Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
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Bursting with juicy blueberries and bright lemon flavor, this lemon blueberry pound cake is the perfect brunch treat or sweet pick-me-up any time of day.
This lemon blueberry pound cake makes a lovely brunch or anytime cake. It has a tender, delicate crumb, and the flavor is extra bright thanks to lots of lemon zest, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and a tart lemon glaze. You’ll need two large lemons for the whole recipe. Be sure to zest them before you juice them, as it is impossible to do afterwards. Also, in case you’re considering it, I don’t recommend making this cake in a Bundt pan; it releases easily from a loaf pan but tends to stick to a Bundt.
If you love lemon baked goods as much as I do, be sure to check out my lemon poppy seed muffins and lemon pound cake—both recipes are bursting with bright lemon flavor!
“Absolutely delicious! Looks stunning and tastes even better!”
What You’ll Need To Make Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by zesting the lemons.
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 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), combine the butter and sugar.
Beat 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, beating well after each addition.
With the mixer on low speed, beat in a third of the flour mixture.
Next, beat in half of the milk mixture.
Beat in another third of the flour mixture, then the remaining milk mixture, followed by the remaining flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix briefly to make sure the batter is evenly combined.
Add the flour-dusted blueberries to the batter and, using a spatula, fold until evenly combined.
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 and make the glaze. In a small bowl, combine 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 top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.
Let the glaze set for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Slice with a serrated knife. The cake will keep on the countertop for up to 3 days; store in a covered container or wrap in plastic wrap.
Video Tutorial
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Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
Bursting with juicy blueberries and bright lemon flavor, this lemon blueberry pound cake is the perfect brunch treat or sweet pick-me-up any time of day.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, packed (see note)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups + 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with a knife
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup blueberries (if using frozen blueberries, do not defrost)
- 1 stick (½ cup) 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 and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray a 9x5-inch metal loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, then 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 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, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again. With the mixer on low speed, beat in a third of the flour mixture, then half of the milk mixture. Beat in another third of the flour mixture, then the remaining milk mixture, followed by the remaining flour mixture, scraping the bowl as necessary. Add the flour-dusted blueberries to the batter and, using a spatula, fold until evenly combined.
- 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 top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let the glaze set for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Slice with a serrated knife. The cake will keep on the countertop for up to 3 days; store in a covered container or wrap in plastic wrap.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen (without the glaze) for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving. (Add the glaze after the cake is thawed.)
- Note: You'll need 2 large lemons for the entire recipe. Be sure to zest them before you juice them.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 323
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Sugar: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 97 mg
- Cholesterol: 26 mg
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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I just made this. It is Devine. Everyone loves it!!
I love this recipe! Jenn is my go-to chef for the best recipes. But I used it as a guideline this time to make 6 jumbo muffins instead of a pound cake. After reading many of the comments, I doubled the blueberries to 2 cups, doubled the salt to 1/2 teaspoon, changed the baking soda to baking powder and doubled it to 1/2 teaspoon. I used two extra large eggs because that is what I had on hand. Large eggs would be fine too, I suspect. I coated the muffin tin openings with floured cooking spray, divided the batter among the 6 openings without liners, sprinkled a hearty coating of granulated sugar on top of each precooked muffin, and baked at 375 degrees F (up from 350 degrees) for exactly 30 minutes. (I have a thermometer in my oven to make sure of the temperature.) Ohhhhh, yummmmm!
Jenn – Another fabulous recipe! Everyone loved this and it will be one of my regulars. I did add about 1/2 cup more blueberries though and may add even more next time. Thanks again for sharing your fabulous recipes. – Kathy
Hi Jenn! I absolutely love this cake. I’ve made it many time and each time it’s been so delicious. Is there anyway to make the batter the night before and cook the cake in the morning? I love to have this with coffee in the morning but would rather not do the mixing before my first cup 🙂
Hi Grace, so glad you like this! Unfortunately, it won’t work to refrigerate the batter as the cake won’t rise well when you go to bake it. If you’d like, you can mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another and then combine them and proceed with the recipe when you’re ready to bake it. Hope that helps!
Great recipe! I made a few substitutions to turn this vegan, so keep in mind that cooking time and results may vary as a result.
I used VeganEgg as an egg replacement, instead of butter, subbed coconut oil and used almond milk for milk. Since coconut oil is more dense in fat, I subtracted 1 tsp of oil and added about 1/8 cup of almond milk to compensate.
