If you are looking for a beautiful spring-inspired cake, then this blueberry lemon cake. This cake is made with a delicious vanilla sour cream cake and layered with a quick homemade chia jam. Lastly, it’s topped with a lemony cream cheese icing. This cake is bright, healthier than traditional recipes, and perfect for spring!
Making vanilla cake
Making vanilla cake has presented me with quite the challenge in the past. I’ve found a few tricks to making a yummy vanilla cake recipe. Here they are.
- Make sure all your dairy is at room temperature. If it’s cold in your kitchen it’s important to remember that your butter needs to be very soft. It may be best to allow it to come to room temperature beside your oven. You can even let your eggs set in some slightly warm water to speed up the process for them.
- Whip the butter and sugar really well.
- Add in remaining wet ingredients a little at a time mixing in between.
- Don’t skimp on the vanilla in amount or quality.
- Be careful not to get too much flour.
Blueberry Chia Jam
Adding this easy homemade jam adds just the right amount of brightness to this cake. If you haven’t made chia jam before, believe me, it’s really easy! I have made this jam with fresh and frozen berries in the past, and both work amazingly! Chia jam is as simple as:
- Measuring the berries into the saucepan.
- Adding a little sweetener like sugar or maple syrup.
- Adding in a little liquid like water or in this case lemon juice.
- Mix in your chia seeds.
- Simmer and smash everything together.
- Let cool and thicken.
This turns into the most delicious easy homemade jam with added benefits! Chia seeds will benefit you in several ways! Check this out!
Chia seeds
- Energy and stamina
- Good for the immune system
- Great for weight loss
- Healthy skin and hair
- Cleanses the colon
- Reduces inflammation
- Promotes good digestion.
What type of cake pan should I use?
For this cake, I have used three 6-inch cake pans. This makes a tall and beautiful cake. Yes, it’s smaller, but you can slice it rather thin for how tall it is.
You can also use two 8- inch rounds, a bundt cake pan, or make this recipe into cupcakes. If you make this a bundt cake with a dollop of chia jam on the side or place some on top of the icing. You could pipe some chia jam into the cupcakes then top with the icing.
Whatever you decide to bake this in. This blueberry lemon cake makes the perfect cake for entertaining or a special occasion!
For other spring desserts check these out!
Easy Blueberry cheesecake cups
Easy fruit salad with a cinnamon lemon dressing
Blueberry Lemon Cake
Equipment
- 6-inch cake pans
Ingredients
Vanilla cake
- 2 cups cake flour or unbleached flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon pink salt or sea salt
- 1 stick butter soft to room temperature
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 cup milk room temperature
- 4 teaspoon good quality vanilla
- lemon slices, fresh blueberries to decorate - optional
Blueberry Chia jam
- 2 cups blueberries could use frozen
- 2 tablespoon chia seeds
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- zest of a small lemon
Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
- 1 8oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 stick butter room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Zest from 1 large lemon
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice or lemon extract
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 and brush the three 6- inch pans (Or two 8-inch) with coconut oil or cooking spray.
- In a small mixing bowl whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl with a mixer cream together the butter and the sugar. Make sure the sugar is really soft at room temperature. Mix 2-4 minutes.
- Add in the room temperature eggs one at a time mixing each one well.
- Pour in the sour cream and mix well.
- Pour in the milk and mix until smooth.
- Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until smooth.
- Add in the vanilla and continue to mix until everything is smooth.
- Pour batter evenly into pans and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Set cakes aside to cool while you make the filling and icing.
Blueberry Chia Jam
- In a small saucepan add in all the ingredients for the chia jam.
- Allow this mix to come to a simmer and smash the berries. I use a potato masher, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
- Simmer for about 5 minutes or until thick and bubbly. If you are using frozen berries you may need to add another teaspoon or two of chia seeds.
- Turn off the heat and set it aside to cool and thicken.
Icing
- In a medium bowl with a mixer mix the cream cheese until smooth. Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature.
- Add in room temperature butter and cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Add in the powdered sugar and continue to mix. Taste and see if you want more sweetness (I don't like the icing very sweet)
- Add in lemon extract and zest and mix.
Assembly
- Place the bottom layer of the cake on a cake stand. Then add a layer of chia jam.
- Place the next cake on top and add another layer of chia jam.
- Add the 3rd and final cake on top and spread the icing over the entire cake.
- Decorate how you would like with lemon slices, fresh blueberries, or edible flowers.
- If you have any leftover jam you can serve with the cake or eat on toast!
