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This easy lemon blueberry pound cake recipe is a wonderful way to put fresh blueberries to good use. It’s simple enough for everyday baking but pretty enough to serve to company.
This lemon blueberry pound cake is one of those cakes that works just as well for brunch as it does for dessert or an afternoon treat. It’s buttery and tender, with juicy blueberries throughout and plenty of bright lemon flavor from fresh zest, juice, and a tangy lemon glaze.
You’ll need two large lemons for the recipe. Be sure to zest them before juicing them—it’s nearly impossible to do the other way around! And although you might be tempted to bake this in a Bundt pan, I recommend sticking with a loaf pan. The cake releases easily from a loaf pan but tends to stick to a Bundt.
“Absolutely delicious! Looks stunning and tastes even better!”
What You’ll Need To Make Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
- All-purpose flour: Be sure to measure it using the spoon-and-level method. Too much flour can make the cake dry and dense.
- Milk, lemon juice, and zest: Together, the milk and lemon juice create a buttermilk-like mixture that helps give the cake its tender crumb, while the zest adds bright lemon flavor. You’ll need about 2 large lemons for the cake and glaze; fresh juice and zest are best.
- Blueberries: Fresh or frozen blueberries work well. If using frozen, don’t thaw them first, as they can release excess juice and streak the batter.
- Unsalted butter: Allows you to control the amount of salt in the cake. Make sure it’s softened for the best texture.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps create a soft, tender crumb.
- Eggs: Large eggs provide structure and richness.
- Baking soda: Reacts with the lemon juice to help the cake rise.
- Confectioners’ sugar: Gives the lemon glaze its smooth texture and sweetness.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
Prepare the lemon mixture: Begin by zesting the lemons. Then whisk together the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. The mixture will curdle; that’s okay.
Prepare the dry ingredients and blueberries: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining teaspoon of flour. Set both aside.
Cream the butter and sugar: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or beaters), beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Finish the batter: Scrape down the bowl, then beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add one-third of the flour mixture, followed by half of the milk mixture. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture and the remaining milk mixture, then add the remaining flour. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Fold in the blueberries: Using a spatula, gently fold the flour-dusted blueberries into the batter until evenly distributed. Transfer to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
Bake and cool: Bake until the cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
Make the glaze: Once the cake is cool, transfer it to a serving platter. Mix the confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice until thick but pourable, adjusting with more sugar or juice as needed. Spoon over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let set for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
Tips for the Best Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Use a metal loaf pan. Metal conducts heat more efficiently than glass, helping the cake bake evenly. If using a glass pan, the baking time may differ.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Once the flour goes in, mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the cake dense or tough.
- Make sure the glaze is thick. It should have a thick, almost glue-like consistency so it stays opaque and coats the cake rather than running off.
How to Store and Freeze Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
The cake will keep on the countertop for up to 3 days, stored in a covered container or wrapped in plastic wrap.
To freeze, let the cake cool completely and leave off the glaze. Double-wrap it securely in aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on the countertop, then add the glaze before serving.
Video Tutorial
Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, packed (see note)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups + 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup blueberries (if using frozen blueberries, do not defrost)
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
For the Glaze
- ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest, packed
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray a 9 x 5-in (23 x 13-cm) metal loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, then spray the pan again. (Alternatively, you can line the long side of the pan with a parchment "sling" and spray the pan again.)
- In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Let sit for at least 10 minutes while you proceed with the recipe. (It will curdle; that’s okay.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups (260 g) flour, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining teaspoon of flour. Set both aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or beaters), cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- With the mixer on low speed, add one-third of the flour mixture, followed by half of the milk mixture. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture and the remaining milk mixture, then add the remaining flour. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in the flour-dusted blueberries until evenly distributed. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and a tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
- When the cake is cool, transfer it to a serving platter. Make the glaze: In a small bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Add more confectioners' sugar or lemon juice as necessary to make a thick but pourable glaze (it should be a little thicker than you'd think, about the consistency of molasses or honey).
