This Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake is fresh, soft, and perfect for spring and summer. The cake layers are flavored with real lemon zest and juice, then folded with juicy blueberries for little bursts of fruit in every slice. A light mascarpone Chantilly cream is used between the layers and around the cake, giving it a soft, cloud-like finish without the heaviness of traditional buttercream.
The balance is what makes this cake work so well. The lemon keeps the cake bright, the blueberries add sweetness and moisture, and the mascarpone whipped cream gives the whole dessert a smooth, elegant finish.
Why You Will Love This Lemon Blueberry Cake
This cake feels special without being overly complicated. The batter uses both butter and oil, which gives you the flavor of butter with the extra moisture and softness of oil. Rubbing lemon zest into the sugar releases the citrus oils and builds a stronger lemon aroma before the batter is even mixed.
The mascarpone Chantilly frosting is another reason to love it. It is lighter than buttercream, less sweet, and pairs beautifully with fruit-forward cakes.
Ingredients
For the Lemon Blueberry Cake Layers
- 2½ cups (325g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest, from about 2 lemons
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup neutral oil, such as canola or avocado oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup whole milk or buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1½ cups fresh blueberries
- 1 tablespoon flour, for tossing with the blueberries
For the Mascarpone Chantilly Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, very cold
- 8 ounces (226g) mascarpone cheese, chilled
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For Assembly
- Extra fresh blueberries
- Thin lemon slices, optional
- Extra lemon zest, optional