With these changes, the batter felt slightly moist, so I added about an extra 1/3 cup of flour. I baked it for 75 minutes at 350F and it still didn’t seem quite done. An extra 10 minutes at 325F and I was happy with the final consistency. (A little crisp on the outside, but nice and moist on the inside)
My only suggestion is to add a bit more lemon juice if you want a bolder flavor! Thanks for sharing, Jenn!
Such a great recipe! Such a difference in homemade vs doctoring a cake mix. The perfect amount of blueberries so it isn’t mushy like so many other recipes. The lemon gives it a bright flavor. Moist yet firm like a pound cake. Also a lower cost in making this loaf !
The recipe sounded yummy so I had to try it! 🤔
OMG, it is so, so delicious! 😋
My “go to” comfort food, now!
Thank you!❤️
Can I use self raising flour?
Hi Ros, This is best with all-purpose flour, but I think it could work with self-rising flour Self-rising flour will work in recipes using about 1/2 teaspoon (and up to 1 teaspoon) baking powder per cup of flour, so if you feel comfortable doing the math, feel free to give it a try.
Hii! What can a use instead of milk, to make it dairy free
Hi Raquel, you can use a non-dairy milk here. 🙂
Hi can I substitute milk with yogurt
Unfortunately, yogurt won’t work here — sorry!
Made this with vegan butter and oat milk and it turned out fantastic. It was loved by all and just the right amount of sweet and tart.
Made this to take to a friend’s house. It was absolutely perfect. I did add a bit of lemon extract to give it a more lemon-y, tart flavour. Also used almond milk by accident…grabbed the wrong carton. It was delicious and I’ll definitely make it again!
I’ve made this a few times and it’s so delicious! I’m thinking of trying it with rhubarb instead of blueberries (since I have so much to use up!). Do you think it would be a straight swap – rhubarb for blueberries? Or would you make any other modifications to accomodate?
thanks!
Hi Sherry, I think this would work with rhubarb, but I’ve never tried it so I’m not sure if you’d need to make any modifications. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Delicious! Will keep this recipe, everyone loved it, I did use a little less sugar (just under 1 cup), and didn’t have fresh lemons, so no zest sadly…but it was still yummy. Next time I’ll use lemons and not concentrate!
I’m 11 years old, and this year I discovered that I LOVE to bake! This was one of the first pound cake recipes I made, and I love it so much! Such a great recipe, I really recommend it! Thanks!
Glad you liked it, Mae (and I think it’s great that you’ve gotten into baking)! 🙂
I just made this tonight. It was awesome. The glaze makes it. It’s just so fresh and yummy.
Thanks for this recipe. Can I substitute strawberries for the blueberries?
Sure, Chris, that should work. I’d love to hear how it turns out with strawberries!
This is an incredible recipe! So light and refreshing for summer! As I have celiac disease, I make this recipe using gluten free flour and everyone loves it. The first time I made it, I kept slicing pieces until half the loaf was gone! Thank you for a wonderful recipe that is easily adaptable for gluten free diets!
Getting ready to bake but I only have glass loaf pan. I’m hoping it will be ok?
Hi Kathleen, Glass will work — just keep an eye on it and reduce the heat by 25°F if it looks like it’s starting to brown around the edges. Enjoy!
Thanks for the tip. Turned out perfect and was delicious. Making again for a family party.
10/10 we loved this cake. We cooked in kamado grill. It was so delicious and literally melted in the mouth. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
I’m letting the cake cool now. I accidentally added an extra cup of milk. I hope it tastes ok?
Can this recipe be augmented at all for a larger baking pan/dish?
Hi Emily, What size baking dish do you want to use?
Can this recipe be doubled so you can make two loaf pans at the same time?
Yep!
Made the cake this evening. Great directions. Easy to follow The lemon juice and zest added zing to the icing. Definitely on my make again list.
I made this pound cake to bring to a potluck. Everyone loved it!
I wondered if I can use a Bundt pan instead of a loaf pan next time I make it
So glad it was a hit! I wouldn’t recommend making this in a bundt; because of the blueberries, I’m concerned it would stick — sorry!
I made this recipe for my Mah Jong luncheon. The ladies raved, it was just delicious. It was better than any bakery item available!
This cake is delicious but mine sunk.🙄
Hi Maggie, I’m sorry to hear it sunk! When a cake sinks it’s usually because it’s underbaked, so I’d leave it in the oven for a few more minutes if you make it again.
