This light and refreshing blueberry cake is made with fresh blueberries, lemon zest and juice, and yogurt. With only 15 minutes of prep, it’s the ideal Spring and Summer dessert! Serve it with a dusting of powdered sugar, a scoop of ice cream, or a dollop of vanilla whipped cream.
The Quickest and Easiest Blueberry Cake!
This beautiful blueberry cake hit all the right notes for me—it’s just sweet enough, packed with juicy blueberries, and has the perfect pop of citrus - just like my good-old blueberry lemon loaf with lemon glaze. I kept the texture super moist by using yogurt and oil, and the best part? It came together easily with only 15 minutes of prep with everyday ingredients I already had on hand. No fancy frostings here—just one pan and done. I love it with a simple dusting of powdered sugar, but I won’t say no to a scoop of ice cream on the side. This blueberry cake is just the latest in my ever-growing berry cake collection. So, if you’re a berry fanatic like me, be sure to also check out my wildly-popular raspberry lemon cake and summery peach blueberry crisp. All of these cakes might become your new best friends this Summer!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Flour: I’ve made this cake with both all-purpose and cake flour—either works great. For a gluten-free version, I tested it with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and King Arthur’s gluten-free measure-for-measure flour, and both turned out beautifully.
- Baking Powder: Make sure it’s fresh—old baking powder won’t give you the rise you need.
- Vegetable Oil: I used a neutral oil such as vegetable/canola oil for this recipe. Something like olive oil would overwhelm the other flavors.
- Sugar: Use regular white granulated sugar.
- Eggs: Add structure and a bit of richness.
- Vanilla: I usually use real vanilla extract, but imitation works in a pinch.
- Plain Yogurt: I’ve made this with regular plain yogurt, Greek yogurt, sour cream, and even plain kefir—each one gives the cake a nice tang and helps it stay tender and moist. Use what you have!
- Blueberries: I use 16 oz of fresh berries. If you're using frozen, don’t thaw them—just toss them in straight from the freezer and add a teaspoon of flour to prevent bleeding. You can also use raspberries and blackberries.
- Lemon Zest + Juice: I zested a large lemon and ended up with about 2 tablespoons of zest. It brightens the flavor and pairs perfectly with the blueberries.
- Tip: The below photo depicts every single ingredient you need. Take a screenshot for your shopping list!
How To Make Blueberry Cake
- This is a quick rundown of the recipe, complete with helpful step-by-step photos! Tip: For the full recipe & instructions please scroll down to the recipe card.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF, line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment, and spray it with a good nonstick spray. Toss the blueberries with a tablespoon of flour to keep them from sinking like sad little stones—then set those aside.
- In the bowl of the stand mixer, beat the sugar and eggs on medium for about 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Then add the oil, lemon zest and juice, yogurt, and vanilla, and give it a quick mix on low for a minute.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then fold that into the wet mixture with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix.
- Pour half the batter into the pan, scatter half the blueberries over it, then repeat with the rest—batter, berries, and a gentle pat on top to even things out.
- Bake the blueberry cake in the center of the oven for 1 hour. Then, I like to loosely covered it with foil and bake for 10 more minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- After baking, I would let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, and pop off the springform. Once the cake is fully cooled, I like to dust it with powdered sugar on top—optional but pretty irresistible!
What baking pan to use?
I like using a 9-inch springform pan for this type of cake because the batter is pretty thick and doesn’t leak, plus it makes releasing the cake so much easier. This cake could also be baked in a 10-inch pan, however, it will not be quite as tall.
Fresh or frozen blueberries?
I used fresh blueberries for this cake but frozen can also be used. Do not defrost the blueberries before adding them to the cake. I toss the berries in a little flour prior to adding them to the batter as this helps prevent them from sinking.
Storage Instructions
- How to store: Any leftover cake should be stored in an airtight container. It will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days and up to 5 days if refrigerated.
- How to freeze: This cake can be frozen for up to one month. Wrap individual portions in a layer of plastic wrap then a layer of foil. Defrost in the fridge overnight. Bring to room temperature before eating.
More Blueberry Cakes
- Apple Blueberry Cake
- Peach and Blueberry Greek Yogurt Cake (can be made with canned or frozen peaches or nectarines or apricots)
- Strawberry Blueberry Cake
Blueberry Cake
Ingredients
- 16 ounces fresh blueberries
- 1 ¼ cups granulated white sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- zest and juice of one lemon
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled (plus extra for blueberries)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Powdered sugar for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 9 inch springform baking pan with parchment paper, spray with non stick and set aside.
- To a bowl, add the blueberries with one tablespoon of flour. Toss to coat the blueberries and set aside.
- To the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add the sugar and eggs then beat on a medium speed for about two minutes or until smooth and fully combined.
