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    Home » Recipes » Cakes & Cupcakes

    Published: Jun 30, 2023 by Paula Montenegro · Income from ads and affiliates

    Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake (with simple glaze)

    Jump to Recipe
    A blueberry bread with grey background, blue text overlay
    Cut pound cake with blueberries on wooden board and grey background with purple text overlay

    A classic flavor pairing, this buttery pound cake is sweet and perfectly dense, with a lot of lemon flavor and bursting with juicy blueberries. The top will bake to a golden brown, rise and crack slightly, as good loaf cakes do. It keeps well, can be frozen, used in trifles, and is also wonderful eaten plain, without the glaze.

    Table of Contents Open
    Why make this recipe
    Ingredient list
    How to make a blueberry pound cake
    Sweet lemon glaze
    Kitchen notes
    Related recipes you might like:
    Glazed Lemon Blueberry Loaf Cake
    Glazed blueberry pound cake with front cut on wooden board, blueberries around, grey background.


    We are fierce lovers of simple bakes in this blog, and this is a fantastic addition to our pound cake recipes.

    We love their simplicity with that dense, amazing, and unparalleled crumb that is expected in a classic pound cake recipe.

    This lemon loaf cake is our star recipe, and the strawberry pound cake comes second. This lemon blueberry loaf today is a mix of both.

    Why make this recipe

    • Flavor: the combination of blueberries and lemon is amazing and a crowd-pleaser. And this is a recipe you can make year-round. Use fresh or frozen berries, and add a little lemon extract if your citrus lacks flavor.
    • Texture: it's a dense but moist cake, with that wonderful tight crumb that is characteristic of traditional pound cakes.
    • Pan size: this recipe can be baked in a loaf pan. Or double the cake batter and bake it in a bundt pan.
    • Make ahead: it keeps well in the refrigerator for a week, always wrapped in plastic. And can be frozen for a month.
    • Serving it: eat it as a snack cake, plain or glazed. Freeze it for later and use it in a trifle. Add a dollop of whipped cream and fresh blueberries to a thick slice on a plate for a dessert-like presentation. So many possibilities.
    Front view of glazed blueberry pound cake's interior on wooden board, bluish background.

    Watch our video tutorials 👇🏻


    Ingredient list

    • Lemon: this pound cake uses fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to achieve the best possible lemon flavor.
    • Blueberries: seasonal, fresh blueberries are always the best, but, as explained before, this recipe works perfectly well with frozen ones.
    • Cream cheese: the regular type, full-fat cream cheese is needed for consistency and creaminess. I always use Philadelphia original cream cheese, but other premium brands work fine. It adds moisture and helps create a fantastic crumb.
    • Unsalted butter.
    • Eggs: fresh, large.
    • Flour: all-purpose flour or cake flour, both work. The difference in texture is subtle.
    • Salt: I like using kosher salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.
    • Baking powder: make sure it hasn't expired.
    • Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works and is infinitely cheaper. 
    White surface with bowls containing lemon blueberry cake ingredients including butter, vanilla, flour mixture, sugar.

    How to make a blueberry pound cake

    It's a simple butter cake, but using an electric mixer and a large bowl, or the stand mixer (with the paddle attachment), is encouraged. Otherwise, you'll need a lot of arm muscle to beat this properly.

    All ingredients must be at room temperature for proper mixing.

    • Creaming. The soft butter is beaten with the sugar until fluffy and creamy (hence the name creaming method) and then the eggs are added. Add the sugar slowly as you beat the butter for best results, and mix well after adding each egg. It should all take 4-5 minutes. This will incorporate air and help the cake rise and be as fluffy as possible. Images 1 and 2.
    • Adding the flavorings. The vanilla extract, lemon juice and zest. I like to do this before adding the dry ingredients, especially the lemon zest, because they integrate better and produce a better flavor, but you can add them towards the end, with the blueberries or the cream cheese. Images 3 and 4.
    • Flour mixture. Also called the dry ingredients, they are added to the butter mixture in parts, alternating with the cream cheese. Make sure you don't beat it much after the dry ingredients are added, as it will make the cake tough. Use it at a low speed. Images 5 and 6.
    • Adding the berries. The blueberries are added at the end with a rubber spatula to avoid crushing them. Don't use the electric mixer. Mix them with a tablespoon of flour first so they don't sink to the bottom of the cake. Images 7 and 8.
    Adding sugar and egg to glass bowl with batter and electric mixer
    Vanilla being added to cake batter in glass bowl, also grating lemon zest over it
    Two image collage sifting flour over cake batter and adding sour cream, white surface
    Collage with glass bowl with cake batter and blueberries and mixing it with spatula

    Sweet lemon glaze

    I am a huge fan of simple icings for pound cakes.

