This Lemon Blueberry cake is a delicious semi naked style cake with two layers of lemon poppy seed cake sandwiched with a creamy mascarpone frosting and fresh macerated blueberries. The cake is topped with fresh blueberries and lemon slices. It’s the perfect dessert for spring, summer or to celebrate a birthday!
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What makes this Lemon poppy seed blueberry cake amazing
If you love the combination of lemon and poppy seed you’re gonna love this cake! Tart and moist lemon poppy seed cake layers sandwiched with a creamy lemony mascarpone frosting and fresh macerated blueberries.
Its such a simple yet elegant cake and so easy to make! Perfect for your next summer BBQ or picnic.
Ingredient notes
- Flour- I used unbleached all purpose flour
- Baking powder + baking soda- These gives the cake the rise. Make sure they aren’t expired.
- Oil- Any neutral tasting oil would work
- Buttermilk-You can also substitute 1 ¼ cup whole milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Let it sit for 10 minutes before using.
- Eggs- I like to use room temperature large eggs.
- Mascarpone cheese- Take out the cheese two hours prior to making the frosting.
- Blueberries- Make sure to use fresh blueberries.
- Poppy Seeds-I used black poppy seeds.
- Lemon juice- Fresh is best, you can use concentrated lemon juice.
- Lemon zest- Make sure you add this! It makes the difference in the frosting.
- Lemon Extract- Optional here but it really helps to add a floral note to the cake
How to make Lemon poppy seed blueberry cake
Before you start: Preheat the oven to 350F/177C. Prepare two 8″ cake pans with a round of parchment on the bottom.
Step 1:Beat the butter and sugar. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Step 2:Beat in the eggs. Add egg, egg whites, vanilla extract and lemon extract if using. Then beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Set aside.
Step 3:Whisk the dry ingredients.Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl then whisk together and set aside.
Step 4.Mix the flour mixture into wet ingredients. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, start the mixer on low speed, then slowly add the buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest and poppy seeds. Do not over-mix the batter.
Step 5.Bake the cake layers. Divide the batter evenly the prepared baking pans and bake for 35-40 mins until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
How to assemble lemon poppy seed blueberry cake:
Step 1- Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Using an offset spatula, evenly cover the top with the whipped cream and chopped blueberries. Repeat with the second layer of cake.
Step 2- Top with the third cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the whipped cream using an offset spatula. Top with fresh blueberries.
Variations and Substitutions
- Black Poppy Seeds: If you don’t have black poppy seeds you can use white poppy seeds instead. You will get the same flavor however you wont get that same visual effect.
- Mascarpone Frosting: If you don’t like mascarpone cheese or don’t have it you can easily replace it with cream cheese.
- Blueberries: Not a fan of blueberry? You could try a different berry like raspberry or Blackberry!
- Lemon: If you don’t like lemon you can replace it vanilla for a vanilla poppy seed cake or even try substituting lime for it.
- Buttermilk: Use plain yoghurt instead of buttermilk or make you own by adding one tablespoon white vinegar to milk
Expert Baking Tips
- Measure the flour properly. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with a flat edge. Don’t shake it or pack it down into the cup and don’t scoop straight from the bag or container. This always leads to the use of way too much flour, leaving you with a dry cake.
- Whip the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This will add air to the cake, creating a fluffy texture.
- Use room temperature ingredients, especially the butter and eggs! Otherwise your batter could turn out lumpy.
- Bake both cake layers at the same time. Pour the batter into two 8″ round cake pans to fill each about halfway full.
- Wait until cake layers are cool to frost: You must wait for the cake to cool completely before frosting them, otherwise the frosting will literally melt right off the cake!
FAQ’s
Can I make the cake layers ahead of time?
Yes! Bake the cakes and allow them to cool as instructed. Once they are completely cool at room temp, wrap each cake layer in plastic wrap completely. Make sure no air can get in. Chill in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
What can I use besides 8″ cake pans?
This recipe can also be baked in two 9″ cake pans or three 6″ cake pans. The cake times are about the same, but reduce the time by a couple minutes in a 9″ pan. 6″ cakes may need longer to bake so start as instructed, and add on more time as needed.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
A little bit of sinking when cooling is natural, but if the cake completely sinks to the point where the edges of the cake are higher than the middle, then something went wrong! It’s possible that you underbaked the cake and removed it from the oven before the middle got a chance to finish baking. Adding too much leavener could also cause the cake to rapid rise while baking and then collapse while cooling.
STORING AND FREEZING
Store this lemon poppy seed blueberry cake in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 5 days. The cake is best at room temperature.
FREEZING
This layered blueberry chocolate cake can be frozen in an individual cake slices. Wrap each slice in cling wrap. Freeze up to 30 days.
Thaw for 1 hour before enjoying.
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below, I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
RECIPE 📖
Lemon poppy seed Blueberry cake with mascarpone frosting
Equipment
- Electric Mixer
Ingredients
For the lemon poppy seed cake:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 egg plus 2 egg whites room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tbsp lemon zest about two lemons
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp lemon extract optional
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
Lemon Mascarpone Frosting:
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp lemon curd
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Macerated Blueberries:
- 16 oz fresh blueberries
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- zest of one large lemon
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grease and line with parchment 2 8 inch round baking pans.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add egg, egg whites, vanilla extract and lemon extract if using. Then beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Set aside.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl then whisk together and set aside.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, start the mixer on low speed, then slowly add the buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest and poppy seeds. Do not over-mix the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly the prepared baking pans and bake for 35-40 mins until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- For the macerated blueberries:
- Combine all the ingredients and set aside for 10 mins.
For the mascarpone frosting:
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the mascarpone cheese on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the cream and beat on high speed until it holds stiff peaks. Beat in the lemon curd and juice. Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.
To Assemble
- Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Using an offset spatula, evenly cover the top with the frosting and blueberries.
- Top with the second cake layer. Frost the top of the cake with the frosting using an offset spatula. Top with the remaining blueberries.
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