- Spoon the glaze over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Let set for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife and serving.
Notes
- You’ll need 2 large lemons for the entire recipe. Be sure to zest them before you juice them.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Yum yum yum! Substituted with coconut sugar, almond milk and coconut oil. Turned out fantastic! Great recipe.
1. Your cooking time is WRONG. I followed the recipe exactly (including the pan) and the center was goo. Finally covered it with foil and dropped the temp to 325 after an hour. It took 75 minutes and the edges were hard. Did not resemble anything close to a pound cake.
2. The website is atrocious. Too many pop-up ads
3. I HAD to enter an email address just to post a comment. Looks like most of your 5 stars come from robots.
Be sure your ingredients are room temperature and get yourself an oven thermometer.Comment # 3 is uncalled for and mean spirited.Happy holidays!
I’ve always found that attitude affects results. When you cook or bake with love, everything just seems to turn out better, and your guests notice it too! The only problem I’ve ever had with one of Jenn’s recipes was when I accidentally dropped this cake right out of the oven. I just took a picture of the mess, and we all had a good laugh! I hope you have a better day tomorrow…
Omigosh! Made this for Christmas brunch with my family and it was fabulous! Thanks for a great recipe!
Made this pound cake for Easter dessert. I was concerned that the lemon would be too much or on the bland side. Made the recipe as written. It produced a moist cake with proportioned lemon to blueberry flavors. My guests enjoyed it!
Hello!
This is the best lemon pound cake! Trying to plan ahead for Christmas gifts and work schedule, so wanting to know if this can be frozen and if so, for how long? Thanks!
Hi Andrea, Glad you like it! Yes, it can be frozen (before glazing it) for up to 3 months. See the Freezer-Friendly instructions at the bottom of the recipe for more guidance.
What is the best way to do this in mini loaf pans? I’d like to give them as Xmas gifts.
Hi Jeanne, you can make these into mini loaves. Bake time will be different based on the size of your pans. If you want to share the dimensions, I’d be happy to weigh in.
The flavor of this recipe was absolutely delicious. It was easy and fun to make and the flavors went together perfectly. Made this for my mom’s birthday and she loved it! My family has a lot of allergies so I had to use replacements like egg substitute and shortening(instead of butter). Turned out a little oily(most of my pound cakes do with these substitutions) but overall delicious 😋
Why don’t you use metric measurements too. I have no idea of a “cup” measurement
Hi Linda, The great majority of my recipes (including this one) include conversions to metric/weight measurements. To view them, scroll down to the recipe, and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you. Hope that helps!
It looks like some people are having trouble getting this recipe to turn out but, after reading several comments and then making this pound cake, I found the key to success is to follow the recipe exactly and measure carefully. Everything you need to know is laid out but it helps to read the instructions through a couple times before starting so you’re clear on the amounts and order of mixing. I made it yesterday, it took 60 mins to bake and turned out perfectly. The only thing I did was put a piece of foil over the top at 55 mins to prevent it from getting darker. Every oven is different. This pound cake is delicious! Thank you Jenn!
Awesome! Baked for about 55 mins.
Idk what I’ve done wrong but it’s been in the oven an hour, the edges are too dark and the center is still goo.
Glass 9×5 bread pan.
What did I do?
Hi Karin, I’m sorry you had a problem with this! I feel confident that part of the problem was using a glass instead of a metal loaf pan. Glass conducts heat more efficiently than metal, which explains the browned edges without the center being done. That said, it’s strange that the center is still not done after an hour. Is there any chance you made a measuring error? Or did you make any adjustments to the recipe/ingredients?
No measuring error. It was done through after 70 minutes, but the edges were inedible. Guess it’d be good to have the metal pan be part of your instructions. Maybe mention it when you instruct to grease the pan? I’m sure it’s a good recipe if not made in a glass pan.
Hi Karin, it sounds like you missed it, but it does specify to use a metal pan. Sorry that it was a bit of a flop for you!