Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake is a delicate, tender pound cake with bright lemon flavor, loaded with fresh blueberries, and finished with a simple lemon glaze. It has the classic dense crumb you want in a pound cake while still staying soft and moist. It’s perfect for dessert, brunch, or any special occasion.
If you love pound cakes, check out my Cream Cheese Pound Cake, too!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Butter: Butter is an essential ingredient in pound cakes; it’s the primary source of fat. In this recipe, you will need 2 1/2 sticks of salted butter.
Eggs: Six large eggs act as binding agents and structure for the cake. For the best results, let them come to room temperature.
Flour: You need cake flour for this recipe. (All-purpose flour will yield different results.) If you don’t have cake flour, use a homemade cake flour substitute in a pinch.
Buttermilk: For more moisture and tenderness in the cake, use buttermilk. If you don’t have any on hand, make your own buttermilk to use!
Lemon Flavor: To give the pound cake its lemon flavor, I added lemon extract and lemon zest. You will need lemon juice for the glaze.
Blueberries: Although fresh blueberries are best, you could use frozen berries. If using frozen blueberries, first, let them thaw. Then, drain them before adding to the batter.
Can I Use A Different Pan?
Yes! I used a 10-inch bundt pan, which is a pan with decorative fluted edges and a hollow center. However, you could also use two loaf pans. Bake the loaves for 60-80 minutes, starting to check on the loaves at the hour mark. The pound cake is done baking when it is golden on top and an inserted toothpick comes out with a few crumbs (not completely clean), but no wet batter. Then, don’t forget about the glaze!
Tips for the Best Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
- Room-temperature butter, eggs, and buttermilk are essential for a smooth, well-emulsified batter.
- Cream the butter and sugar thoroughly until light and fluffy. This step builds structure.
- Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition.
- Once the flour is added, mix only until combined. Overmixing can make the cake tough.
- Toss the blueberries in 1 tablespoon of the measured cake flour before folding them in. This simple step helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom. (You shouldn’t need to with this recipe, as the batter is sturdy enough to suspend the blueberries while baking.)
- The long, low bake at 325°F allows the dense batter to cook evenly without drying out.
- The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). The crust will be a deep golden brown.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before turning it out. Cool completely before glazing.
FAQs
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour? You can, but the texture will be denser and less tender. Cake flour is strongly recommended for the best results.
How do I keep the blueberries from sinking? Toss the blueberries in 1 tablespoon of the measured cake flour before folding them into the batter. This light coating helps suspend them throughout the cake.
Can I bake this in loaf pans? Yes. Divide the batter between two standard loaf pans. Bake at 325°F for 60-80 minutes, starting to check at the 60-minute mark. The cakes are done when a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
Why is the bake time so long? Pound cakes are dense. The lower temperature and longer time allow the center to bake through without the outside drying out or over-browning too quickly.
How do I adjust the glaze? If the glaze is too thick, add a little more lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time. If it is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar until it reaches a pourable consistency that still holds some shape.
Can I use frozen blueberries without thawing? It’s best to thaw and drain them first. Adding frozen berries can introduce excess moisture and cause color streaking in the batter.
How To Store Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
Pound cakes, including this lemon blueberry pound cake, are best stored wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. This helps maintain both texture and flavor. If preferred, you can refrigerate the cake for up to 5 days, but be sure to wrap it well to prevent drying out or absorbing odors. Before serving, allow the cake to come to room temperature for best results.
Can I Freeze Pound Cakes?
Absolutely. To freeze the cake, double-wrap it in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. It will last up to 3 months in the freezer. Let the cake thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving.
Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (2 ½ sticks / 284 g) salted butter, room temperature
- 3 cups (600 g) granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups (300 g) cake flour
- ¼ cup (60 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 cups (296 g) fresh blueberries
Glaze
- 2 cups (250 g) confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ cup (61 g) lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 10-inch (12 cup) bundt pan with non-stick spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and mix until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Slowly add the cake flour. Mix on low until combined.
