Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cake with Creamy Layers and Tangy Frosting

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cake

This lemon blueberry cheesecake cake is the kind of dessert that makes people stop mid sentence and reach for a second slice.

Three components come together in one beautiful cake: a moist lemon blueberry cake, a creamy blueberry cheesecake layer, and a sweet and tangy lemon cream cheese frosting.

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It is a spring and summer favorite in my kitchen, and it works just as well for a birthday, a bridal shower, or a lazy Sunday when you want something that looks like it came from a bakery. Yes, the ingredient list looks long.

No, it is not difficult. Let me walk you through every step.

How to Make the Lemon Blueberry Cake Layer

The cake layers are a tender butter cake brightened with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest, then dotted with juicy blueberries. I love how the tart lemon keeps the sweetness in check, so every bite tastes fresh instead of heavy.

Here is the part that surprises most home bakers: the recipe looks long, but the actual work is simple. Cream the butter and sugar, add the eggs, alternate the dry and wet ingredients, fold in the berries, and bake. That is it.

I have made this in a tiny apartment kitchen with one mixing bowl and one hand mixer, and it still came out beautiful.

A quick tip I learned the hard way: toss the blueberries in a few teaspoons of flour before folding them in. It keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the pan.

How to Make the Blueberry Cheesecake Layer

Adding a blueberry cheesecake layer between the frosted cake layers is what turns a good cake into a showstopper. Instead of a plain cheesecake filling, this one gets its flavor and its pretty purple color from fresh blueberries that are pulsed right into the cream cheese.

I had never pureed berries into a cheesecake batter before I tried this, and it worked better than I expected. The texture stays creamy and smooth, and the color is soft and natural rather than artificial.

It bakes in a water bath, which sounds fussy but really just means a roasting pan, some boiling water, and a pan wrapped in foil.

How to Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

The frosting is smooth, creamy, and flecked with lemon zest, and honestly it tastes like spreadable cheesecake. Please use full fat brick style cream cheese.

The tub kind and the light kind both turn thin and runny, and no amount of powdered sugar will fix it once the frosting has gone soupy. Softened butter and softened cream cheese, beaten just until the lumps disappear, then the sugar goes in.

Assembling Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cake

Assembly is where it all comes together, and it takes about five minutes. One cake layer goes down on the serving plate, then a thin layer of frosting, then the chilled cheesecake layer, then another thin layer of frosting, then the second cake layer. The remaining frosting goes over the whole cake.

Then comes the hardest step in the entire recipe: refrigerate it for at least 45 minutes before you cut it. If you skip this, the layers slide and the slices fall apart. I learned that one the impatient way.

Craving for more berry desserts? Check these easy recipes:

If berries are your thing, add a Very Berry Dessert Lasagna to your list.

It is an easy no bake summer treat layered with fresh strawberries and blueberries, and it comes together without turning on the oven at all.

Ingredients

This cake is built from three separate components, so the list below is organized by group. Read through it once before you start and set everything out, because room temperature dairy really does matter here.

Blueberry Cheesecake

• 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
• 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Lemon Blueberry Cake

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons corn starch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 and 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, and if you use frozen ones do not thaw them
• 3 to 4 teaspoons flour, for tossing the blueberries

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

• 12 oz full fat brick style cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest

For garnish

• lemon wedges, optional
• fresh blueberries, optional

Instructions

The whole recipe comes together in four stages: the cheesecake, the cake layers, the frosting, and the assembly. Start with the cheesecake, because it needs time to chill before it can be stacked.

Stage 1: Blueberry Cheesecake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease an 8 inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the pan in a double layer of heavy duty aluminum foil so water cannot leak in during the water bath.
2. Pulse the blueberries and the room temperature cream cheese in a food processor, then transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.
3. Add the sugar and the flour and beat until smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition just to combine. Do not over mix.
5. Finally mix in the sour cream and the heavy cream. Pour the batter into the springform pan and smooth the top, then set the pan inside a roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the side of the springform pan, making sure no water drips onto the batter. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the center has set.
6. Remove the springform pan from the water bath, run a thin knife around the cake, and cool it to room temperature. Then refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to cool completely.

Stage 2: Lemon Blueberry Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter and lightly flour two 8 inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper circles.
2. Sift together 2 cups of flour, the corn starch, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.
3. Stir together the milk and the lemon juice and set aside to curdle.
4. Beat the butter and the sugar on medium high until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
5. With the mixer running on low, add the eggs one at a time and mix after each addition.
6. Add the vanilla extract and the lemon zest and mix to combine.
7. Add one third of the flour mixture, then half of the milk mixture, then one third of the flour mixture, then the remaining milk mixture, and finish with the last of the flour mixture. Mix to combine after each addition, but do not over mix.
8. In a small bowl, gently toss the blueberries with the flour to coat them, then gently fold them into the batter, being careful not to break the berries.
9. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Stage 3: Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Mix the butter and the cream cheese on medium speed until no lumps remain. Do not over beat before the sugar goes in, or you may end up with a runny frosting.
2. Add the vanilla, the salt, and the lemon zest and mix until combined.
3. Gradually add the powdered sugar until the frosting reaches the sweetness and thickness you want. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat until smooth.

