Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake
This recipe for Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake has been requested by a few people in my DMs, so I decided to give it priority since blueberries are in season. This cake is bright, buttery, super moist, and packed with fresh blueberries in every slice. It gets soaked with a lemon syrup after baking, which keeps the crumb soft and adds even more lemon flavor. And instead of a simple glaze, I finished it with a lemon white chocolate ganache made with homemade lemon curd, which makes it extra special.
If you love lemon desserts that actually taste like lemon, or if you loved my Lemon Blueberry Bread, this one will certainly deliver. Between the fresh zest, lemon juice, syrup soak, and lemon curd ganache, every layer brings something different without feeling overpowering. The blueberries balance everything out perfectly and keep the cake tasting fresh and summery.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bright lemon flavor in every layer.
- Extremely moist texture thanks to the syrup soak.
- The blueberry layering method keeps the berries suspended throughout the cake.
- The lemon white chocolate ganache makes it feel bakery-worthy.
- Perfect for spring and summer gatherings.
- Works with fresh or frozen blueberries.
What You Need…
Lemons: You’ll use both the juice and zest throughout the recipe, so fresh lemons are essential here. Rubbing the zest into the sugar helps release the oils and makes the cake extra fragrant. I use this method in so many of recipes, like my Lemon Curd Cake.
This post may contain affiliate links. I earn a commission from qualified purchases. Please read our Privacy policy here.
Blueberries: I prefer fresh blueberries when they’re in season, but frozen blueberries also work well. I don’t bother tossing them in flour because the layering method works much better for keeping them evenly distributed.
Sour Cream: Sour cream keeps the cake soft, rich, and tender. Full-fat Greek yogurt also works if that’s what you have on hand. So many of my bundt cakes use sour cream like my Strawberry Bundt Cake or Pistachio Bundt Cake.
White Chocolate: Use real white chocolate bars instead of chips for the ganache. White chocolate chips often contain stabilizers that can make the ganache grainy.
Homemade Lemon Curd: The lemon curd adds a silky, concentrated lemon flavor to the ganache that you can’t really get from lemon juice alone. I have a dedicated lemon curd recipe here, but I also include it right here in the instructions!
How To Make Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake
Here’s how I make this recipe step-by-step, but I also have it listed below in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Make the Lemon Curd
I have a whole recipe dedicated to lemon curd, but I’ll tell you here how to make it as well!
In a bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer for about 1 minute until smooth. Add the sugar and beat for another minute until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. The mixture may look curdled at this stage and that’s completely normal.
Step 2: Cook the curd down
Pour the mixture into a small heavy-bottom saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Do not let the curd boil, or the eggs can scramble. Cook until the curd reaches 170°F or becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Immediately strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl for a silky smooth texture. Remember, I have a full recipe dedicated to lemon curd, so be sure to check that out for extra tips!
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until chilled and thickened. Reserve 60g for the ganache.
Step 3: Start the cake batter
Preheat the oven to 350°F, or 325°F if you have a convection oven.
Grease a 12-cup bundt pan generously with softened butter and dust lightly with flour, making sure to coat all the crevices well so the cake releases cleanly.
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a separate small bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips until fragrant and slightly damp. This helps release all the lemony oils that will make this cake taste delicious!
Step 4: Beat the butter
In a large bowl, beat the butter for about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Add the lemon sugar and continue beating for another 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Step 5: Add the eggs
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Step 6: Add the sour cream and lemon juice
Mix in the sour cream and lemon juice. Make sure the sour cream is at room temperature so it incorporates evenly into the batter.
Step 7: Alternate the dry and wet ingredients
Add half of the dry ingredients and mix briefly. Pour in the milk and mix again.
Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing the flour leads to dense and bready textures, which is the exact opposite of what we’re looking for in this cake.
Step 8: Assemble the cake
Now it’s time to assemble the cake. Spread about 2 cups of batter into the prepared bundt pan. Then, scatter about one-third of the blueberries over the batter.
Step 9: Continue Layering
Add another layer of batter, followed by more blueberries. Continue layering until all the batter and blueberries are used, finishing with batter on top.
This layering method works much better than tossing the berries in flour and helps keep them evenly suspended throughout the cake. Smooth the top of the batter.
Step 10: Bake
Bake for 45–65 minutes, or until the cake springs back lightly and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
If the top starts browning too quickly, loosely tent the cake with foil.
Step 11: Make the Lemon Syrup
While the cake bakes, combine the lemon juice, sugar, and lemon peel in a small saucepan. Bring to a brief boil just until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from the heat and discard the lemon peel.
Once the cake comes out of the oven, let it rest for 5 minutes in the pan. Then, prickle holes all over the surface with a skewer or toothpick and slowly pour the warm syrup over the cake.
Let the cake cool for another 15 minutes before unmolding onto a wire rack. Cool completely before coating with ganache.
Step 12: Make the Lemon Ganache
Place the chopped white chocolate in a bowl and set aside.
Heat the lemon curd and heavy cream together until steaming but not boiling. Pour the hot mixture over the white chocolate and let sit for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth.