Can this be made dairy free?
Hi Michelle, Yes, I think you could substitute the milk with non-dairy milk and the butter with either (solidified) coconut oil or a non-dairy butter that comes in stick form. I’d love to hear how it comes out if you try it! 🙂
I used coconut oil instead of butter and an almond-coconut milk blend instead of milk. It turned out amazing! Moist with a crumbly outer crust.
The taste is divine. I had a few things go wrong but I think they were my fault. I didn’t realize I was out of parchment paper so I just greased the pan. While the sides released easily the whole bottom tore off! I was sad but was able to gently release it and place it back together without it looking too bad. I baked in an 8.5×4.5 instead of a 9×5 and it took much longer to bake all the way through, about 70 minutes. Also my berries sunk towards the bottom but I think that’s because I used frozen and they were a little more slick, even with the flour dusting. Next time I’ll use parchment, fresh berries, and the proper pan and hopefully can avoid these problems but all the same, it is delicious and my house smells wonderful!!
Just lovely. I’m an erratic baker and never feel quite sure that whatever I’m making will turn out, but oh, this did. Perfect instructions, easy to follow, and the cake turned out moist and lemony on the inside and just crusty enough on the outside. I used frozen blueberries from my own bushes, and I put a good bit more lemon zest into the glaze than the recipe called for, which made it sharp and intense against the sweetness of the cake. It might not have pleased everyone, but my guests loved it. Thanks so much – this recipe’s a keeper!
My favorite combinations. Blueberries, lemon, and pound cake. My mouth is literally watering! Looks so delicious.
Just like every single one of your recipes Jenn..another 5 Star! Just delicious.
I hardly ever comment on recipes, but this was the best loaf cake I’ve ever made! The outside was a bit crusty and the inside moist, and it was bright and flavorful. I did reduce the sugar in the cake by 1/4 cup and I added 1/2 tsp. of vanilla.
Lovely cake! Perfect, no adjustments and couldn’t imagine attempting to improve or change in any way. My loaf pan is just a bit smaller than the standard 9×5 and the batter filled it 3/4 high. I placed a baking sheet on the rack beneath just in case, but had no problem. It rose high and perfectly. Although this is called a pound cake, the butter and egg content is far less than a traditional pound cake. This is a really good cake, but not exactly a “pound cake”. I avoid most pound cake recipes because of the butter content.
As others have noted, I made this cake in a metal pan that was a bit smaller and deeper than the recipe calls for so it took a bit longer to cook through. It took about 75 mins in the oven and then I did the glaze while the cake was still a bit warm. As soon as it was fully cooled I covered the plate with plastic wrap. The next day it was perfectly moist and beyond delicious. I will definitely be making this again!!
Made for Easter Sunday and turned out PERF – inside and out!! Super moist with just the right tang…
I upped the lemon zest and juice to the batter, and left in the oven closer to 70 mins. I also added some nabs of butter throughout before baking. Speaking of…I do recommend to use a high-fat butter like Plugra or KerryGold for the BEST taste and texture.
Thanks for this and Happy Easter. It’s divine!!
I’ve made this cake 2x and loved it so much both times! I have someone wanting one for a wedding cake, just to slice not serve to everyone, and I was wondering if making it in a round cake pan would ruin it? Do you think cooking it for a shorter time might work with a regular cake pan?
Hi Ruth, so glad that you like this! Yes, I think it would work in a round cake pan; just keep an eye on it as the big time will be different.
Easy and delicious!
Simple & straight forward yet amazing!! It was gone the same day which says a lot. Typically my baked goods last well over a couple days. Followed the recipe just added a small amount of lemon extract for a stronger lemon flavor. Can’t wait to bake it again.
My cake turn out hard as a rock. I’m wonder if the amount of baking soda was too little. I think 1/4 tsp to 2 cups of flour. And the glaze was very, very thin. I continued to add confectionery sugar but ran out. I think this cake has potential but it was a fail for me.
It must have been something you did or didn’t do. I made it. It was fabulous!
Love this recipe. No picture to take because it didn’t last long enough lol.
So easy and tasty!! The pound cake turned out very moist and was a total hit. Thanks for the recipe!!
Have you ever doubled this recipe and made it in a tube pan? I would like to make a bigger cake for a church function I thought I would ask before I tempted to do this
Hi Connie, Sorry for the delayed reply! I wouldn’t recommend it. I’m concerned that the cake would stick.