    This quick & easy glaze has only 2 ingredients and adds another layer of sweet lemon flavor. We love it so much there's a whole post about powdered sugar glaze.

    • Cooled-down cake: it's essential before drizzling the glaze. Otherwise, it will thin out due to the heat.
    • Make it ahead: keep it refrigerated in an airtight container or tightly covered bowl. A thin shell will probably form on the top. Simply beat it again before using it. If needed, add another teaspoon or two of liquid.

    Kitchen notes

    • Organization: always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients, at the right temperatures, and also the rest of the equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!
    • Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust. 
    • Different pans: one recipe is perfect for a medium loaf pan. But it can be doubled and made in a tube pan or simple bundt pan with 10-12 cup capacity. Don't be tempted to use intricate patterned pans, as the blueberries might stick, and the baked cake will be difficult to remove. The baking time will vary, of course, and will probably be about 1 hour. You might want to reference this Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt cake.
    • Serving it: I love it plain, at room temperature, with lemon glaze or without. But this is a great recipe for a trifle (layers of whipped cream, more fresh blueberries and lemon curd). Or serve a thick slice with whipped cream and more fresh berries.
    • Blueberry pound cake: omit the lemon zest and make a blueberry loaf. Use orange juice and zest for a different flavor combination.
    Square image of cut blueberry bread on wooden board, grey background, loose fresh blueberries
    Can you add frozen blueberries to a pound cake?

    Yes, absolutely! In fact, I make blueberry cakes year-round using frozen berries. No need to thaw them, add them directly to the batter.

    Does blueberry pound cake need to be refrigerated?

    It does after a day or two, especially if the room is not cool. Fruit starts to ferment at some point, and though it can take a few days and depends a lot on environmental temperatures, it will make the baked thing go bad in a short time. So I wrap the cakes and refrigerate them after two days at the most.

    How do you make a lemon pound cake moist from scratch?

    Use cream cheese as this recipe does, sour cream or oil. And don't overbake it; keep it in plastic wrap if not eaten the first day it's baked. Refrigeration will start to dry any cake after a few days, so you might want to freeze it if you are not eating it. Always well wrapped.

    A blueberry pound cake with two cut slices on wooden board

    Related recipes you might like:

    • Cut Lemon Blueberry Cake on cake stand
      Lemon Blueberry Cake
    • Close up top view of squares of blueberry crumb cake in a metal square pan with parchment paper.
      Blueberry Crumb Cake
    • Slice of lemon cake with blueberry sauce on white plate, silver fork, white background.
      Lemon Polenta Cake (easy recipe)
    • Serving of blueberry cobbler in a white bowl with a light blue spoon. Close up image.
      Best Old Fashioned Blueberry Cobbler (easy recipe)

    Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
    You might also consider subscribing to our FREE email series to Boost your Home Baking Skills! And our regular newsletter.
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    Square image of cut blueberry bread on wooden board, grey background, loose fresh blueberries

    Glazed Lemon Blueberry Loaf Cake

    ★★★★★

    5 from 2 reviews

    Print Recipe
    Save Recipe Recipe Saved

    A classic flavor pairing, this pound cake is sweet and perfectly dense, with a lot of lemon flavor and bursting with juicy blueberries. The top will bake to a golden brown, rise and crack slightly, as all good loaf cakes do. It keeps well, can be frozen, used in trifles, and is also wonderful eaten plain, with or without the sweet lemon glaze.

    • Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
    • Yield: 10 servings

    Ingredients

    Units

    For the cake:

    • 1 ½ cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
    • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose or cake flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 1 cup white granulated sugar
    • 4 eggs, at room temperature
    • ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    • ¼ cup cream cheese, at room temperature (see Notes for substitutions)

    For the glaze:

    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • A tablespoon or more of lemon juice

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
    • Butter or spray a 9x4 inch (10x24 cm) loaf pan and, if you want, add a strip of parchment paper to cover the bottom and two shorter sides. This will make it easier to remove the cake. 
    • Wash and dry the blueberries if fresh, or use directly from the freezer but make sure they are not clumped. 

