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 made this for a book club meeting and It was a big hit! It was just the right size. the cake was moist and the combination of lemon and blueberries is amazing.
I made this wonderful Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake using gluten free flour. The only adjustment I made was adding 1/2 tsp. of baking powder. Gluten free flour needs acid and moisture to make it rise. This recipe is full of acid and moisture with the lemon juice, zest and combination of baking soda and powder. On top of that the size of baking loaf pan is perfect for gluten free flour as an aid to force the flour to rise.
I made the dough in the Kitchen aid mixer but used a wire whipper to get more air into the dough. Result is a light high gluten free lemon loaf with lots of blueberries.
Now I’m curious as to how it is with normal wheat flour. Will make it to give away for a gift.
Bake this for your lemon enthusiastic friends. You won’ t be sorry.
This recipe is awesome! Everytime I make it I get requests for the recipe. I don’t understand some comments about the timing or temperature being off. One time I used frozen blueberries and I noticed that around some berries it was a little doughy, but with fresh berries 60 minutes is perfect.
This cake was absolutely perfect! I probably didn’t add enough powdered sugar to my glaze, as it was not as white as pictured and a bit softer looking, but it was sweet-tart, which I loved. I will absolutely be making this again. Thank you, Jenn, for another perfect recipe!
Moist, flavourful and so easy! My family loved it!
Made the cake yesterday; tastes nice! Took longer than 50 – 60 minutes in the oven to get golden brown; more like 70 minutes, and I followed the recipe to the letter. Overall great experience for me, a first time baker. Thank you!
Great cake. Not too sweet and great with ice cream or whipped cream……..or both, if you dare. Even my non-dessert lovers and extra slices. A keeper.
I made this today and I have to say it is a perfect 10! Didn’t change a thing made it exactly as the recipe called for. So delicious!
This recipe came out really great. I doubled recipe and even made 6 giant muffins (they stuck a little on the bottom, next time I’ll put little parchment round on the bottom of the muffin cups). Also made a loaf in a glass pan. Rose beautifully and came out perfect. Thank you for this recipe!
This looks amazing. We will try soon.
Quick Question: what happens to the texture and taste if someone decides to go with a European butter (82%) vs. LOL (80%) without modifying anything else? What are your thoughts generally on a higher butterfat butter?
Thank you kindly for a reply. Our family loves Jenn!
Hi Kurt, it’s perfectly fine to use European butter without any other modifications (and I like higher butterfat butter in general, so if you’d prefer to use it, go for it). 😊
Absolutely love this recipe! I used 1/2 cup of buttermilk instead of milk and the cake came out just as good. I will certainly be baking this again!
Yum yum yum. Absolutely delicious! Shared it round the club after a game of tennis and everyone loved it, thanks again Jen
So I have made this pound cake three times by now. I love it. This time I LAYERED the blueberries instead of folding them in, because every time I folded I felt like they were all at the bottom. And it worked!! They more evenly distributed. I also used a whole box instead of just a cup lol.
Not a bad recipe, but I think there are better ones out there. The batter is beautiful and when baked, it has a very pound cake-like texture, however I found it to be a little bland even after adding a teaspoon of lemon extract. For a lemon loaf cake that has an apparent lemon flavour, I recommend using Ina Garden’s recipe and optionally adding a splash of lemon extract, then toss a couple blueberries in flour before folding into the batter.
I have mine in the oven, 65 minutes so far. Just as others have stated, the middle is not cooked and the edges are brown. I just covered it with foil and added 4 add’l minutes. Something is off and , maybe the pan should be larger.
Do you have a oven thermometer to check the temperature of your oven?
I make this cake about once a week. It is our absolute favorite. Thank you
So delicious! I was a little worried after reading some of the comments below, so I made sure to follow the recipe exactly-including using a metal loaf pan- and it turned out great. At 50 minutes, my cake was not quite done so I tented the top and baked the additional 10 minutes. Thanks Jenn for a great recipe! I will definitely make this again.
Half sorghum flour half wholewheat flour
Too impatient to wait for butter to soften used olive oil, turbinado and date sugar. Screwed around with it quite a bit I suppose but it turned out perfectly and the icing is fantastic too. It did take an hour and 25 minutes because I used frozen blueberries. I will certainly make it again maybe half buckwheat next time….