Will Cranberries work in this?
Sure, I think they will. Please LMK what you think if you try it!
So good. I added another 1/2 tablespoon of zest to the cake just because we like it a bit tangy. My kids call it blueberry lemonade cake.
Blueberry lemonade cake — that’s cute! 🙂
Another incredible recipe from Jenn. So delicious. I had the 8″ loaf pan and it was fine. I baked it for 65″. Perfect and so good!
I double this recipe and make it in a Bundt pan. Lemon extract us highly recommended to add in the batter. Spray and flour the pan well. 😋
Even though I am notoriously bad at baking, I recently bought a small hand mixer to hopefully get better! The first recipe that I wanted to try was this one and, much like every single Jenn Segal recipe that I have ever made, it turned out so well! The balance of sweetness with the lemon is perfect and, as always, I appreciate how easy and clear Jenn’s instructions are. Being able to use frozen blueberries as well was great! Will definitely be making again in the future!
I made this yesterday and loved it! Great texture and flavor. Mine looks just like the picture. The only problem I had was baking time. I did 60 minutes but the very top middle was not fully baked. I could/should have left it in another 10 minutes as it wasn’t too browned at that point. I will next time – I plan to make it for Easter brunch.
Thank you!
P.S. I used a light spray coating + lined the bottom with parchment paper + resprayed + lightly dusted with flour and it worked great.
I am not a great baker, but wanted to give this a try because it looked so delicious. I baked my cake in a dark pan. I think I overcooked it because the toothpick kept looking wet in the middle when I pulled it out, so ….I just cooked it longer. The instructions said cook until golden brown.
It was golden brown when I took it out of the oven, with no more wet looking toothpick. The next day I sliced it up, and it was very dry, so use caution. I’d assume if the toothpick didn’t have batter on it, that’s likely what is meant by clean. I would have liked to have more icing for the cake. My cake was also not as pretty and yellow as I had hoped for. My daughter liked it. She thinks this is the way this type of cake is supposed to be, not moist like a birthday type cake. I enjoyed using frozen blueberries I had on hand.
Sheri , I have baked almost every week for a lot of years. I had the same experience yesterday! I am remaking it today with a larger loaf pan ( I inadvertently used an 8.5 X 4.5 pryrex pan.) I am also going to open a new box of baking soda ( I had tested my current BS last week and it was fine so who knows what a week can do)
Everything aside, my husband loved the cake but I’ll report back after I use the suggested pan size and new baking soda.
Hi Carol,
I had the same experience with this cake. I have baked it several times and it looks and tastes great but the centre of the cake is still too moist after 65 minutes. Today I used a Pyrex loaf pan and I had to bake it for 75 minutes.
Same experience here, baked it today abd it took 75 minutes. Delicious though!
Hi Jenn!! I love all your recipes and plan on making this tomorrow but I don’t have any milk. Can I sub with almond milk or evaporated milk? Thanks!
Hi Tristan, You can use evaporated milk mixed with an equal amount of water.
I made today, used Oat Milk… messed up and left out salt and the soda… but it was FABULOUS!!! I had to wrap it up to keep the hubby out of it, as it is for Christmas Day! I will make again and again. Can’t wait to have all the ingredients!
The Oat Milk seemed to work out just fine! The taste is out of this world!
wonderful recipe, loved by all!!
Love this recipe, came out great!! Used frozen blueberries we picked this summer, made this cold February day feel like spring is soon! Thank you
this recipe is perfect!! just tried it and it came out wonderfully, though not as yellow in color
Can I use frozen blueberries
Sure, just don’t defrost them or your batter will turn purple. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn- can I double the recipe and use a Bundt pan?
Hi Adria, I wouldn’t recommend making this in a bundt; because of the blueberries, I feel pretty confident this would stick to a bundt pan — sorry!
I put a new twist on this recipe. After we enjoyed it for a few days, I trimmed off the edges and the bottom and them made French toast out of it. Topped it with powdered sugar and fresh blueberries. Made for an AWESOME brunch. Thanks!
This recipe was lovely! Instructions were clear and concise, yet easy to follow. Sometimes I have problems baking but it turned out absolutely perfect. If I may ask, do you have any tips on keeping it intact? (I found mine a tiny bit crumbly, but just the right taste!)
So glad you liked it Mischa! Did you let the cake cool completely before you sliced it?