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My Blueberry Cake is the ultimate way to enjoy fresh, juicy blueberries! Fluffy and moist cake layers are flavored with a blueberry reduction, then filled with blueberry compote and frosted with blueberry frosting. This show-stopping cake is sure to fly off plates!
Why you’ll love this Blueberry Cake:
- Triple Blueberry Flavor – Every bite is bursting with blueberry flavor – the cake layers, filling, and frosting.
- Tender Yet Sturdy Cake – We’re using the reverse creaming method for this cake. This means we’ll mix the butter into the dry ingredients first. The fat coats the flour, preventing gluten development, meaning a very tender but still stable cake!
- All Natural (No, Really!) – This cake is flavored with real blueberries – in the cake, frosting, and filling! There’s no food coloring added – every part of this cake gets its color from the blueberries.
- Make-Ahead Options – A layer cake can be intimidating, but the filling and frosting can be made 1-2 days ahead. Then, bake the cake layers and assemble the cake the day of or the day before serving.
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).
- Butter – I prefer salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter.
- Eggs – Use large eggs for best results.
- Sour Cream – Use full-fat sour cream at room temperature for best results.
- Cake Flour – Cake flour produces a lighter crumb in cakes, and I highly recommend using it! Spoon & level your flour for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly in will lead to too much flour. 1 cup of cake flour weighs 110 grams, whereas 1 cup all-purpose flour weighs 130 grams. (Some people standardize at 120, 125, or 130 – I’ve chosen 130 grams.)
- Vanilla Extract – Since the flavor in this cake comes from simple quality ingredients, be sure to use real vanilla instead of imitation for the best flavor.
- Vegetable Oil – Using a little oil keeps the cake tender.
Recipe Substitutions & Variations:
- Frozen Blueberries – You can use frozen blueberries when it’s not blueberry season. Frozen blueberries are usually flash frozen when they’re in season, so you’re more likely to get good flavor from frozen blueberries in the winter than a pint of fresh ones sitting in the grocery store in the same season.
- Other Fruits – I know I’ll get asked by someone if they can use a different fruit in this cake, and I can’t say yes or no without having tried it myself. Different fruit/berries have different sugar and water contents, which means the reduction or cake batter may need adjustments.
- Shortcut Version – No time for the blueberry reduction? Make my fluffy White Cake and use the homemade fillings and frostings from this recipe.
How to Make this Blueberry Cake:
Step 1: Make the Blueberry Reduction. Puree blueberries in a food processor, then push through a sieve to remove the seeds and skins. Cook down until you have a concentrated blueberry reduction.
Step 2: Make the Blueberry Filling. Heat blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and zest together and cook, stirring, until berries are juicy. Add corn starch and water to thicken, then allow to cool.
Step 3: Make the Cake Layers. Whisk together the dry ingredients, then beat in butter and oil. Whisk together the sour cream, milk, vanilla, and blueberry reduction) and add a few tablespoons to help the mixture come together.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then mix in the wet mixture last.
Step 4: Bake. Divide the batter between three 9-inch cake pans and bake as directed in the recipe card below. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Step 5: Make the Frosting. Beat together butter, heavy cream, and powdered sugar. Mix in some of the pureed blueberry filling, freeze dried blueberries, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
Step 6: Assemble. Spread the first cake layer with blueberry frosting and pipe a border to contain the blueberry filling. Place the second layer on top, and spread the overhanging frosting to seal the layers together (see photo below).
Chill the cake for 15 minutes, then repeat. Add the top layer, frost the entire cake, and pipe a border around the top. Add remaining blueberry filling inside the border. Much more thorough directions for assembly are in the recipe card below!
Serving + Storing:
Once decorated, chill the cake about 30-60 minutes (or up to overnight) before slicing and serving. Store leftover cake in the fridge in an airtight container or cake carrier, with plastic wrapped pressed over the cut portion of the cake to keep things sealed well.
Leftovers keep for 2-4 days in the fridge, or longer wrapped up tightly in the freezer (see FAQs below). Still have blueberries to use up? Make my Bakery-Style Blueberry Muffins or my Blueberry Scones, next!
Expert Baking Tips:
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your ingredients are at the proper weight – especially with flour! I also recommend weighing your blueberries and blueberry reduction for the best possible results.
