The Ultimate Moist Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake with Sweet Lemon Glaze
Prepare to be captivated by this moist Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake, a delightful creation brimming with fresh, juicy blueberries and crowned with a vibrant, sweet lemon glaze. This isn’t just a dessert; it’s an experience for every lemon enthusiast and a perfect centerpiece for any occasion. Its irresistible combination of zesty lemon and sweet berries makes it an instant classic, promising a taste of sunshine in every slice.
When it comes to cakes, I find an immense joy in baking bundt cakes. Their unique shape and inherent elegance make them a favorite, consistently turning out beautifully without requiring elaborate decorating skills. A simple, luscious glaze is often all it takes to transform a bundt cake into a stunning dessert, making them accessible even for novice bakers. The fluted design naturally adds a touch of sophistication, making every bundt cake feel like a special treat.
Today’s bundt cake recipe highlights one of my absolute favorite flavor combinations – and I know many of you share this love! – the classic pairing of bright lemons and sweet, plump blueberries. This particular cake is exceptionally moist, bursting with intense lemony flavor, and generously studded with an abundance of beautiful fresh blueberries. It truly embodies the essence of summer, delivering a refreshing and comforting taste in every forkful, perfect for warm days or when you simply crave a ray of culinary sunshine.
The beauty of this lemon blueberry bundt cake lies in its balanced flavor profile. The tartness of the lemon cuts through the sweetness, while the blueberries add a delightful burst of natural fruitiness and a lovely texture contrast. It’s a symphony of flavors that is both sophisticated and approachable, making it suitable for a casual family gathering or a more formal brunch. The aesthetic appeal of the golden cake dotted with purple berries, all glistening under a lemon glaze, is simply stunning.
Mastering the Moistness: Key Ingredients & Techniques
To ensure your blueberries are beautifully suspended throughout the bundt cake batter and don’t sink to the bottom, I highly recommend a simple trick: toss them in a small amount of all-purpose flour until they are lightly coated. This thin layer of flour creates friction, helping the berries cling to the batter and distribute evenly, resulting in a consistent fruit-filled slice every time. This technique works wonders for any fruit you want to prevent from sinking in a cake or muffin batter.
Next, let’s prepare our dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, you’ll whisk together the all-purpose flour (remembering to measure it correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off), baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Proper measurement of flour is critical for the cake’s texture; too much can lead to a dry, dense cake, while too little can make it too soft or crumbly. The baking powder and baking soda work together to give the cake its beautiful rise and tender crumb, while salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors.
For the wet ingredients, we begin by creaming together softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This crucial step, which typically takes about 4-5 minutes with an electric mixer, incorporates air into the butter and sugar, creating tiny pockets that contribute to the cake’s tender texture. You’ll know it’s ready when the butter mixture becomes significantly paler in color and takes on a visibly airy, fluffy consistency. Then, gradually incorporate the large eggs, one at a time, ensuring each is fully mixed in before adding the next, followed by pure vanilla extract to deepen the overall flavor profile.
A secret weapon for an incredibly moist bundt cake, especially one that stays fresh for days, is the combination of butter and oil. After the eggs and vanilla, you’ll mix in fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and a touch of canola or vegetable oil. While butter provides that rich, signature flavor, oil helps to maintain moisture, preventing the cake from drying out. This ensures your bundt cake remains tender and delicious not just on day one, but even on day two and three, a quality that makes it perfect for sharing or enjoying over several days. The fresh lemon zest, packed with aromatic oils, infuses the batter with an intense citrus burst that cannot be replicated by extracts alone.
When combining the wet and dry ingredients, it’s important to be mindful of the significant volume of batter for this bundt cake. To prevent overmixing, which can lead to a tough cake, alternate adding the dry ingredients with the full-fat sour cream. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition on low speed just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten too much, resulting in a rubbery texture instead of a tender crumb. Finally, gently fold in your flour-coated blueberries until they are just evenly distributed throughout the batter. A rubber spatula is ideal for this last step, ensuring you don’t crush the delicate berries or overwork the batter.
Baking and Glazing Your Masterpiece
Once your batter is perfectly mixed, pour it into a well-prepared 10-inch bundt pan, spreading it evenly. Proper preparation of your bundt pan is key to a flawless cake release; generously grease and flour every crevice of the pan to prevent sticking. Bake the cake for approximately 50-65 minutes at 350°F (175°C). Begin checking for doneness around the 50-minute mark by inserting a toothpick or thin skewer into the center of the cake. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, indicating it’s perfectly baked. If the top begins to brown too quickly before the center is cooked, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil for the remaining baking time.
After baking, allow the bundt cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before attempting to invert it. This cooling period is crucial as it allows the cake to set and firm up, making it less prone to breaking when removed from the pan. Once inverted, let it cool completely on the wire rack before applying the glaze. A fully cooled cake ensures the glaze sets beautifully without melting or running off.