- Add the vegetable oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, yogurt and vanilla. Beat on a low speed for about one minute.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to fold together until only just combined.
- Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared baking pan. Scatter over half of the blueberries then cover with the remaining cake batter. Use the back of a spoon to gently spread the batter over the top of the blueberry layer. Finish by adding the second half of the blueberries, pressing them gently into the top of the batter.
- Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 1 hour then add a layer of foil to the top of the pan and bake for a further ten minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the pan for 15 minutes then run a sharp knife around the outside edge of the cake and release from the springform pan. Leave the cake on the bottom part of the pan and allow to completely cool.
- Sprinkle over a little powdered sugar, if you like.
Notes
- Baking tips: I baked this cake at a relatively low temperature (350 F) to let it rise and bake slowly—totally worth it. Toward the end, I covered it loosely with foil so it wouldn’t get too brown on top. In my oven, it was perfect at 1 hour and 10 minutes, but since all ovens are different, I always do the toothpick test before pulling it out. It should come out completely clean!
- Use a springform pan to make releasing the cake easy, especially with thicker batters like in this cake. You can also use a 10-inch pan, but the cake won’t be as tall.
- You can use either fresh or frozen blueberries. Toss fresh or frozen blueberries in flour before adding them to the batter to prevent sinking. Don’t defrost frozen berries!
- Use neutral oils like vegetable or canola. Avoid olive oil as it could overpower the cake's flavors.
- About yogurt: You can substitute plain yogurt with Greek yogurt or sour cream.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge. You can freeze it for up to a month—Wrap individual portions in a layer of plastic wrap then a layer of foil. Defrost in the fridge overnight. Bring to room temperature before eating.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Absolutely loved the blueberry cake – so moist, rich, and full of flavor!
So happy to hear that! 🙂
I have used scores of Julia's recipes all with great success, but until now never tried any of her desserts. I love to cook, but baking has proved to be a challenge. But this is by far the best dessert I have ever made or tasted, the use of Greek yogurt in place of butter is genius, far moister and healthier. I followed the instructions, cooked for exactly 1:20 minutes, last 10 covered with foil and my guests raved about the cake....although forgot the powdered sugar, which in retrospect is really not needed. Great recipe, I now will try many more.
Ah, I’m so glad you took the leap into baking with this one—and what a compliment! The Greek yogurt definitely makes it so moist without feeling heavy. I think you might also like this cake too - it's similar yet different:
https://juliasalbum.com/raspberry-lemon-cake/
Hi there! How could I best add white chocolate to this? Thanks! Also can I use butter, coconut oil, rapeseed oil instead of vege oil? Thank you
Hi Nic! I would fold in 1 cup of white chocolate chips together with the blueberries. And yes, you can use butter, coconut oil, or rapeseed oil instead of plain vegetable oil. If using coconut oil, make sure it's at room temperature along with the other liquid ingredients.
Julia,
Am getting ready to make this cake for my wife's 70'th birthday this evening. She had to have some dental surgery so need to serve her soft food but I think this will be a wonderful dessert. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Hi Marina! That sounds so thoughtful—what a lovely way to celebrate her special day! I hope she enjoys the cake and has a smooth recovery from her surgery. Wishing you both a wonderful birthday evening! 🙂
Loved this recipe, pretty simple and mostly with things you have in your kitchen already. Ended up using lots of bowls (blueberries, stand mixer and bowl for dry ingred.) but that's ok. Used a new springform pan which worked well, but I really think 1 hour would have been more than plenty. Against my instinct, went the extra 10 minutes and the bottom was almost burned (ended up cutting it off). I do have a thermometer that I check as sometimes my oven is a little off, but it was just a hair under 350 deg. I suggest checking at 50 minutes.
Hi Katy! Thank you for the feedback and taking the time to leave a review. 🙂 It's always so appreciated! 🙂 I totally agree—ovens can vary, and it’s always great to check a bit earlier - thank you for great tips!
When I tested after 50 min my toothpick came out clean in several spots. However while enjoying the bottom center was not quite done. Get longer toothpicks or leave in for more cooking. But delicious. Not too sweet.
Thanks so much for the feedback, Francine,—I’m so glad you enjoyed the flavor! A longer toothpick is a great idea for checking doneness. You're absolutely right—this cake isn’t overly sweet - it has more of that classic European-style subtle sweetness.
I don’t own a Stand up mixer. Can I use a regular hand held mixer?
Yes, absolutely! A regular hand-held mixer works just fine!
Can you use frozen blueberries in this recipe and if so should they be thawed first? Thank you
Hi Sherrill! You can use frozen blueberries - no need to thaw them. Add them to the cake frozen!
I just made this today, going to serve for dessert tonight. Looks delicious
Yay, you’re quick! 🙂 I’m so excited you gave it a try already—hope it’s a hit at dessert tonight! 🙂