This Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake is moist, buttery, and packed with fresh lemon and blueberry flavor. Fresh blueberries are folded into a rich cream cheese pound cake flavored with lemon juice, then the finished cake is topped with homemade blueberry compote and a sweet-tart lemon glaze.
Blueberry and lemon are one of those combinations that just work. The sweet, juicy blueberries balance the tart lemon, while cream cheese gives the pound cake a rich, tender texture.
And we're not stopping with blueberries inside the cake! The homemade blueberry compote on top gives you even more blueberry flavor, while the lemon glaze adds the perfect finishing touch.
In this guide, complete with step-by-step photos and a video tutorial, I'll show you exactly how to bake this elegant yet comforting cake, keep it moist and flavorful, and bring a little extra magic to your table.
Video Tutorial
Why You'll Love This Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake
Fresh blueberry flavor: Blueberries are folded directly into the pound cake batter and used again to make the homemade compote.
Bright lemon flavor: Lemon juice is added to the cake and glaze for a fresh citrus flavor.
Rich and moist: Cream cheese and butter create a rich, tender pound cake crumb.
Beautiful presentation: Blueberry compote and lemon glaze make this cake look just as good as it tastes.
Made from scratch: The cake, blueberry compote, and lemon glaze are all homemade.
Recommended Baking Tools for Pound Cakes:
- Bundt Pan (A 12 cup bundt pan is needed for this recipe.)
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
- Silicone Spatula
- Oven Thermometer
- Cake Keeper
- Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons
Essential Tips Before You Start
Room Temperature Ingredients Are Key - Butter, cream cheese, and eggs should all be at room temperature to ensure smooth mixing.
Preparing the Bundt Pan - Grease thoroughly with baking spray that contains flour, or use butter and flour. Grease all areas including the center and ridges.
Toss Blueberries in Flour - Lightly coat your blueberries in a tablespoon of flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the batter. (Note I didn't follow this process as I don't typically experience this issue, but tossing them is known to be helpful).
Properly measure your ingredients - Always measure each ingredient to make sure that you have the accurate amount of each ingredient for the recipe.
Properly cream the butter and sugar together- Blend the ingredients together for approximately five minutes until light and fluffy.
Don't overmix or under mix your batter - Aside from creaming the butter and sugar together, once done adding an ingredient, immediately start adding the next ingredient. If you are not quite ready, stop the mixer until you're ready to add the next ingredient. After you have added the last ingredient, just mix until blended.
Let the cake cool before topping it. The cake and compote should cool before you add the toppings so they don't simply run off the cake.
Whip it like Butter Pro tip:
You can cream butter and sugar at a higher speed, but once that step is done, lower the mixer to speed 1 or 2 to blend in the remaining ingredients. Mixing slowly prevents overmixing, which keeps your pound cake soft and tender.
Why Did My Blueberries Sink?
Fruit can sink into the batter because the berries are large and heavy. For this recipe, gently fold the blueberries into the finished batter rather than aggressively mixing them in.
Lightly coating the berries in flour before folding them into the batter may help.
Do I Have to Toss the Blueberries in Flour?
No.
You can lightly toss your blueberries with flour if you frequently have trouble with fruit sinking to the bottom of your cakes.
However, I don't typically have this issue when making this recipe, so I don't always flour my blueberries.
Why Is My Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake Dry?
Overbaking is one of the most common causes of dry pound cake.
Because ovens vary, start checking the cake before the full recommended baking time.
Insert a wooden toothpick or skewer into the thickest portion of the cake. You want it to come out clean or with a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter.
Also be careful when measuring your flour. Too much flour can contribute to a dry cake.
Can I Substitute Something for the Cream Cheese?
For the most consistent results, I recommend using full-fat cream cheese as written in the recipe. Cream cheese contributes moisture, richness, and structure to this pound cake, so replacing it can change the finished texture. It also creates a thick batter, which is particularly important for this recipe since blueberries tend to be heavy.
How Do I Know When Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake Is Done?
Insert a wooden toothpick or skewer into the thickest part of the cake. The pound cake is done when it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
If you see wet batter, continue baking and check again after a few minutes.
Why Room-Temperature Ingredients Matter
Using room-temperature butter, eggs, and cream cheese is key to achieving a smooth, well-aerated batter and an evenly baked pound cake. Cold ingredients can cause the batter to curdle or become lumpy-especially cream cheese, which can form stubborn clumps that won't fully blend without overmixing.
Mixing cold ingredients also risks creating an uneven crumb or even a sunken cake. For best results, take your ingredients out at least two hours before baking to ensure they reach room temperature.
Serving Suggestions for Your Pound Cake
- Serve with fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Garnish with lemon slices.
- Perfect for brunch, afternoon tea, or summer gatherings.
Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake Variations & Substitutions
- Swap blueberries for raspberries or blackberries.
How to Store Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake
Once you've topped the cake with the homemade fruit compote, I'd recommend storing the finished cake covered in the refrigerator for up to five days. For the best texture, allow individual slices to sit at room temperature briefly before serving.
