Lemon And Blueberry Pound Cake

This blueberry and lemon pound cake has a dense, moist crumb with a subtle citrus flavor that lets the blueberries shine. A simple lemon glaze finishes it off without making it overly sweet.

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When it comes to finding that perfect sweet-tart flavor blend, this lemon and blueberry pound cake lands right where it should: with a soft and sweet lemon flavor that never overpowers the blueberries. The real proof? My husband went back for a second piece before I'd even finished cleaning up the kitchen.

The crumb is my favorite part about this bread. It's dense in the way a real pound cake should be, but doesn't dry out fast. Every slice stayed moist, even the ones left out overnight.

This recipe comes together similar to some of my other quick breads, like this lemon pound cake that is incedibly moist and tender. One heads-up before you start: the batter is thick, thicker than you'd expect, and it fills a 9x5 loaf pan almost to the top. That's normal, not a sign anything went wrong.

I tested this one start to finish, so what follows includes exactly what worked and the small tweaks that make it even better the second time around.

What you'll need to make this lemon blueberry pound cake:

For the Pound Cake

• 1 ⅓ cup fresh blueberries, washed and dried - small, juicy berries work best; wash and dry thoroughly before starting
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour, for dusting the blueberries
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• ¾ cup salted butter, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice - the batter may look curdled once it goes in; that's normal and smooths out once the flour is added
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup whole milk, room temperature
• ⅓ cup sour cream, room temperature

For the Glaze

• 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 5 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest

Can I use frozen blueberries? Yes, you can use frozen blueberries in place of fresh. Add them straight from the freezer without thawing first. Thawed berries release extra moisture into the batter and are more likely to bleed color and sink.

FIRST STEP: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line an 8 ½ x 4 ½ loaf pan with a parchment paper sling. This makes it much easier to lift the cake out once it's baked. Spray the pan generously with baking spray before adding the parchment. (I like Baker's Joy spray the best.)

SECOND STEP: Toss the blueberries with 2 teaspoons of flour and set them aside. This helps keep them from settling too quickly once they're folded into the batter.

THIRD STEP: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest, rubbing them together with your fingers or a spoon.

This releases more of the lemon oils and gives the cake a stronger lemon flavor than just tossing the zest in separately.

FOURTH STEP: Beat the butter on medium-high speed for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, until it lightens in color.

Add the sugar and lemon zest mixture and continue beating for another 2 to 2 ½ minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

FIFTH STEP: Lower the mixer speed and add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, add the vanilla, then the lemon juice.

The batter will likely look curdled at this point. That's completely normal, and it smooths back out once the flour is added.

SIXTH STEP: Add the flour mixture in parts, alternating with the milk and sour cream, scraping down the bowl as you go.

The batter will be noticeably thick, thicker than a typical cake batter.

SEVENTH STEP: Gently fold in the flour-dusted blueberries with a spatula. Stir as little as possible. Whisking or overmixing at this stage will tint the whole batter blue.

EIGHTH STEP: Spoon the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top.

NINTH STEP: Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, but start checking at the 45 minute mark, both for doneness and for browning.

Ovens vary, and if the top of your bread starts browning before the center is set, tent the pan loosely with foil (don't tuck it down around the sides) and continue baking until a toothpick comes out clean with just a few crumbs attached.

TENTH STEP: Let the cake cool completely in the pan before removing it. This takes longer than you'd expect, likely close to 90 minutes

ELEVENTH STEP: Once cooled, use the parchment sling to lift the cake out and transfer it to a cooling rack set over a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, heavy cream, and lemon zest until smooth and pourable, then spoon the glaze over the top. Let the glaze set for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.

This blueberry lemon pound cake, like so many sweet breads, is easy to serve on its own, and at just about any time of day. If I make a loaf, we eat it around the clock till it's gone, so don't feel guilty if you want a slice first thing in the morning.

For breakfast or brunch, serve a slice alongside classic coffee cake, or with my biscuits and gravy breakfast casserole for a spread that covers both sweet and savory.

For dessert, top a slice with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The extra creaminess balances the tartness of the lemon.

Drink pairings work well too. A cup of hot tea or coffee complements the citrus, and if you're serving this for a summer gathering, iced tea or lemonade keeps the flavors on theme.

If you're building a dessert table, this pairs nicely with other blueberry baked treats, like blueberry lemon blondies, blueberry hand pies, or blueberry angel food cake.

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Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

This blueberry and lemon pound cake has a dense, moist crumb with a subtle citrus flavor that lets the blueberries shine. A simple lemon glaze finishes it off without making it overly sweet.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Calories 438 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the Pound Cake

• 1 ⅓ cup fresh blueberries (washed and dried)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour (for dusting the blueberries)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
• 3 large eggs (room temperature)
• ¾ cup salted butter (room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup whole milk (room temperature)
• ⅓ cup sour cream (room temperature)

For the Glaze

• 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar (sifted)
• 5 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest

DIRECTIONS

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8 ½ x 4 ½ loaf pan with a parchment paper sling and spray generously with baking spray.
• Toss the blueberries with the 2 teaspoons of flour and set aside.
• Whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
• Combine the sugar and lemon zest in a separate bowl, rubbing them together to release the lemon oils.
• Beat the butter on medium-high speed for 1 ½–2 minutes, until lighter in color.
• Add the sugar and lemon zest mixture and beat for another 2–2 ½ minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.
• Lower the mixer speed and add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add the vanilla, then the lemon juice. The batter will likely look curdled at this point. That's normal and it smooths out once the flour is added.
• Add the flour mixture in parts, alternating with the milk and sour cream, scraping down the bowl as you go. The batter will be noticeably thick.
• Gently fold in the flour-dusted blueberries with a spatula. Avoid stirring or whisking, which can tint the batter blue.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
• Bake for 55–65 minutes. Start checking at the 45-minute mark, both for doneness and browning. If the top is browning before the center is set, tent loosely with foil and continue baking until a toothpick comes out clean with a few crumbs attached.
• Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely in the pan, about 90 minutes, before removing. This takes longer than you might expect. Slicing too early makes it harder to get clean pieces.
• Use the parchment sling to lift the cake out and transfer it to a cooling rack set over a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, heavy cream, and lemon zest until smooth and pourable.
• Spoon the glaze over the top of the cooled cake. Let the glaze set for 15–20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

• For the best texture, make sure your butter, eggs, milk, and sour cream are all at room temperature before you start.
• The batter will look curdled once the lemon juice is added. This is expected and smooths out beautifully once the flour is mixed in.
• Tossing the blueberries in flour helps distribute them evenly through the batter as it bakes.
• Fold the blueberries in gently with a spatula rather than stirring or whisking, to keep the batter its natural color.
• Ovens vary, so start checking around the 45-minute mark. If the top is browning nicely before the center is fully set, a loose foil tent will let it finish baking evenly.
• Let the cake cool fully before slicing, about 90 minutes, for the cleanest slices.
• For an extra-thick glaze, simply double the glaze ingredients.
• Storage: Keep glazed cake at room temperature for up to a day, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze the cake unglazed for up to 3 months and add the glaze after thawing.

Nutrition

Calories: 438kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 142mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 651IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg

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