use raspberries and blackberries. Strawberries are too watery so avoid these. The compote may need to be adjusted depending on the sweetness of the berry.
How long will this cake keep for?
The sponges, uniced, will keep for 4 months in the freezer. Once the cake is iced, it should last for a week, stored in the refrigerator in a container.
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