This lemon blueberry bundt cake is the perfect spring and summer cake! Tangy lemon taste, juicy blueberries and rich buttery flavours in a moist and fluffy crumb. Pairs deliciously with a fresh and tangy lemon glaze that isn’t too sweet.

I love citrus flavours, but this lemon blueberry bundt cake probably takes the cake – pardon the pun! It’s bursting with natural flavours so light and refreshing, you’ll want to savour it all year.

But this beautiful summer cake isn’t just about a classic flavour combination. When I started testing this recipe, I intended to make a lemon blueberry cake that tastes as rich and buttery as a pound cake, only lighter and fluffier.

Lemon blueberry bundt cake drizzled with lemon glaze this recipe

Table of contents

I wanted a lemon blueberry cake to be extra moist and tender without having to soak it with syrup. Because let’s face it, dry, crumbly cakes are just sad, heartbreaking, and as exasperating as getting to a concert only to realise you’d forgotten the tickets.

But I wasn’t quite done with the recipe at this point. Not only did I want a moist and fluffy lemony blueberry-filled cake, it also needed to bake up perfectly in a bundt pan.

And I have to say, I’ve finally nailed it! This recipe makes the most amazing lemon blueberry bundt cake. Nothing beats the feeling of pure bliss when you flip the pan to reveal this beautiful golden crusted cake in full stunning glory.

Why I love this lemon blueberry bundt cake

This lemon blueberry bundt cake is a huge hit with my family and friends because its one of the moistest bundt cakes ever.

It’s got just the right amount of lemon flavour – and I have to say it’s generously lemony – to give it a nice zing without overwhelming the sweetness of the crumb.

But I love this cake for admittedly selfish reasons. :p

One – I think bundt cakes are simply the prettiest cakes on earth.

Two – I’m super obsessed with bundt pans.

Three – Bundt cakes are so easy that I actually enjoy the baking process. Who needs more stress lines on their face, right?

Seriously, bundt cakes always look super duper impressive. People will think you’ve either had it made to order from your favourite bakery, spent hours in the kitchen making a complicated recipe, or you’re truly a master baker pulling out all the stops.

Lemon blueberry bundt cake drizzled with lemon glaze

But the truth is, they’re deceptively easy to make and as simple as baking with a fancy tube pan. If you’ve baked an angel food cake or a chiffon cake, you’ll know that they use a tube pan known as a chiffon pan.

This is the same thing except bundt cakes are even easier to put together and bundt pans are way more groovy and fancy!

You don’t even have to decorate a bundt cake, save for a dusting of powdered sugar or a simple glaze, because a bundt pan does most of the work for you with it’s pretty fluted sides.

Ingredients to make lemon blueberry bundt cake

This lemon blueberry cake recipe is so easy to make and uses simple ingredients. Use fresh blueberries if in season, though frozen berries will work equally well.

  • plain or all purpose flour. Use regular all-purpose flour. I do not recommend using cake flour or pastry flour as the lower protein content can produce an overly crumbly cake.
  • fresh or frozen blueberries. Fresh blueberries tend to bake up sweeter from my experience, and won’t bleed into the batter. To use frozen berries, toss in a bit of flour just before adding into or sprinkling over the batter – do not thaw.
  • unsalted butter. Use a good quality butter to impart a rich and creamy buttery flavour. Skip the salt if using salted butter.
  • caster sugar. Caster sugar has very fine crystals which cut effectively through butter, creating lots of tiny air pockets resulting in a lighter, fluffier and airier butter mixture.
  • lemon juice and zest. Gives this cake its intense lemon flavour and fragrance. I use as much as 1/4 cup of juices from fresh lemons and the zest of a whole lemon in this cake.
  • sour cream. Adds moisture without thinning the batter and infuses the cake with a tangy creaminess. The acidity of sour cream also reacts chemically with baking soda (an alkaline), producing carbon dioxide gas that helps the cake rise.
  • vanilla extract. Lemon and vanilla go so well together. I use a teaspoon of unsweetened pure vanilla extract, just enough to add a sweet warmth without overwhelming the hero flavour in our cake. You can also add a dash of lemon extract for a bolder lemon flavour.
  • baking powder. Leavens the cake batter and gives it an even rise.
  • baking soda. Reacts chemically with sour cream and lemon juice to create a tender and fluffy crumb.
  • salt. Balances the sweetness and improves the overall flavour of the cake.
  • confectioners’ sugar (not shown). Makes a sweet tangy lemon glaze with lemon juice, vanilla, butter and salt.
Ingredients to make lemon blueberry Bundt Cake