To truly amplify the bright citrus notes in this Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake, I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice in the glaze. This creates a glaze that is both sweet and tangy, perfectly complementing the cake’s flavors. While you can opt for milk if you prefer a less tart glaze, or even skip the glaze entirely for a simpler treat, the lemon glaze adds an undeniable “wow” factor. Whisk confectioners’ sugar with lemon juice until smooth and pourable; adjust the consistency as needed by adding more sugar for a thicker glaze or more juice for a thinner one. Drizzle generously over the cooled cake for a show-stopping finish.
Expert Tips for Bundt Cake Perfection
Baking Tips for a Flawless Bundt
- Prevent Blueberries from Sinking: Always toss your fresh blueberries in about 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour before adding them to the batter. This simple step creates a dry coating that helps them stay suspended throughout the cake rather than settling at the bottom.
- Room Temperature Ingredients are a Must: Ensure all cold ingredients, such as butter, eggs, and sour cream, are at room temperature before you start baking. This allows them to emulsify properly, creating a smooth, uniform batter that bakes evenly and results in a lighter, more tender cake.
- Avoid Overmixing the Batter: When incorporating dry ingredients and sour cream, alternate additions and mix only until just combined on low speed. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, leading to a tough, dense cake.
- Prevent Excessive Browning: If the top of your bundt cake starts to brown too much before the cake is fully baked through, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil. This will protect the surface while allowing the inside to finish cooking.
- Grease Your Bundt Pan Thoroughly: Use a high-quality non-stick baking spray or brush melted butter into every crevice of your bundt pan, then dust lightly with flour or cocoa powder (for chocolate cakes). This critical step ensures your beautiful cake releases cleanly.
- Cooling is Key for Structure: Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before attempting to invert it. This helps the cake firm up and prevents it from breaking.
More Lemon Blueberry Desserts You’ll Love!
If you can’t get enough of this delightful lemon and blueberry pairing, here are some other fantastic recipes to explore:
- Lemon Blueberry Bread
- Lemon Berry Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Cups
- Mini Lemon Blueberry Cheesecakes
- Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
- Baked Lemon Blueberry Donuts
Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake
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Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups (300 grams fresh) blueberries + 1 tablespoon (8 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 and ¾ cups (345 grams) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup (80ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon zest
- ¼ cup (60 ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 1 cup (230 grams) full fat sour cream, room temperature
For the lemon glaze:
- 1 cup (120 grams) confectioners sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons (30-45 ml) fresh lemon juice, use as needed
Instructions
To make the cake:
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Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a medium mixing bowl, combine the fresh blueberries and 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour. Toss gently until all the blueberries are lightly coated. This step is crucial for preventing them from sinking to the bottom of your bundt pan during baking. Set the bowl aside.
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In a separate large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the measured all-purpose flour (remember to spoon and level for accuracy), baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until these dry ingredients are well combined and no lumps remain. Set this bowl aside as well.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a large mixing bowl and an electric hand mixer, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for about 4-5 minutes, or until the mixture becomes visibly light, pale in color, and fluffy. This aeration is key to a tender cake.
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Add the large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated. Then, mix in the pure vanilla extract. Slowly add the fresh lemon juice, aromatic lemon zest, and the canola or vegetable oil, mixing until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is fully incorporated.
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With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three alternating additions with the full-fat sour cream. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix each addition just until combined, being careful not to overmix the batter. This recipe yields a substantial amount of batter, so I recommend using a rubber spatula to gently fold and turn the batter a few times by hand to ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed without overworking the gluten. Finally, add the flour-coated blueberries and gently fold them into the batter until they are just evenly dispersed.
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Generously spray a 10-inch bundt pan with a high-quality nonstick cooking spray, ensuring all crevices are coated. Alternatively, you can butter and flour the pan. Pour the prepared batter evenly into the bundt pan and spread it around to create a level surface.
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Bake in the preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 50-65 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a wooden skewer or toothpick into the thickest part of the cake; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. If the top of the bundt cake begins to brown excessively before it’s fully cooked, loosely cover it with aluminum foil for the last 5-10 minutes of baking.
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Once baked, remove the bundt cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. This cooling period helps the cake to set and firm up, making it easier to remove without breaking. After 30 minutes, carefully invert the cake onto the wire rack to finish cooling completely before glazing.
To make the glaze:
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While the cake cools, prepare the lemon glaze. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. The consistency should be pourable yet thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If the glaze is too thick, add a tiny bit more lemon juice, a teaspoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. If it’s too thin, gradually add a little more powdered sugar to thicken it.
- Once the bundt cake is completely cool, pour the prepared lemon glaze evenly over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides for a beautiful presentation. Let the glazed cake sit for about 10-15 minutes, or until the glaze has set and hardened slightly. Slice and serve!
This Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake is truly a testament to the versatility and charm of bundt cakes. It’s an adaptation of my beloved Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake, inheriting its impeccable moistness and delightful texture, but with a fresh, fruity twist that makes it uniquely irresistible. Whether you’re hosting a brunch, celebrating a special occasion, or simply treating yourself to a homemade delight, this cake is guaranteed to impress. Its ease of preparation combined with its elegant presentation and sensational flavor makes it a recipe you’ll return to again and again.
Enjoy every zesty, berry-filled bite of this fantastic dessert!