If you're making the cake ahead of time, another option is to keep the plain pound cake covered separately and refrigerate the blueberry compote until you're ready to assemble and serve it.
For longer storage, the plain pound cake can be wrapped well and frozen.
Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake recipe
Ingredients
- For the Pound Cake:
- 3 c All Purpose Flour
- 2 c Granulated Sugar
- 1 c Unsalted Butter - room temperature 2 sticks
- 5 Large Eggs - room temperature
- 8 oz. Cream Cheese - room temperature
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 c Blueberries - fresh or frozen
- ¼ c Lemon juice
- For the Blueberry Compote:
- 2 c Blueberries
- ½ c Granulated Sugar
- 1-2 tsps Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
- For the Lemon Icing:
- 1 c Powdered Sugar
- 2 tbsps Lemon Juice
Instructions
- For the Pound Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and sit to the side.
- Then, using a hand or stand mixer, mix the butter together then slowly add in the granulated sugar. Mix on medium speed until until light and fluffy (approximately 5 minutes).
- Add the cream cheese to the batter and mix until incorporated.
- Then add the eggs to the bowl one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition before adding the next egg.
- Mix the lemon juice into the batter.
- Mix in the flour 1 c at a time until all of the flour is added.
- Lastly, fold the blueberries into the batter. (You may choose to toss the blueberries in flour first to prevent them from sinking).
- Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with baking spray. Pour the batter into your bundt pan and spread it evenly. Bake the pound cake for about an hour and 15 minutes.
- The cake is done when the toothpick comes out clean/with moist crumbs. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 - 15 minutes before removing it from the pan.
- For the Blueberry Compote:
- In a medium-size saucepan, add the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice and heat to medium heat. Stir frequently for about 15 minutes.
- Add the cornstarch if the compote is not at your desired thickness. Remove the compote from the heat and allow it to cool before adding it to cake.
- For the Lemon Icing:
- Mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice together until nice and smooth.
- Once the cake has cooled, add the compote and glaze to the cake as desired.
- Allow the glaze and compote to set before serving.
Video
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients- eggs, butter and cream cheese should be at room temperature
- Measuring ingredients - To measure the flour, first sift the flour and spoon it into the measuring cup until overflowing, then level it off with the back of the knife. Do not pack the flour.
- Avoid overmixing the cake batter, as it'll lead to a tough and rubbery cake.
- Preheat your oven - an oven thermometer is a great tool to use to ensure that your oven is at the proper temperature before baking your pound cake.
- Grease your bundt pan thoroughly with baking spray that contains flour, or use butter and flour. Grease all areas including the center and ridges.
- Use a toothpick to check for doneness. A wooden skewer is also an option to reach further into the pound cake. It should come out clean or with few crumbs.
- Pound cakes continue to bake while they cool, so be careful not to overbake it. Pull it from the oven when a few crumbs come out clean or with just a few crumbs on the skewer. Because they continue to bake while cooling, this is another reason to not leave your cake in the pan for an extended period of time. 10 -15 minutes of cooling time is sufficient.
Nutrition
Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake FAQs
Can I use frozen blueberries?
Yes! Thaw them on a paper towel, then toss with flour before folding into your batter.
Can I leave off the blueberry compote?
Yes. The pound cake already contains blueberries, so you can serve it without the compote if you prefer a simpler cake.
Can I leave off the lemon glaze?
Yes. The glaze adds additional lemon flavor and sweetness, but the cake can be served without it.
Can I make this pound cake ahead of time?
Yes. You can bake the pound cake ahead of time and wait to add the blueberry compote and lemon glaze until the cake has completely cooled and you're ready to finish it.
Does Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake need to be refrigerated?
Once topped with the homemade blueberry compote, I recommend keeping the finished cake covered in the refrigerator.
Why Did My Pound Cake Crack
That signature crack is simply pound cake character. It's not unusual for a true pound cake to crack. It's a natural result of the baking process when baking a pound cake. As the batter heats from the edges inward, the center takes longer to set. When the middle finally begins to rise, it breaks through the surface crust, creating the crack. The shape of the bundt pan is also a contributing factor.
More Pound Cake recipes with fruit
If you love peach cobbler, try my Peach Cobbler Pound Cake! This cake is made with diced peaches in the batter with a peach cobbler base and a delicious glaze.
Every had Banana Pudding in Pound Cake form? This Banana Pudding Pound Cake tastes just like Banana Pudding without the addition of pudding mix in the batter!
This Pineapple Pound Cake is a tender pound cake infused with intense pineapple flavor, with fresh pineapple folded right into the batter.
If you are looking for a Strawberry Pound Cake with no food coloring, try my Strawberry Pound Cake. It's made with fresh strawberry puree and topped with a homemade strawberry puree-infused glaze.
Also, try the Mile High version of this recipe!
From the Whip It Like Butter kitchen to yours, we hope this cake brings joy to your table. Don't forget to check out the how-to video above for a visual guide, and tag us if you bake it-we love seeing your creations!
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Andrea Radford says
This recipe delivers a perfect poundcake every time!
Ashley Frederick says
Thank you so much Andrea! I'm glad you love it!