- Add buttermilk. Mix until just incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add lemon extract. Gently fold in lemon zest and blueberries.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 85-90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few crumbs, but no wet batter. The crust will be a dark golden brown around the edges and lighter in the center. Allow cake to cool to room temperature.
Glaze
- In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and lemon juice. Mix until smooth. Pour over the cooled cake.
Video
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Excellent recipe! I substituted the following:
Cake flour – sub with all-purpose flour and corn starch blend
Lemon extract – sub with fresh lemon juice (2 tablespoons)
Buttermilk – sub with sour cream/milk blend (4:1 ratio)
Everything else the same.
I will make this again. Thank you!
I cannot eat blueberry. Can I substitute the blueberries with peaches or apples?
Sure
Can you use strawberries as a substitute for the blueberries? If so should I do anything special or just treat them like the blueberries?
I have a strawberry version! 🙂
https://iambaker.net/strawberry-lemon-pound-cake/
This is excellent! Delicious and pretty! My blueberries settled a bit so if someone can help me with that, I’d appreciate it.
But no harm if they do…it’s perfect!
Try tossing the blueberries in a T of flour or cornstarch before adding them to the batter.
Excellent!! Very pleased with the results, just the right amount of everything, definitely a keeper! 🙂
I made it but didn’t have cake flour so I had to make it. I put in 300 gm. The problem I had is that all the blueberries sank to the bottom. 🙁
Try tossing the blueberries in a T of flour or cornstarch before adding to the batter.
How long should I have let it cool in the pan before removing? I waited 20 minutes but 1/4 of it stuck to the pan even though I sprayed it good. Tastes amazing just not pretty.
Allow the cake to cool to room temperature, then remove from pan.
I made this recipe! It is EXCELLENT! I used a mini bunt cake pan and made sugared blueberries and candied lemon peel for decoration! Everyone LOVES them! Thank you!!
I would post pics but can’t figure out how. They are so pretty!!
Can I use frozen blueberries
I was wondering that as well can I use frozen blueberries
Yes, and the answer is right in the blog post! 🙂 (Where reader questions are often answered)
Blueberries: Although fresh blueberries are best, you could use frozen berries. If using frozen blueberries, first, let them thaw. Then, drain them before adding to the batter.
You mentioned about draining frozen blueberries. Do you also rinse them to prevent streaking from the blueberries? I’m excited to make this.
Use shortening to grease pan. Guaranteed not to stick. Do not use sparingly. Grease it thick. Cake will jave an awesome crust as well.
I have read to put sugar on top of the shortening. Have you tried it?
How long do you leave it in the pan to cool?
Allow cake to cool to room temperature before removing.
do you invert it and let it cool? I have made this 2x and both times the blue berries sink to the bottome and then stick to the pan. I love this cake but I am flunking the baking:(
Hi there! First of all, you are not flunking. This is a gorgeous cake but bundt pans can be unforgiving, so don’t be too hard on yourself. 💛
To answer your question:
I do not invert this cake to cool. I let it cool in the pan and then turn it out when it’s ready.
If your blueberries are sinking and sticking, here are a few things that could be happening:
Pan prep: This is the big one. Bundt pans need to be really well greased and floured (or sprayed with a baking spray that has flour in it) to get a clean release. Get into every nook and cranny.
Pan type: Dark nonstick pans or older pans with scratches can grab onto the fruit. If you have another bundt pan, try that.
Oven or batter temperature: Make sure your oven is fully preheated and the batter goes straight in. If it sits on the counter for a while, the heavier fruit can settle before it sets.
With a little extra pan prep and making sure that oven is ready, I think you’ll see a big difference next time. 🍋 Let me know how it goes, I love that you’re giving this cake another try!
The cakes have been gobbled up by granddaughters before I even had a chance to make the glaze. Today I’m making again w/ glaze. I add a container of lemon yogurt if I don’t have buttermilk or sour cream .