Thank you
Agree with other commenters that the timing/temp is off somehow.
It baked for well over an hour, had to cover it to prevent too much browning. The rise isn’t great and the edges get too hard while the middle is underdone.
This is with a light metal pan as pictured, not dark or glass.
I made my version a little Extra and it was perfectly delightful: subbed heavy cream for whole milk, this made it slightly denser and added richness. Used up about 1/4 c of brown sugar and added to the remaining needed, this probably didn’t change things much at all. I added about 1/2 TB more of the lemon juice because I had leftover juice and I wanted it to stand out, not just a background flavor. Finally I added 1/4 c of sweetened shredded coconut to the mix, which made the recipe my own and took it in a slightly different direction. Also I completely skipped the glaze, this bun was sweet enough as is. Spot on results.
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!
Oh gosh this was a bit of a disaster. I’m a proficient & experienced baker and I have a reliable & predictable oven, so I’m not sure what went wrong. This took well over an hour to bake. By the time the inside was baked through, the top had gotten quite dark and hard. Once the cake had completely cooled, I attempted to cut it into slices. But because the “crust” on top had gotten so hard; and the rest of the cake was so light and crumbly, when I applied enough pressure of a knife to cut through the top, the rest of the cake just fell to pieces. I ended up with a cutting board full of cake crumbles! They were delicious, just not servable to guests, unfortunately.
Hi Vera, So sorry you had trouble with this? What type of loaf pan did you use?
Beautiful and delicious! I also had to bake 70mins until done, but so good!
Just saw your recommendation re: metal vs. glass from another person’s message. Never knew that about pryex, will make with metal pan today. Crossing my fingers. Will get back.
I made it last night. It was delicious! A little too sweet for my taste, but delicious. My outer crust came out hard with a soft middle, however, and I don’t know why. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Hi Sandy, did you use a dark metal loaf pan?
Everyone loves this cake! Thank you.
I made this yesterday, following the recipe exactly. It is very good, and I’m very pleased with the results. Will most likely make this again, as it would be perfect for breakfast/brunch, or to take as a gift. I will mention that it’s definitely not what I consider a “pound cake”, but I kinda knew that going in because it only called for one stick of butter. The consistency is lighter than most pound cakes, but that is not a bad thing, just different. 🙂
You didn’t tell us where to add the milk and lemon mixture that I see.
Hi Karen, You alternate adding the flour and milk/lemon mixture after you’ve added the eggs to the mixing bowl. Hope you enjoy the cake!
Perfection!
Yeah the timing needs to be adjusted. I’ve made this several times and it’s more than 60 mins.
When are you suppose to add the mixer with lemon/lemon zest and milk?
Hi Nikki, You alternate adding the flour and milk/lemon mixture after you’ve added the eggs to the mixing bowl. Hope that clarifies. 😊
This loaf is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I did this recipe maybe 10 times in the last 2 years, these are my tips: i mesure the milk at least 30 minutes before starting my recipe and i also put my 2 eggs on the counter for 30min-1hrs, so everything is room temperature. I get my butter out of the fridge the day before to make sure it’s room temperature. I use frozen blueberries and i think it’s better than fresh blueberry with this loaf. Finally, i don’t overmix at the end, i stop my mixer and mix the rest with a spatula as i put in the blueberries. Thank you so much for this great recipe ❤️
Hi Jenn,
I have made this twice and both times it turned out very dry, not sure why. Can I possibly use your pound cake recipe, as it’s wonderfully moist, and add blueberries to it?
Hi Johara, I’m sorry you’ve found this to be dry! Which pound cake are you referring to — the lemon pound cake? And dryness is usually caused by measuring the flour incorrectly. Do you use the spoon and level method to measure the flour? Even a few extra ounces can make a big difference. This article/video explains it nicely.
Thanks Jenn, I will be more carful the next time I measure and use a spoon to level it.😊 I was referring to your “Perfect pound cake’’ which is exactly what it is.
Hi Johara, I just wanted to be clear about the spoon and level method. You spoon flour into the measuring cup until it’s heaping and then level it off with a knife. Hope that clarifies and you have better luck when you make this again!
