The ultimate summer cake, Lemon and Blueberry Sheet Cake is an easy recipe you’re going to love. Topped with tangy cream cheese and sour cream frosting, this cake stays moist for days!
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Summer is winding down here and we’re making an effort to enjoy every last moment of it. The blueberries have been particularly bountiful this year and they were just begging to be baked into this beautiful lemon blueberry sheet cake.
This recipe is adapted from a lemon sheet cake recipe I found in the New York Times. The original recipe uses milk and I have replaced it with buttermilk for an even tangier flavour. I also added lots of sweet blueberries to add to the summery vibe. The result is an ultra-moist cake with lots of lemons and a fresh blueberry flavour.
I like sheet cakes because of their fuss-free nature. There are no finicky layers or multiple baking pans to wash up at the end. Pour the batter into one pan, frost, and you’re done! For other single-layer cakes, try my easy mandarin orange cake, or my coffee and walnut loaf cake.
The batter comes together in about 10 minutes and then the cake is baked for 35 minutes. It has a nice flat top which makes it easy to frost. I chose cream cheese and sour cream frosting for its sweet tangy flavour which goes so well with this cake.
What to Expect from this Recipe
- Moist crumb. Buttermilk and eggs make sure this cake stays moist for days.
- Bright lemon flavour. Lemon juice and lemon zest come together to give this cake its punch of flavour.
- Sweet blueberries. Fresh blueberries are the perfect match for sweet lemon.
- Tangy topping. Made with cream cheese AND sour cream, this frosting is so creamy and fresh.
Ingredient Notes
The full list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Buttermilk: This tangy milk combines with lemon to give the cake its tang. I originally tried it with regular milk as adding citrus to it results in something similar to buttermilk, but when I tried it again with buttermilk, I found the cake was a bit moister and lemonier. If you only have regular milk, go ahead and use it, your cake will still taste delicious.
- Lemon zest: This is where you get all of the sweet lemon flavour. I use a small-hole cheese grater to zest my lemons as I find it the easiest tool to use. Make sure when you’re zesting that you only take the yellow part of the peel and leave the white pith behind. Lemon zest is wonderful in many sweets – like my lemon meringue pie cookies.
- Fresh blueberries: Fresh is better than frozen in this recipe. Frozen berries would make the cake too wet.
How to Make this Recipe
Start with room temperature ingredients where you can. It makes it so much easier to combine everything. I also suggest using either an electric mixer or a stand mixer, especially when creaming the butter and sugar together. It can take as long as 7 minutes to get it to the light and fluffy stage and doing this by hand would take much longer!
- Whisk dry ingredients. A whisk or a fork will help you get the lumps out of the dry ingredients.
- Combine zest and sugar. Use a fork to combine the lemon zest with the granulated sugar. This helps to release the oils in the zest, so it coats the sugar. The lemon flavour will permeate your entire cake.
- Cream. Add the butter and use the paddle to mix with the sugar until light and fluffy. This process takes longer than you think it will – usually 5 – 7 minutes.
- Add dry ingredients. Gently mix in the flour until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overmix the cake batter as this can result in a dry cake.
- Berries. Fold in the blueberries.
- Bake. Pour the batter into a 9” x 13” cake pan and bake for 35 – 40 minutes.
- Frost. Combine softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and sour cream and mix until smooth. Top the cooled cake with the frosting and decorate with berries and sprinkles.
Helpful tips
- Ingredients at room temperature. Always start with room temperature ingredients. It makes it so much easier to combine everything.
- Don’t overmix. Resist the urge to overmix the cake batter. Just mix until the traces of flour are gone. If you keep on mixing, you could end up with a heavy tough cake, which is something no one wants!
- Start checking early. Start checking if your cake is ready after 30 minutes. Since ovens vary so much, you want to start checking early. Look for the top to turn golden brown and when you insert a toothpick into the centre of the cake, it should come out clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
The technique of combining the lemon zest and the sugar before mixing with the butter will help to enhance the lemon flavour. Don’t skip this step! You’ll notice the difference.
I don’t recommend it. Frozen blueberries contain a lot of water which will make your cake very wet.
The berries will somewhat sink to the bottom of this cake, but to help prevent this from happening completely, toss the berries in a bit of flour. The flour will help the berries to cling to the batter when baking.
Storage
Fridge instructions: Store the frosted or unfrosted cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The cake can be eaten directly from the fridge or leave it out for 30 minutes to come to room temperature.
Freezer instructions: Store the unfrosted cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 3 months. Let the cake come to room temperature before frosting.
This lemon blueberry sheet cake is a lovely and bright cake for summer!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see it! Share it on Instagram: #bakersbookshelf
Lemon Blueberry Sheet Cake
Equipment
- 1 9" x 13" baking pan
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ⅓ cup buttermilk (314 millitres)
- ¼ cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- 3 ¼ cup all-purpose flour (390 grams)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (226 grams)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400 grams)
- 4 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cups blueberries (190 grams)
- 1 tablespoon flour
Cream Cheese Sour Cream Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (226 grams)
- ¾ cups powdered sugar (90 grams)
- ¾ cup sour cream (170 grams)
Instructions
Make the Lemon Blueberry Sheet Cake
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Line a 9" x 13" baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough paper to overhang both long edges. Lightly spray the pan and paper with cooking spray.
- Combine the buttermilk and lemon juice in a small jug and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt).
- In a separate large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, pour in the sugar and add the lemon zest. Use a fork to mix the zest and sugar for a minute so the zest releases its oils and the sugar is scented with lemon.
- Add the softened butter to the bowl and use the electric mixer or stand mixer to paddle the sugar and butter together until it is light and fluffy. This will take about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time and continue to mix until each one is incorporated before adding the next one.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add ⅓ of the flour and then ½ of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat and end with the final ⅓ of flour. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Toss the blueberries in 1 tablespoon of flour and gently fold into the cake batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35-40 minutes.
- The cake is ready when the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Notes
- Buttermilk: This tangy milk combines with lemon to give the cake its tang. I originally tried it with regular milk as adding citrus to it results in something similar to buttermilk, but when I tried it again with buttermilk, I found the cake was a bit moister and lemonier. If you only have regular milk, go ahead and use it, your cake will still taste delicious.
- Lemon zest: This is where you get all of the sweet lemon flavour. I use a small-hole cheese grater to zest my lemons as I find it the easiest tool to use. Make sure when you’re zesting that you only take the yellow part of the peel and leave the white pith behind.
- Fresh blueberries: Fresh is better than frozen in this recipe. Frozen berries would make the cake too wet.
- Ingredients at room temperature. Always start with room temperature ingredients. It makes it so much easier to combine everything.
- Don’t overmix. Resist the urge to overmix the cake batter. Just mix until the traces of flour are gone. If you keep on mixing, you could end up with a heavy tough cake, which is something no one wants!
- Start checking early. Start checking if your cake is ready after 30 minutes. Since ovens vary so much, you want to start checking early. Look for the top to turn golden brown; when you insert a toothpick into the centre of the cake, it should come out clean.
Teresa G. says
I made this for a get together and it was so moist! It stayed fresh in the fridge for a few days after too.
Julianne says
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Teresa! It is a great long lasting cake 🙂
Arline Simpson says
Delicious cake. Just loved it and so did Troop 7 State Police. I bake ea. week for them and I’m always looking for new recipies. This was a goody. Thank you. Will definitely make it again. Yummy
Julianne says
Thank you, Arline! I’m so glad that you and the troop enjoyed the cake. They definitely deserve a treat for all that they do 🙂
Julianne