Equipment you’ll need

How to make this lemon blueberry cake recipe: Step-by-step

Prep

  • Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Set the mode to top and bottom heating with a rack placed in the middle of the oven.
  • Grease the bundt pan generously with softened butter or shortening. Use a pastry brush to get the grease into every nook and cranny, especially if your bundt pan has intricate grooves. Sprinkle flour until it thoroughly coats the grease and tap out the excess.
  • Bring butter to the ideal temperature. Allow butter to loose its chill in a cool area of your kitchen until reaches an ideal temperature between 18 – 19°C (64.4 – 66.2°F). This is key to successful creaming to ensure the best possible aeration. If you don’t have a thermometer, test the butter with your finger. When pressed, it should be cool to the touch and make a slight indent without leaving an oily feel.
  • Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. Pull out cold ingredients like sour cream, eggs, and butter (except if using frozen blueberries) from the chiller at least 30 minutes beforehand.
A slice of lemon blueberry bundt cake slices topped with lemon glaze set on a serving plate

Make the lemon blueberry cake batter

  1. Dry ingredients: Sift together the plain flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl.
  2. Blueberries: In a large bowl, toss fresh blueberries with a tablespoon of flour until evenly coated. Note: If using frozen blueberries, coat them just before adding to the cake batter.
  3. Butter mixture: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 – 6 minutes, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  4. Add eggs: Tip in one egg at a time, making sure the butter mixture smoothens out before adding the next.
  5. Add lemon juice, zest and vanilla extract: Tip in the lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract all at once. Beat until the mixture comes together, about 30 seconds.
  6. Add dry mixture: Reduce the mixer setting to low speed. Add the flour mixture in 3 lots alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Do not over beat, stop once the flour is absorbed into the batter.
  7. Add the sour cream. Beat in ½ of the sour cream. Beat in the second lot of the flour mixture, followed by the remaining sour cream.
  8. Finish up the batter. Add the remaining flour mixture. Again, be careful not to over mix. Stop once the batter is smooth and at the same consistency throughout. Option: At this point, you can fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula or as I show here, layer them into the batter when filling the bundt pan.
Sifted flour mixture for lemon blueberry cake batter
Blueberries coated in flour
Creamed butter and sugar mixture
Butter mixture after adding eggs
Adding lemon juice, zest and vanilla extract to butter mixture
Adding flour alternately with sour cream to butter mixture
Adding sour cream alternately with flour to butter mixture
lemon cake batter before adding blueberries

Fill the bundt pan

  • If you’ve folded the blueberries into the batter, go ahead and spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Use a spatula to spread and level the batter and smoothen the top.
  • If you prefer to layer the blueberries (as shown below), start by spooning ⅓ of the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Spread a layer of blueberries on top. Repeat with one more layer of batter and blueberries, making sure you finish with a thin layer of batter to cover the blueberries. Level the batter and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula.
Filling the pan with the first layer of batter and blueberries
Filling the pan with the second layer of batter and blueberries
baked lemon blueberry cake cooled in the bundt pan

Bake

  • Bake in the centre of the oven for 50 – 55 minutes, or until the cake tests done. Test with a metal skewer and add a few more minutes to the baking time if needed.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Meanwhile, make the lemon glaze.
Lemon blueberry bundt cake set on a serving plate before drizzling with lemon glaze

Make the lemon glaze

This simple lemon glaze couldn’t be any easier! In a separate bowl, mix powdered sugar, lemon juice, butter and salt all together until smooth and free of lumps. And you’re done.

If the lemon glaze thickens too quickly before the cake has cooled, warm it in a microwave oven. Use the lowest power setting at 10-second intervals until it’s at the consistency you want. If it’s too runny, let the lemon glaze sit and it will thicken as it cools.

If you prefer a thicker, creamier glaze, make a cream cheese glaze by swapping lemon juice for orange juice in the glaze recipe, or a richer whipped cream cheese frosting. They all pair deliciously with this lemon blueberry bundt cake.

How to make ahead and freeze

This lemon blueberry bundt cake is an excellent make-ahead dessert. To retain its freshness, freeze the cake on the same day it’s baked, but do not glaze.

Once completely cooled, wrap the cake in several layers of plastic wrap and seal tight. Wrap with a final layer of aluminium foil.

Sit the wrapped bundt cake flat on a rack in the freezer, and avoid stacking anything on top of it. It will keep well for up to 3 months.

Pull it from the freezer and into the chiller, still wrapped, to thaw overnight. Alternatively, you can unwrap the cake and let it thaw at room temperature for 2 – 3 hours.

Once the cake is thawed through, make the lemon glaze and drizzle over the lemon blueberry bundt cake as desired.

Drizzling lemon glaze over the top of a lemon blueberry bundt cake

How to store a bundt cake

Before storing, make sure the bundt cake is completely cooled. Cut into slices or leave it whole, and store in an airtight container or cake box.

At room temperature, this lemon blueberry bundt cake keeps well for 3 days. Beyond this time, store in the chiller to extend its freshness.

A slice of lemon blueberry cake showing the cake's soft and tender texture, set on a plate, with a forkful of moist cake crumbs.

Frequently asked questions

How do I prevent my cake from sticking to the bundt pan?

Make sure you generously grease the bundt pan. I find that softened butter, shortening or nonstick spray works best for most pans. Use a pastry brush to get the grease into all the grooves, including the funnel, especially if your bundt pan has an intricate design.