Thank you.😊
I find that I have more time now for baking and am trying all kinds of new breads, cakes, etc. Thanks for the video tip! I have been measuring my flour all wrong.
Perfection!
This is a wonderful cake! I followed the recipe exactly. For those of you who are having some trouble, I have found over the years that measuring the flour is a key to success with baking. I use America’s Test Kitchen general rule of 1 cup of flour = 5 ounces. A little kitchen scale makes baking a lot faster, too. Make sure all of your ingredients are fresh. Room temp is best for eggs, milk, etc. Do not open the oven while the loaf is baking! This recipe is so well written, thank you so much!
One other little tip for this kind of loaf cake that works for me…I take a spoon and slide it across the top of the center of the batter lengthwise to make the height/thickness a little lower there so that center part bakes at the same rate. The batter gets slightly pushed away toward the sides, and so the cake cooks more evenly. Mine had a very pretty and appealing crack in the center, but it wasn’t an earthquake.
Can I use almond milk? What do you recommend?
Sure, Chris, almond milk is fine to use. Hope you enjoy!
If I wanna make this recipe into a Bundt cake, do I follow this recipe’s measurements or should I double the ingredients? Also, would the bake time stay the same for a Bundt cake?
Hi Brandie, I wouldn’t recommend making this in a bundt pan. Because of the blueberries, I’m concerned it would stick — sorry!
I’m a bit of a bundt fanatic so I’ve tried every recipe out there in a bundt. I think this would be great but I would be extra careful to cover every inch with non-stick spray (I use Pam Baking spray w/ flour; it even has a pic of a bundt on the can!) and, if you’re still nervous about sticking you can always wait to add the berries after the batter is in the pan. Even w the flour they’ll sink a bit, but the flour should keep them from all ending up at the bottom.
I want to make this as a bundt cake as well, do you think the recipe should be doubled or is it enough on it’s own?
Hi Meg, I really don’t recommend making this in a bundt — I’d be concerned it would stick.
Hi Jenn! I want to bake this for my brothers birthday but I only have a 8.5 x 4.5 pan, so I was wondering what you would suggest should be the baking temp and time?
Hi Liz, I really don’t recommend making this in an 8.5″ x4.5″ pan. I’m concerned that you wouldn’t get a good result. Sorry!
The pop up ads are AWFUL on this page. Really does a disservice to your recipe.
Disaster. I ended up having to bake for 70 minutes. That’s okay. It sat on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. When I tried to turn it out, part of the bottom stayed in the pan. I bake A LOT but this was my first foray into pound cake.
Could this have been because I used glass pans?
Hi Jo, so sorry you had a problem with this! I suspect your problem with sticking was due to the glass pans. Glass conducts heat more efficiently than metal so the sides may have gotten a bit overbaked and kind of clung a bit when you inverted the pans. Not sure if you want to invest in metal cake pans but I have great luck with them.
This is an easy recipe resulting in a delicious lemony/blueberry cake.
I’ve made it several times because it’s a wonderful thing to bring to a friends or just for you & your family at home. Try it!
This is absolutely delicious!! 5 stars! I have made it 4 times in the past two weeks because my family loves it so much and recently had a party and one of my guests asked if he can take home a few slices. This is my new go to for taking something to a friends house or event.
I tried this spontaneously today and it was absolutely amazing! I was short on blueberries so I completed the one cup with strawberries, so it was a sort of Lemon Blueberry Strawberry Pound cake, and it was just wonderful! Definitely making this again.
I made two loafs and they were awesome. I made one tweak to the recipe. I added cinnamon to the blueberries. I will definitely make it again.
I can’t wait to try this. Your instructions are so thorough and I feel like it will be a hit
I made several to share after a blueberry picking excursion.
This cake was a bit heavy for my taste.
I just made this, and it is delicious! My only concerns are 1. that it didn’t rise in the middle as cakes do, and 2. the blueberries sank to the bottom. Can you tell me what I may have done wrong? Thank you!
Hi Meg, glad that overall you enjoyed it but sorry about the problems you had. What brand of flour do you use?
Coat the blueberries in flour before adding them.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/how-to/2012/08/how-to-keep-blueberries-from-sinking-in-batter