FAQs:
Yes! You can halve the recipe and bake as three, 6-inch cake layers, or as one 9×13 cake layer. If making a 9×13 cake, you can serve it as a sheet cake, or slice it in half (lengthwise, not widthwise – it may be too thin for that) and fill and stack it as a two layer square cake.
Yes! The baked and cooled cake layers can be wrapped individually in plastic wrap and foil and frozen in freezer bags for 3-6 weeks. Thaw in the fridge for a few hours before frosting. Individual slices of the assembled cake can be wrapped tightly in parchment paper, then foil, and sealed in freezer bags or containers. Freeze for 3-6 weeks, and thaw in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours.
Special Tools:
- Offset Spatula – Offset spatulas make frosting this delicious dessert so easy! They can also be used for spreading cake and brownie batters evenly in your pan.
- Cake Turntable – If you make at least a few cakes a year, a cake turntable makes the frosting process a breeze!
- Piping Bag & Piping Tip – I like to use a reusable piping bag and a Wilton 1A or 2A piping tip, but you can use a plastic bag with the corner snipped off in a pinch. I used a Wilton 6B tip for the border.
More Blueberry Recipes to Love:
- Double Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake
- Blueberry Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
- Strawberry Blueberry Pie
- Baked Blueberry Streusel Donuts
- One-Bowl Blueberry Crisp
- Skillet Blueberry Peach Cobbler
- Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment & star rating!
Click the little stars in the header of the recipe card below to leave a comment & star rating, letting me know how you liked the recipe. I take all feedback seriously, & leaving a rating helps my small business immensely!
Blueberry Cake
Ingredients
For the Blueberry Filling:
- 1 cup granulated sugar , 210 grams
- 5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries,, If using frozen, do not thaw, frozen weighed 700 grams
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tsp lemon juice, Or more to taste, up to 4 tsp
- 2 tbsp + 2 tsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp + 2 tsp warm water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Blueberry Reduction
- 3 cups fresh blueberries (weigh this out for best results!), 467 grams
For the Cake Batter
- 3 and 1/2 cups cake flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out , 384 grams
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 and 1/3 cup granulated sugar , 498 grams
- 1 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature and cubed, 226 grams
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil, 68 grams
- 3/4 cup full fat sour cream, at room temperature , 180 grams
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp milk, 270 grams
- blueberry reduction, from previous step
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract , or vanilla bean paste
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 large egg white, at room temperature
For the Frosting:
- 2 and 3/4 cups salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 7 cups powdered sugar , or more to taste, up to 8 cups
- 2-3 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/2 cup blended blueberry filling (from previous step)
- two one-ounce bags freeze dried blueberries
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Make the Blueberry Sauce: Add the sugar, blueberries, lemon zest, and juice to a medium large saucepan over medium high heat. Cook, stirring, for 8-10 minutes. The berries will release quite a bit of liquid. Bring the mixture to a heavy simmer or low boil.Add cornstarch and water to a small bowl and stir to dissolve the cornstarch. Add to the pot then continue simmering, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens.It should be thick enough that the blueberries fall off the wooden spoon slowly when you tip out a spoonful above the pot, and if you drag your finger through the juice on the back of the spoon, it should hold a trail. If it's thin, bring it back to a simmer and cook for a few more minutes to thicken. Or add an additional 1/2 to 1 tsp corn starch with equal parts water. Stir in the vanilla last. Transfer to a pie dish or cake pan to cool quickly in the fridge. Make-Ahead: This can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries,, 2 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 cup granulated sugar , 2 tbsp + 2 tsp corn starch, 2 tsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp + 2 tsp warm water, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Make the Blueberry Reduction: Rinse and dry your blueberries. Add to a food processor and blend until you have blueberry liquid. Push this through a strainer to get out all the seeds and skins – be thorough here. You should have 388 grams of the sieved juice. Add this blueberry juice to a small saucepan over medium high heat and cook, stirring frequently, to reduce it and cook off the water. Cook for about 14-18 minutes, until it's reduced to a thick paste and you have just 105 grams of blueberry reduction (you'll need to pour the mixture into a bowl and weigh it once or twice towards the end to ensure you don't cook it too far). Set this aside in a bowl or small measuring cup to cool down while you make the cake batter. Once the filling is cooled, add all of it to a food processor and puree until smooth. Some will be used as cake filling, some in the frosting, and some to top the cake.3 cups fresh blueberries (weigh this out for best results!)