Sprinkle a little flour to thoroughly coat the grease, then flip the pan over a sink and tap all around the sides of the pan to tap out the excess.

Avoid using melted butter or oil unless you grease the pan just before filling it with batter. This is because liquid grease tends to pool at the bottom of the pan when left to sit while you make the recipe.

Can I bake with other cake pans?

The recipe makes enough batter to bake in a pan with a 10- or 12-cup capacity. The amount of batter this recipe makes will fill ONE of the following:

– 9 x 2 inch square pans
– 10 × 2 inch round pans
– 11 × 7 inch cake pans
– 9 × 2.5 inch springform pans
– 10 × 3 inch bundt pans
– 8.5 inch loaf pans – makes TWO loaf cakes.

If you do use a baking pan or mould other than the type and size recommended in the recipe, make sure you fill no more than 3/4 of the pan. The remaining batter can be baked in cupcake moulds or muffin cups.

Please note that baking times will vary depending on the pan used. Observe the cake as it bakes and use a cake tester to check for doneness.

Can I add nuts and other fruits?

Yes, absolutely. For best results, consider the shape and size of your add-ins. You can incorporate chopped nuts including walnuts, brazil nuts and pecans (lightly toast before adding to the batter) as well as dried fruit like raisins and sultanas.

If incorporating fresh berries like raspberries and cranberries, or chopped apples and pears, lightly toss in a bit of flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom. 

How do I release the cake from a bundt pan?

Once removed from the oven, allow the cake to sit in the pan for 15 minutes. Use an offset spatula to gently nudge the cake away from the sides of the pan.

Place a wire rack over the pan. Holding the bundt pan and rack firmly together with both hands, flip over swiftly in one go. Now gently lift up the bundt pan – slowly.

If the cake is still sticking a bit in certain spots, wiggle the pan gently. If this doesn’t free the cake, flip back the pan. Use a small knife or offset spatula to scrape down the sides that are still sticking. Then place the wire rack over the bundt pan as before, and flip over to release the cake.

Lemon Blueberry Pinterest Pin

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This lemon blueberry bundt cake will be exactly what you need as a centrepiece dessert at a party, picnic or summer BBQ. I guarantee you’ll be as popular (and deservedly so) as the cake itself!

If you tried this lemon blueberry bundt cake, don’t forget to rate it or leave a review to let me know how you managed, I’d love to know!

More cakes you may like: 

Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze

close-up view of a slice of lemon blueberry bundt cake
4.9 from 10 reviews
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
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This lemon blueberry bundt cake is the perfect spring and summer cake! A moist and fluffy blueberry-filled butter cake topped with a nice, tangy lemon glaze.

Ingredients

  • 345 g plain or all purpose flour
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 227 g unsalted butter at cool room temperature
  • 300 g caster sugar
  • 4 large eggs 60 – 63 g (2 – 2.25 oz) each still in its shell
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • 240 g sour cream
  • 220 g fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw)
  • 1 tbsp flour for coating blueberries

For the lemon glaze

  • 120 g confectioner's sugar
  • 2 tsp melted butter
  • 1½ tbsp lemon juice
  • pinch of salt

Instructions
 

  • Prep: Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F) with top and bottom heating mode. Grease the bundt pan thoroughly with shortening, vegetable oil spray or softened butter. Make sure the grease gets into all the grooves. Sprinkle flour liberally over the grease and tap out the excess.

Make the cake

  • Sift together the plain flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 tbsp flour until evenly coated.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or using handheld beaters, beat butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 – 6 minutes, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is well incorporated into the butter mixture before adding the next.
  • Add the vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest and beat until the mixture comes together, about 30 seconds.
  • Turn down the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three lots alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat or fold in each lot until well combined. Do not over mix, just enough to get the batter smooth and creamy.
  • Lastly, fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the greased bundt pan. Level the batter and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula. 
    Note: Alternatively, fill the pan with ⅓ of the batter. Spread a layer of blueberries on top. Repeat until the batter is used up, making sure you finish with a thin layer of batter to cover the blueberries.
  • Bake in the centre of the oven for 50 – 55 minutes, or until the cake tests done. To check, insert a metal skewer or cake tester into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done. If it comes out sticky or covered in batter, add 5 – 7 minutes to the baking time.
    Note: If the cake browns too quickly before it is done, cover with a sheet of aluminium foil.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Make the lemon glaze

  • When the cake is completely cooled, make the lemon glaze. In a bowl, combine confectioner's sugar, butter, lemon juice and salt. Stir until smooth.
  • Spoon a bit of lemon glaze over the top and gently nudge it with the back of the spoon over the sides. If the glaze thickens too quickly, microwave on low power setting for 5 – 10 seconds until it's at the consistency you want.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 417kcal, Carbohydrates: 61g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 109mg, Sodium: 234mg, Potassium: 104mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 708IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 70mg, Iron: 2mg
Cuisine: American, Western
Course: Breakfast, Desserts, Tea
Author: Celia Lim
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a review in the section below, and tag @foodelicacy on Instagram and hashtag it #foodelicacy so I can see!