Let the ganache sit at room temperature for 1–2 hours until thickened to a pourable consistency. You can also refrigerate it in short intervals, stirring between each one, but keep a close eye on it because white chocolate ganache firms up quickly.
Step 13: Decorate the Cake
Pour or spread the ganache over the cooled cake and decorate with extra blueberries and lemon zest. Enjoy your beautiful dessert!
Expert Tips
While the cake is rather straightforward, there are a ton of steps! Here are some tips to keep you on track.
- Rub the lemon zest into the sugar to maximize lemon flavor.
- Don’t skip the syrup soak on this one— it keeps the cake incredibly moist for days. Plus it really infuses the lemon flavor.
- Layering the blueberries prevents them from sinking better than flour coating.
- Use room temperature ingredients for the smoothest batter.
- Real white chocolate bars melt much more smoothly than chips. Go for the higher quality here.
Storage
Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving for the best texture.
Variations
If I were to do this cake any differently, here are a few things I might do!
- Add up to 1/4 cup limoncello to the syrup after removing it from the heat for a boozy brunch.
- Swap the blueberries for raspberries or blackberries.
- Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the batter for a softer flavor profile.
- Finish with candied lemon slices for a more decorative presentation.
I also love pairing lemon with flavors like raspberry, white chocolate, coconut, and pistachio because the acidity helps balance richer desserts so well. b.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Use them straight from frozen. The bake time may increase slightly.
Yes. The lemon curd can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in the fridge.
Usually this happens if all the berries are folded directly into the batter. Layering them throughout the pan helps suspend them much more evenly.
You can, but it really takes the cake to another level. If you want something simpler, a basic lemon glaze also works well.
More Lemon Recipes
If you love bright citrus desserts as much as I do, here are a few more lemon recipes worth making next. My Lemon Bluberry Cheesecake is one of my favorite recipes on the site and has the same fresh, balanced lemon flavor as this bundt cake, but in rich cheesecake form. For something simpler, my Lemon Shortbread Cookies are buttery, crisp, and packed with lemon zest. And if you’re looking for another blueberry-forward sweet treat, try my Blueberry Tart.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. And if you share photos online, feel free to tag me so I can see your cakes!
Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Lemon Curd
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature (42g)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar 67g
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup lemon juice 60ml
- 1½ tbsp lemon zest about 7–8g
- ⅙ tsp salt
Cake Batter
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour 350g
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 2 cups granulated sugar 400g
- 3 tbsp lemon zest from about 3 lemons
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (226g)
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup sour cream 120g
- ¼ cup lemon juice 60ml
- ½ cup milk 120ml
- 2 cups fresh blueberries about 300g
Lemon Syrup
- ⅓ cup lemon juice 120ml
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100 g
- 2 wide strips of lemon peel
Lemon White Chocolate Ganache
- 60 g lemon curd
- 45 g heavy cream
- 125 g white chocolate finely chopped
Instructions
Lemon Curd
- In a bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat for another minute until creamy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined. The mixture may look separated and that’s okay.
- Pour into a small heavy-bottom saucepan and cook over medium-low heat. Do not let the curd boil at any point, and stir continuously to prevent the eggs from curdling.
- Cook until the curd reaches 170°F (76°C), or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Immediately strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove the zest and ensure a silky smooth texture.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until chilled and thick. Reserve 60 g of curd for the ganache.
Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), or 325°F (160°C) for convection.
- Grease a 12-cup bundt pan generously with softened butter and dust with flour, making sure to coat all the details and crevices.
- Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar using your fingertips until fragrant.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter for about 2 minutes.
- Add the lemon sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about another 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time.
- Mix in the sour cream and lemon juice.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and mix briefly, then add the milk.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
Layer the Blueberries
- Spread about 2 cups of batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan.
- Scatter about 1/3 of the blueberries over the batter. Add another layer of batter.
- Scatter another portion of blueberries.
- Repeat until all batter and blueberries are used, finishing with batter on top.
- This layering method keeps the berries suspended throughout the cake and works much better than tossing them in flour.
- Smooth the top.
- Bake for 45–65 minutes, until the cake springs back lightly and a toothpick comes out clean. If browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil.
Lemon Syrup
- While the cake bakes, combine the lemon juice, sugar, and lemon peel in a small saucepan.
- Bring to a brief boil just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and discard the lemon peel.
- When the cake comes out of the oven, let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Prickle holes all over the surface and slowly pour the warm syrup over the cake.
- Cool for another 15 minutes before unmolding. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Lemon White Chocolate Ganache
- Place the white chocolate in a bowl.
- Heat the 60g lemon curd and 45g heavy cream together in a seperate pan until steaming but not boiling.
- Pour over the white chocolate.
- Let sit for 1 minute, then whisk until smooth.
- Allow the ganache to sit at room temperature for 1–2 hours until it reaches a thicker, pourable consistency.
- To speed it up, refrigerate in 5–10 minute intervals, stirring between each interval. Watch closely because once it starts setting, it firms up quickly and can become solid.
- Pour or spread over the cooled cake. Decorate with more blueberries and lemon zest.