    For the cake:

    1. Beat soft butter for 20 seconds in a large bowl with electric beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. 
    2. Add sugar gradually while you continue beating at medium speed, and then for 3 more minutes after adding all of it. The mixture should be light in color, fluffy and the sugar will have partially dissolved. 
    3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl regularly. 
    4. Add vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice and mix. It might look curdled, but don't worry.
    5. Remove and reserve 1 tablespoon of the flour. Sift the rest with the dry ingredients (flour, salt and baking powder) together in a bowl, or have them measured and sift them directly over the cake batter. 
    6. Add them in 2 parts, alternating with the cream cheese in 1 part. That means you start and end with the dry ingredients. 
    7. Mix and integrate it well, but don't beat much at this point. After adding the last part of the flour mixture, you should have most of it not incorporated when you add the berries. After adding the flour, cake batters should not be beaten too much as that will develop gluten and toughen the baked cake. 
    8. Toss blueberries with the reserved tablespoon of flour, add to the batter and combine with a spatula. Make sure everything is incorporated, but try not to crush the blueberries. There should be no flour spots, but some specks around the berries are fine. You should have a thick, smooth batter with berries.
    9. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. 
    10. Bake in the middle rack for about 45 minutes, until it rises, the top cracks and a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Pound cakes are dense so make sure it's fully baked. If the top is browning too quickly but the middle is not done, cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum paper and continue to bake.
    11. Cool on a wire rack and remove carefully from the pan, removing the strip of paper. 
    12. Drizzle the glaze over and let it dry before cutting and eating. 
    13. Keep leftovers at room temperature for a day or two or in the refrigerator for several days, with plastic wrap in both cases, or frozen for a month, well wrapped also. 

    For the glaze:

    1. Put the powdered sugar in a bowl and add half the lemon juice.
    2. Check to see the consistency. It should be like thick honey. Add more juice if needed to adjust the consistency. 
    3. Pour over the cooled cake and let drip down the sides. Let dry before cutting. 

    Notes

    • Organization: always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients, at the right temperatures, and also the rest of the equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!
    • Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes are as accurate as I they can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer that is placed inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust. 
    • No cream cheese? You can use regular sour cream or Greek yogurt instead of the cream cheese, same amount. The crumb will be a tad less dense and a smidge more tangy. They both add great moisture and tenderness.
    • Make ahead: you can keep the cake in the fridge for a few days or the freezer for a month, well wrapped. But if you store it after the glaze is applied, it will lose some of its shine and probably and be a little mushy, but it will still taste good. So, if you want to make it ahead before serving and maintain a shiny glaze, I recommend you store the pound cake plain and ice it an hour or so before serving. I wrap it first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil and freeze it up to a month. You can use other type of airtight container or wrapper, just make sure no air is getting into it to prevent freezer burn.
    • Bundt cake: you can easily double this recipe and bake it in a tube pan or simple bundt pan, avoid the ones with very intricate patterns as the cake might stick more.
    • Author: Paula Montenegro
    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Cooling time: 60 minutes
    • Cook Time: 45 minutes
    • Category: Cakes
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: International

    Keywords: lemon blueberry pound cake

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @vintagekitchenblog on Instagram and hashtag it #vintagekitchenblog

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    About Paula Montenegro

    I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe developer, sharing the best ones here with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

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    Comments

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    1. Teresa Wilensky says

      June 07, 2022 at 2:44 pm

      Loved this recipe. The texture was dense and very "pound-cakey", moist, and delicious. Would absolutely make again.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        June 07, 2022 at 5:14 pm

        So happy to hear this Teresa!

        Reply
    2. sandra m peters says

      April 15, 2022 at 3:47 pm

      Why did my cake break apart when I removed it from the pan?

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        April 17, 2022 at 5:49 pm

        Hi Sandra, it might have to do with overbeating or removing it while still very hot.

        Reply
    3. Cassandra Wright Fields says

      April 09, 2022 at 7:09 pm

      Baking soda or baking powder?!

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        April 09, 2022 at 8:20 pm

        Baking powder

        Reply
    4. Carol says

      January 13, 2022 at 3:15 pm

      This is a wonderful cake? Do you have a recipe for mini-bundt cakes?

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        January 13, 2022 at 6:19 pm

        Hi Carol, most regular bundt cake recipes can be baked in mini bundt pans. The baking time will be less, maybe half, so check carefully.

        Reply
    5. karla C miller says

      September 04, 2021 at 12:52 pm

      Where does the cream cheese go?

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        September 04, 2021 at 5:22 pm

        Hi Karla, you add it alternating with the dry ingredients.

        Reply
    6. Diane says

      August 05, 2021 at 6:53 pm

      This recipe looks. Very good I am going to try it. I like blueberries. Thanks for the recipe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        August 05, 2021 at 7:13 pm

        Thanks for letting me know Diane! Hope you like it.

        Reply
    7. angiesrecipes says

      July 07, 2021 at 9:25 am

      I love that tender pound-cake like texture! Wish I could have a slice with my afternoon tea 🙂

      Reply

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