- Prep for the Cake Layers: Preheat your oven to 325℉ – not 350! Prepare three 9-inch cake pans. Use a paper towel to rub shortening all over the inside of each pan, coating them completely. Cut a round of parchment paper to fit inside each. Place this on top of the greased pan bottom, then grease over the parchment paper. Add a handful of flour, and tap the pan around to evenly coat the entire inside with flour, tapping out the excess.
- Make the Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar. Add the cubed butter and vegetable oil, and mix with an electric mixer on medium speed for a minute or two, until the butter is dispersed into the dry ingredients and you have a sandy mixture. If there are still a few large lumps of butter, that's okay. Check that your blueberry reduction has cooled to room temperature before mixing the next ingredients together.In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together the room temperature milk, sour cream, vanilla, and blueberry reduction. The blueberry reduction will be thick but should whisk into the other liquid ingredients and disperse with a little effort. Add 2-3 tbsp of this mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients & butter, and mix on medium high just until the mixture starts clumping together. Next, add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium low speed for 15-20 seconds between each. Then, pour in half the liquid mixture while the mixer runs on low, and continue mixing just until the liquid is mixed in. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then repeat with remaining liquid.3 and 1/2 cups cake flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out , 3 tsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp salt, 2 and 1/3 cup granulated sugar , 1 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature and cubed, 5 tbsp vegetable oil, 3/4 cup full fat sour cream, at room temperature , 1 cup + 2 tbsp milk, blueberry reduction, 2 tbsp vanilla extract , 3 large eggs, at room temperature , 1 large egg white, at room temperature
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly among your three prepared pans. You'll want about 655 grams of batter in each pan. Bake at 325℉ for 29 to 33 minutes, rotating the pans carefully after the first 15 minutes (this helps my layers come out nice and even).Let cakes cool in the pans placed on wire racks for 10 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edges to loosen, and invert onto the cooling racks to cool completely while you make the frosting.
- Make the Frosting: Pulse the freeze dried blueberries in the food processor to a fine powder. Then, use the food processor to puree the cooled sauce (if you do this in the opposite order, your freeze dried blueberries will be a wet mess).In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy, about 60 seconds. Mix in the powdered sugar in a few additions, using heavy cream as needed to help it combine. Mix in the powdered blueberries, pureed blueberry sauce, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Taste and add more powdered sugar if desired.2 and 3/4 cups salted butter, softened at room temperature , 7 cups powdered sugar , 2-3 tbsp heavy cream, 1/2 cup blended blueberry filling (from previous step), two one-ounce bags freeze dried blueberries, 1 tbsp vanilla extract , pinch of salt
- Assemble: Spread a small dollop of frosting on your cake plate to secure the cake. Place the first cake layer on this, and place the cake plate on top of a cake turntable. Spread 1 and 1/4 cups of frosting over the layer, going past the edge a smidge. Pipe a border around the cake layer, and evenly spread 1/3 cup of blueberry filling into the center, going up to the edge of the border. Place the second cake layer on top and Spread any frosting "overhang" between the two layers to seal them together. Chill for 5-10 minutes to set things so the layers don't slide around. Repeat with the second layer. Add the final layer upside down for a flat top, and give the cake a thin layer of frosting on top and on the sides. Use a cake scraper to smooth out and remove excess. This is your crumb coat, so don't fret if it isn't perfect. Pop the cake in the fridge for 20-30 minutes or until the frosting is set. Then, frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting, smoothing things with the cake scraper or offset spatula. Use remaining frosting to pipe a border on top, if desired. (I used the Wilton 6B tip).Add some of the remaining blueberry puree to the top of the cake, to fill in between the piped border. (You can also serve this extra sauce on the side.) Add fresh blueberries on top for decoration.
- Serve & Store: Once the cake is frosted, chill it for at least 30-60 minutes before slicing and serving. Store leftover cake in the fridge in an airtight container or cake carrier, with plastic wrap pressed tightly over the cut portion of the cake to help prevent drying out. Leftovers keep well for 2-3 days in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Nice
Thank you, Michael! Happy baking.