Stage 4: Assembling the Cake

1. Place one cake layer on a serving plate and top it with a thin layer of lemon cream cheese frosting. Place the chilled blueberry cheesecake layer on top and add another thin layer of frosting. Finally, top with the second cake layer and frost the whole cake with the remaining frosting.
2. Decorate with lemon wedges and fresh blueberries if you like.
3. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before cutting, otherwise the cake may fall apart as you slice it. Store the finished cake in the fridge.

Notes

Want to get ahead? Both the cake layers and the cheesecake layer can be made a day in advance. Cool them completely to room temperature, wrap them well in plastic wrap, and keep them in the fridge overnight.

The next day, make the frosting and assemble the cake. That is how I handle this recipe when I am baking for a party, and it turns one long project into two calm evenings.

Do not skip the chill time. That rest in the fridge is what keeps the cheesecake layer firm and the slices neat.

Recipe details

Here is the quick overview from the recipe card.

Source nutrition per slice, based on 1/12 of the cake: 742 calories, 78 g carbohydrates, 9 g protein, 44 g fat, 25 g saturated fat, 2 g fiber, 56 g sugar, 320 mg sodium, and 135 mg cholesterol.

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Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cake

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Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cake This lemon blueberry cheesecake cake is the kind of dessert that makes people stop mid sentence and reach for a second slice. Three components come together in one beautiful cake: a moist lemon blueberry cake, a creamy blueberry cheesecake layer, and a sweet and tangy lemon cream cheese frosting.

• Total Time: 840 min
• Yield: 12 slices 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Blueberry Cheesecake
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs eggs, room temperature
1 egg yolk egg yolk, room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup heavy cream

Lemon Blueberry Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 and 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs eggs
1 egg white egg white
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/2 cup milk
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh (if use frozen do not thaw)
3–4 teaspoons flour, to toss the blueberries

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
12 oz. full-fat brick style cream cheese, softened
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 1/2–4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon lemon zest

For garnish
lemon wedges
fresh blueberries

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Instructions

Blueberry Cheesecake
1-Preheat the oven to 350 F: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Wrap springform pan in double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent water from leaking in during the baking in a water bath.
2-To make the cheesecake pulse blueberries and: To make the cheesecake pulse blueberries and cream cheese in a food processor, then transfer the mixture in a mixing bowl.
3-Add sugar and flour and beat until: Add sugar and flour and beat until smooth and creamy. Mix in vanilla.
4-Add eggs, one at the time mixing: Add eggs, one at the time mixing after each addition just to combine, do not over mix.
5-Finally mix in sour cream and heavy: Finally mix in sour cream and heavy cream. Pour the batter into springform pan and smooth the top, then place in a roasting pan. Pour boiling water in roasting pan halfway up the side of the springform pan and make sure no water drip on the batter and bake 40-45 minutes or until the center has set.
6-Remove springform pan from water bath, then: Remove springform pan from water bath, then run a thin knife around the cake and cool to a room temperature, then place in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to cool completely.

Lemon Blueberry Cake
7-Preheat oven to 350 F, butter and: Preheat oven to 350 F, butter and lightly flour two 8-inches round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper circles.
8-Sift together 2 cups flour, corn starch,: Sift together 2 cups flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt and set aside.
9-Stir together milk and lemon juice and: Stir together milk and lemon juice and set aside to curdle.
10-Beat butter and sugar on medium-high until: Beat butter and sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
11-With the mixer running on low, add: With the mixer running on low, add eggs one at a time and mix after each addition.
12-Add vanilla extract and lemon zest and: Add vanilla extract and lemon zest and mix to combine.
13-First add 1/3 of the flour mixture,: First add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then add half of the milk mixture, then 1/3 of the flour mixture, then remaining milk mixture milk, and finish with the flour mixture. Mix to combine after each addition, but do not over mix.
14-In a small bowl, gently toss blueberries: In a small bowl, gently toss blueberries with flour to coat, then gently fold blueberries into batter, being careful not to break the berries.
15-Divide batter evenly between pans, smooth the: Divide batter evenly between pans, smooth the top and bake for 30-35 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

Cream Cheese Frosting
16-Mix the butter and cream cheese on: Mix the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until no lumps remain. Do not over beat before the sugar was added or may end up with a runny frosting.
17-Add vanilla, salt and lemon zest and: Add vanilla, salt and lemon zest and mix until combined.
18-Gradually add powdered sugar until desired sweetness: Gradually add powdered sugar until desired sweetness and thickness is reached. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat until smooth.

Assembling the Cake
19-Place one layer of cake onto serving: Place one layer of cake onto serving plate and top with thin layer of lemon cream cheese frosting. Place blueberry cheesecake layer and top with thin layer of frosting. Finally, top with second cake layer and frost cake with remaining frosting. Decorate with lemon wedges and fresh blueberries if desired. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before cutting or else the cake may fall apart as you cut.
20-Store in the fridge: Store in the fridge.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 60 min
• Cook Time: 80 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 cake)
• Calories: 742
• Sugar: 56 g
• Sodium: 320 mg
• Fat: 44 g
• Saturated Fat: 25 g
• Carbohydrates: 78 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 9 g
• Cholesterol: 135 mg